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The Kook Co.
The Kook Co. is a South African brand specialising in sustainable surf accessories. Founded in 2022 by local surfers, they create cork traction pads, boogie-board grips, and changing mats, designed as an eco-friendly alternative to synthetic foams and wax. Hand-assembled in Cape Town, their products use sustainably sourced cork, combined with natural rubber for durability. With a modular design that allows worn sections to be replaced individually, The Kook Co. reduces waste while supporting local production. Focused on function, sustainability, and craftsmanship, they offer surf gear with a lighter footprint on the planet.
The Good Behind
The Brand
SURF-ROOTED, ECO-FIRST
The Kook Co. is a proudly South African brand born in 2022 from a love of surfing and a deep respect for the planet. Founded by local surfers, the brand set out to challenge the plastic-heavy norms of the surf industry. Their products, from cork traction pads to eco-conscious changing mats, are designed with sustainability and performance in mind, proving that even small gear choices can have a big environmental impact.
BUILT FOR LOCAL IMPACT
Everything The Kook Co. creates is designed, developed, and produced as locally as possible. From cork suppliers to packaging and graphic design, they work with South African businesses and artisans, actively contributing to job creation and skills development within their community.
CIRCULARITY IN PRACTICE
The brand takes a pragmatic yet passionate approach to sustainability. While acknowledging that some materials in surf gear are still inherently toxic, The Kook Co. actively reclaims and repurposes waste, incorporating offcuts and rejected components into new products like their modular seal pads and EVO range. It’s circular design thinking applied to the surf world.
INSPIRED BY COMMUNITY CHANGE
The Kook Co. is driven by the belief that real change starts with small decisions. By offering eco-friendly alternatives in a space traditionally dominated by plastic and petrochemicals, they encourage conscious consumerism and invite surfers to be part of a bigger environmental movement, one surf session at a time.
PURPOSE-DRIVEN PASSION
What started as a simple idea among friends has evolved into a mission to reshape the culture of surfing in South Africa and beyond. The Kook Co. exists to create not just better gear, but a better relationship between surfers and the natural world they play in.
A BRAND WITH A LOCAL SOUL AND GLOBAL WAVE
In every cork pad, every recycled mat, and every decision they make, The Kook Co. brings together performance, community, and care. It’s a brand that proves sustainability doesn’t have to sacrifice stoke, it just takes heart, humility, and a little local magic.
