From Mental Health Struggles to Stitch: The Story of StaggeredCo Clothing & Who We Are
A Personal Spark
In 2023, I stood at a crossroads. I had watched close friends struggle in silence with depression and anxiety, and I’d felt the weight of that stigma firsthand. I wanted to do something real, something that could spark change, even if it started small.
That’s where the idea for StaggeredCo Clothing began. A brand that could make people feel seen. That could carry a message worth wearing. And just as importantly, one that respected the Earth we all live on. From day one, StaggeredCo’s mission has been to break the stigma surrounding mental health and support life-changing initiatives all while being conscious of our environmental impact.
As someone who knows how isolating mental health struggles can feel, I wanted to build something that offered comfort, physically and emotionally. And as someone aware of fashion’s toll on the planet, I knew I couldn't follow the status quo. That’s why we’ve committed to never using conventional cotton in our clothing. Instead, we chose hemp and organic cotton which is better for your skin, and better for the world.
The Fabric of Resilience: Hemp, Organic Cotton, and Transparency
Our signature product is a unisex hoodie made from a 55% hemp and 45% organic cotton blend and will launch soon in two minimalist colourways. We chose this blend for a reason:
- 🌱 Hemp’s Superpowers: Uses 50% less water than conventional cotton, enriches the soil, and requires no pesticides.
- 🧺 Organic Cotton’s Ethics: Grown without synthetic chemicals, safer for farmers, and gets softer with every wash.
- 💡 Why 55/45? It’s the sweet spot between hemp’s durability and cotton’s comfort.
While our first batch isn’t certified (we’re still a small, bootstrapped team), we’re working with manufacturers who prioritize ethics and sustainability. As we grow, certifications like GOTS and OEKO-TEX are firmly on our roadmap.
More Than a Hoodie: A Lifeline for NZ
10% of StaggeredCo’s annual profits will support free therapy for youth and young adults through the I Am Hope Foundation. These aren’t just donations they’re investments in young people who need someone to talk to. I Am Hope travels to schools across Aotearoa, educating students and offering free, accessible mental health counselling. It’s support where it’s needed most.
Sustainable Values Over Vanity
We stand by what we wear and what we say:
- ✅ Truth in Materials: Our hemp blend gives back to the Earth by restoring soil and absorbing carbon.
- ✅ Mental Health Advocacy Built-In: From our design choices to our mission, advocacy isn’t an add-on it’s in the fabric.
- ✅ No Compromises: As we say on our Our Values page: “We don’t do halfway. If it harms the planet or people, it’s not in our closet.”
Who We're For: The Anxious, the Eco-Wary, and the Advocates
StaggeredCo is for the people who care. Those who’ve felt mental strain, who know someone who’s struggling, or who are tired of brands that only preach aesthetics without purpose.
- The 25–35 crowd: Navigating mental health, supporting friends, and wanting to feel aligned with what they wear.
- Eco-conscious realists: You check fabric labels, you care about the impact, and you want transparency over perfection.
To you, we say this: your wardrobe can be armor, for your mind, and for the Earth.
What's Next: Threads of Hope
Our journey is just beginning. Our hemp hoodies are nearly ready and so is the movement behind them.
Jump on the waitlist for early access to the 'You Matter' Hoodie. Everyone who signs up will also get our FREE StaggeredCo Mental Health E-Book filled with practical strategies and tools to help you navigate your own mental health journey.
Also Worth Exploring: The Mindset Matters Course
If you’re looking for more than clothing a deeper dive into mental resilience, we're creating a digital course for you. (Launching in 2026) Mindset Matters: Unlock Your Inner Resilience is our self-paced course built to help young adults understand mental health, build practical skills, and you'll be joining a supportive community. This will be hosted on the Whop platform. You can join the waitlist Here.
A Final Note from Chris
StaggeredCo isn’t just about fashion. It’s about awareness. It’s about support. It’s about building something that matters. When you wear StaggeredCo, you’re helping break the silence around mental health and choosing a future where purpose matters more than profit.
“Resilience Woven In. A Reminder That You Matter.”
— Chris Van Stipriaan, Founder
👉 Join the 'You Matter' Hoodie Waitlist