The Gold Snail and White Moose.

My first introduction to the White Moose brand was watching Channel 9's The Block last year. You may have seen the Koala Planter in a recent bedroom episode. The previous owner of my business had products used in an episode a few years ago enabling us to sell in the Block Shop. We still sell a few products that were in Phil and Amity's Kid's Bedroom.

I saw the products at a trade fair and was struck by how different and quirky they were. This unique quality is something always I look for when choosing products for Ruby's Home Store. 

The Snail was the first item I bought from White Moose. My late Dad collected model snails due to them being the biggest pest for Hosta's. These are a plant he grew, cultivated and exhibited with great success. Everyone he met asked how to stop snails eating their plants. I do wonder sometimes if he had some kind of divine intervention in what came next. I took one of the slippery fellas out of his box, sat him on my mantle piece and took a few snaps on my I phone. This photo of the snail has been the most viewed and liked post on my social media by miles. The snails started flying or slithering out of the door. Every week it is the most viewed and the best selling item on my website. This would never been my prediction particularly as I aimed to stock Coastal and British items predominantly.

I haven't actually met the owner Colin Hutson however I have had many email conversations and he is a really nice guy who is obviously passionate about his business. Colin grew up in country Victoria, going on to study design. During some time in Canada he found the inspiration for his brand name 'White Moose'. He went on to work for for some of Australia's top retail brands including Typo. Then 10 years ago while still working full time, White Moose was born as Colin hand made and sold his designs at a Melbourne artisan market. 

Not only do these products look great, they enable you to give something back. For each item sold a tree is donated by White Moose to 'Trees For The Future'  with whom they partnered to improve the lives of families and farmers  in Sub-Saharan Africa. "Trees For The Future is working to end hunger and poverty for small holder farmers through revitalising degraded land." $5 from each Koala Planter has been donated totalling a whopping $5,014.09 which is helping areas in Australia affected by bushfires. More information on the charities White Moose are donating to here.

White Moose continue to create designs inspired by our ever changing world and how we live in it. Never has our world changed so much. Our homes have become our safe havens. Many of us need things around us which we love, have emotional attachments to or just make us smile. Customers have demonstrated this by sending me photos of their purchases and giving their 'pet' snails names such as Stanley, Mr Snail and ISO! 

I am so grateful to Colin for trusting me with his brand and allowing me to share these amazing designs with you. 

Our full range of fabulous White Moose designs can be found here with something for absolutely everyone and the gift for that person who has everything!