About Kozi Toez

Many years ago (probably about 11) I was delivering lolly (candy) boxes to businesses. One of my customers had these gorgeous sheepskin moccasins in the window of his business. He was a “service” business as opposed to a retail store. Seems his father made the slippers and had done so for many, many years. I bought myself some and enquired whether he would like me to put them on my stall at our big craft show and sell them for him. This arrangement went on for many years until it was all getting too much for his father as he approached his 90^th birthday. We had made several mentions of the fact we would happily buy the business from him as could see the potential and hand-crafted moccasins were no longer available as most retailers imported the cheap ones made from wool pile. The other “moccasin man” in Southland was also approaching 90 and the craft was in danger of just dieing out.

I had also changed jobs and was now working for a local clothing manufacturer. We made fashion garments out of baby lamb (shearling) and possum. I had been racking my brain as to what I could use all the possum scrap for.

Then, out of the blue, my friend phoned to say his father was going into a retirement home, and although would not give up making slippers altogether, he would allow me to take a copy of his patterns. Of course, I was up there the very next day and was so delighted to find the complete set of adults sizing, plus children’s sizing. I immediately set about making kids moccasins in possum and continued with the adults in sheepskin.

But of course, the adults wanted possum slippers as well, hence Kozi Toez was born!

From there we also developed a range of insoles and novelties. With the possum skin being so light, yet so warm, my range of baby booties was a natural progression.

That was over 2 years ago now, and we have gone from strength to strength. As well as making for the local and national market, we attend the craft market in Queenstown every Saturday (weather permitting) and our product finds its way into suitcases going to almost every country in the world!!!

We are constantly developing new lines, or adding new colours or combinations of standard colours, so make sure you book mark us so you can check out what’s new and be sure to never miss any of our exciting range.

Components

Construction is made more complex by the variety of components on offer, outlined as follows E.g. 7 colours of suede used for both possum and sheepskin, 6 core colours of sheepskin and 2 main colours of possum for adults and heaps of colours for kids.

Possum Fur

Please help the New Zealand environment - purchase Possum products! The New Zealand brush-tail possum was introduced from Australia to New Zealand in 1837 under government sanction, to establish a fur industry... We now have too many possums! more....

Construction

The moccasin slippers and baby booties that we sell are all handmade crafts created from local materials. The construction process provides a great deal of opportunity for customisation for individual purchasers, as there are various options and components.