Mother, daughter well-geared
Christchurch Press March 2008

When Anna Southon struggled to find a suitable jacket for her daughter she teamed up with her mum and they designed their own.

‘All I could find was navy and pink puffy ones. That’s where it started,” Southon said.

Southon, 40, a mother of three who lives in Wellington, and her her mum Monica Telfer, who lives in Christchurch, now have a successful business called Geared, which designs and sell high-visibility waterproof jackets for children. They have just expended the range to include adults.
Geared has entered its third trading season by scoring a contract with The Warehouse, which is selling the Original jackets in all its stores across New Zealand.

The initial Warehouse order was for well over 1000 jackets and more were on order.

However, Geared sell most of its jackets through schools and has nearly 100 on their books including a number of country schools. Geared donates money from each jacket sold to the school.

Safety was the main focus of the company, but Southon and Telfer have always been aware that the jackets have to look “cool” otherwise could would not wear them.

The jackets were made in China because it was cheaper and they found it hare to source the materials they needed in New Zealand.

“The whole thing has got to be affordable for all kids, everyday Kiwi kids. Its not about being elitist.” Southon said.

Telfer would not say what sales were but they hoped to double it in the next year. Sales had also exceeded their initial expectations.

They were making a profit but putting it back into the business.

‘We always thought it would be a goer but in terms of sales we’re exceeding them,” Southon said.

They did plan to export, probably to United Kingdom and Ireland, but wanted to get a firm grip on the New Zealand market first.

Tina Law