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Before Jack Cooper could walk he was an outdoorsy sort of child, not put off by cold, wet, or dirt.
But his mother, Heidi, found it a real challenge to keep him warm and dry, and the amount of clothes he went through in a day was staggering.
"I looked everywhere for
clothing we could put over his indoor clothes but I couldn't find anything," she said.
So Taupo-based Cooper put her fashion design skills into action and began a business - Cooper Troopers - to design and sew protective clothing for children from nine months to five years.
She sourced hard-wearing and colourful materials and began supplying a need that not only she but lots of other mothers had.
She makes the clothes from a 100 per cent nylon outer fabric with a light rubber backing.
It is waterproof, and all the garments are lined with cotton for comfort.
The bright, practical gear slips on over the top of ordinary clothing and includes anoraks, stay-dry pants, overalls, messy play aprons and a sub-zero beanie.
- NZPA
