KOUKOU

What KOUKOU does

Koukou (trading as Koukou Kreations) is a Manchester-based, founder-operated small business that designs and sells queer and feminist slogan merchandise, including organic cotton clothing (T-shirts, sweatshirts, baby tees and cropped variants in sizes XS-4XL), printed accessories (lighters, hip flasks, keyrings, caps, badges, jewellery), and stationery (art prints, stickers, notepads, postcards, cards, pencils). All designs are hand-illustrated by the founder with no AI-generated content, and apparel is produced by EarthPositive using organic cotton, climate-neutral manufacturing powered by wind and solar, monsoon rainwater, and OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100 certified water-based inks, with garment printing outsourced to Lucky Cat Printing, a single ethically minded, female-run partner.

The company operates a hybrid business model spanning direct-to-consumer e-commerce through its Shopify storefront, wholesale distribution via the Faire marketplace to independent retailers in the UK and Europe (with named stockists in Edinburgh, Birmingham, and Berlin), mobile hip flask painting workshops for hen dos, private events, and corporate team building starting from £25 per person, bespoke customisation orders for individuals and brands, and freelance illustration work for brands, organisations, and individuals. Product pricing spans approximately $2 for stickers to $33+ for premium T-shirts, and the catalogue is organised into themed collections including The Weird Girls, Pride, Goddess Energy, Queers of the Kingdom, Women of the World, A New Feminist Manifesto, and Koukou's Music Box.

The customer base is primarily individual consumers within the LGBTQ+ community and women/non-binary individuals seeking size-inclusive, activist-aligned apparel, supplemented by SMB customers including independent stockists, hen do and celebration organisers, and brands commissioning custom illustration. Marketing and distribution are handled through Instagram, email newsletters, pride events and markets, word-of-mouth referrals, and the Faire marketplace. The business has no external funding, no subsidiaries, and no patents, and operates as a sole proprietorship with all design and operations handled by the founder from her Manchester studio.

Name

KOUKOU

Legal name

Koukou

Website

https://koukoukreations.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Koukou is a Manchester-based, founder-operated small business designing and selling hand-illustrated queer and feminist slogan clothing, accessories, prints, and stationery via Shopify D2C, Faire wholesale, and mobile workshops.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Direct E-commerce Sales: One-time product sales through Shopify storefront including T-shirts, sweatshirts, prints, stickers, lighters, hip flasks, keyrings, badges, caps, cards, notepads, and postcards. Prices range from approximately $2.06 for stickers to $33+ for premium t-shirts.
2. Wholesale Distribution: Bulk sales to independent retailers through Faire marketplace. Products include prints, lighters, hip flasks (3-7 day lead time), and T-shirts (2-3 week lead time for printing).
3. Workshop Services: Hip flask painting workshops for hen dos, private events, and corporate team building. Prices start from £25 per person, with mobile service available at customer venues.
4. Custom Orders: Bespoke customisation services for T-shirts, crop tops, bags, jackets, and shoes. Available for both individual consumers and wholesale orders.
5. Custom Illustration and Design Work: Freelance illustration and design services offered to brands, organisations, and individuals for various projects including murals, window designs, and social media content.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

KOUKOU designs and sells hand-drawn queer and feminist slogan clothing (organic cotton T-shirts and sweatshirts in sizes XS-4XL), accessories (lighters, hip flasks, keyrings, caps, badges, jewellery), and print stationery (art prints, stickers, notepads, postcards, cards, pencils). The Manchester-based founder also offers bespoke custom design services and mobile hipflask painting workshops for hen dos and private events.

Product overview

KOUKOU is a queer-owned small business based in Manchester, operating for over six years as a hand-designed brand rooted in intersectional feminist values and sustainability. The company offers a diverse portfolio of bold, slogan-driven products including organic cotton clothing (t-shirts, sweatshirts, long sleeves in sizes XS-4XL), accessories (lighters, hip flasks, keyrings, caps, badges, jewellery), and print stationery (art prints, stickers, notepads, postcards, cards, pencils). All slogan t-shirts are made from organic cotton using climate-neutral production powered by wind and solar energy, manufactured by EarthPositive with OEKO-TEX certified vegan water-based inks. The brand is organised into themed collections including The Weird Girls Collection, Pride Collection, Goddess Energy, Queers of the Kingdom, Women of the World, A New Feminist Manifesto, and Koukou's Music Box. Beyond products, KOUKOU offers custom design services and creative workshops for events including hen dos and corporate functions, and distributes via wholesale through Faire to independent retailers across the UK and Europe.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Weird Girls Collection: Primary brand collection featuring camp and colourful slogan products
• Pride Collection
• Goddess Energy Collection
• Queers of the Kingdom Collection
• Women of the World Collection
• A New Feminist Manifesto
• Koukou's Music Box

Products and services

• T-shirts
• Sweatshirts
• Lighters
• Hip Flasks
• Art Prints
• Stickers
• Notepads
• Postcards and Cards
• Pencils
• Keyrings
• Caps
• Badges
• Jewellery
• Gift Cards
• Hipflask Painting Workshops
• Custom Orders
• Freelance Illustration and Design Work

Quantifiable outcome

• Manufacturing emissions eliminated through wind and solar power
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Lucky Cat PrintingcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerEthically minded and female-run printing partner trusted with all T-shirt printing. This is the only printer the founder uses for garments, representing a critical production partnership.
• Riot PartyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCollaboration on a limited edition t-shirt 'Life's short, lets kiss' featuring joint branding between Koukou and Riot Party.
• FairecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWholesale marketplace platform enabling distribution to independent retailers across UK and Europe. Offers free returns on first order and 60-day payment terms for eligible retailers.
• EarthPositivecoreOthersManufacturer of organic cotton T-shirts with climate-neutral production using wind and solar power. Has a 'No Airfreight' policy and uses containerized ocean shipping. Production uses monsoon rainwater with low water footprint.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Birdsong London: UK-based ethical womenswear brand with feminist values, made in London with sustainability credentials and slow-fashion ethos. Comparable in feminist positioning, UK origin, ethical manufacturing, and DTC/wholesale hybrid model.
• Kirrin Finch: Queer-owned apparel brand focused on androgynous and gender-inclusive clothing with a sustainability lens. Directly comparable in queer-owned authenticity, mission-led positioning, and small-scale DTC distribution.
• Wildfang: US-based queer/feminist apparel brand selling slogan tees, sweatshirts, and accessories targeted at women and non-binary consumers. Highly comparable positioning to KOUKOU at a larger scale and broader US distribution.
• Lucy & Yak: UK-based sustainable, ethically-made slogan apparel brand with strong DTC and wholesale motion and a values-driven customer base. Closest direct comparison on geography, sustainability credentials, and product format.
• Rapanui: Isle of Wight-based sustainable apparel brand with organic cotton basics, low-impact manufacturing, and DTC-led distribution. Comparable on UK geography, sustainability credentials, and small-team operation model.

Broad incumbents

• DEDICATED: European sustainable fashion brand with organic cotton apparel, GOTS-certified supply chain, and broad wholesale footprint across multiple European markets. Comparable on sustainability positioning and European wholesale reach, though with broader assortment.
• TomboyX: Larger-scale queer-founded apparel brand specializing in size-inclusive basics and undergarments. Comparable on queer-friendly positioning and size inclusivity, but operates at significantly greater scale with venture backing.
• People Tree: Pioneering UK sustainable and fair-trade fashion brand with organic cotton apparel and certified ethical supply chains. Comparable on ethical-fashion positioning and organic cotton sourcing, though at much larger scale and broader assortment.

Regional players

• Asquith: UK-based sustainable activewear and lifestyle brand using organic cotton and bamboo with ethical manufacturing. Comparable on UK geography, sustainability credentials, and DTC model, though focused on activewear rather than slogan apparel.

Emerging players

• Kitri Studio: London-based independent womenswear label focused on print-led, design-forward collections sold DTC and through select stockists. Comparable as a small UK design-led womenswear brand operating through Shopify and selective wholesale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/koukoukreations

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about KOUKOU