Ninyes interviewed Anne Valli, Co-Founder of Gugguu, a Finnish responsible kidswear brand founded in 2012.
Q: Could you tell us a bit about yourself and your role at Gugguu?
I’m Anne Valli, one of the founders and owners of Gugguu. I’m currently Gugguu’s CEO. Since our team is small, I’ve handled many different tasks, and my responsibilities are broad. I have always been in charge of our e-commerce, retail partnerships, internationalization, and development projects. Now, I also handle all CEO duties.
Q: How did Gugguu get started?
My sister Miia Riekki and I were young mothers, each with three children. We loved children’s clothing and ordered a lot from abroad but noticed something was always wrong. That’s when Miia got the idea for us to create our own clothing line and launch a children’s clothing brand.
Although we didn’t have experience or education in the textile industry, as mothers, we knew what our children needed and what we wanted for them. We had a clear vision: we wanted to create high-quality, eco-friendly, and comfortable clothing that looked great and was durable. Local production was also very important to us.
The name "Gugguu" comes from one of my youngest son’s first words, inspired by the Finnish game "kukkuu" (peek-a-boo).
Q: What defines Gugguu as a brand? Do you have an iconic product that best represents you?
Gugguu is defined by:
- A strong, recognizable visual identity. We invest heavily in photoshoots, events, and marketing materials.Coordinated colors and matching prints – our products are designed to be mixed and matched in many ways.
- Community spirit – we’ve built a strong community around Gugguu. Our events allow customers to meet like-minded people. This also extends to children, who can make new friends through events like our photoshoots. All of our child models are our customers’ children.
- Events – we organize numerous events where our customer community can come together and strengthen the Gugguu community.
- Iconic products, we have many of them, but I’d highlight our furry hats and helmet caps. From our indoor clothing collection, hoodies and two-tone leggings are the first products that come to mind.
Q: What inspired Gugguu to enter the resale and circular economy world?
We had been thinking for a long time about how to enter the secondhand market since Gugguu’s products have already been widely circulated and sold through secondhand channels. We wanted to offer our own solution for this. Gugguu products are made to last, and since a child’s use cycle is short, recycling has always been an important part of Gugguu.
Q: What do you value most in the partnership between Gugguu and Ninyes?
I value continuity and active involvement above all. I especially appreciate that Ninyes participates in our events and that their marketing approach is continuously evolving to stay relevant.
Q: What’s your best advice for selling used Gugguu products?
Gugguu products are designed to last. We want our products to be passed down and worn by multiple children.
It’s wonderful to hear stories from our customers about a single piece of clothing being passed down to seven children in the same family. That tells us we’re doing something right – our products last and have a long life cycle.
Make sure to follow the washing instructions. Our clothes can be washed at up to 60°C, which effectively removes dirt and keeps the product looking good!
Q: What’s your favorite product from Gugguu’s collection?
Right now, my favorite is our Relax line – slightly looser college-style wear that we’ve been making for a few seasons. It fits today’s trends and is also my personal favorite.
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