This month sees a new chapter in the MamaOwl story, so let me introduce you to Siskin – our own range of timeless kids’ clothing that launches tomorrow. It’s all made sustainably using natural fabrics, it’s been created to last and it feels wonderful to wear while playing and exploring the world.

 The Colour Palette

The shades we have chosen for Siskin are some of my favourites, I went to a Waldorf school, which inspires my colour choices. These are colours that feel grounded and give a sense of comfort and warmth, perfect for childhood. The Siskin collection won’t follow the high street seasons or trends. Instead, I’ve created the range to be timeless, to be unisex and to be long lasting. The pieces are also trans-seasonal in that they work for winter, summer and everything in between, whether worn alone or layered for the colder months.

Why Siskin? 

A Siskin is a small yellow songbird, my oldest child loves birds so we have been paying a lot of attention to them in the last few years. One day last winter on Hackney Marshes, with my kids, we spotted an image of a Siskin on one of the information boards. I knew right away that was the perfect name for the brand. A friend of mine drew a two tone Siskin feather for our logo and labels.  

Describe the Materials 

Every piece in the Siskin collection has been sustainably made in Europe using the best yarns we could find. As with everything else we sell, we’ve looked for producers who have full traceability in their production process and who put ethics, quality and sustainability first. All our wool is from sheep who are guaranteed not to have been mulesed*. 

Texture and Tone 

I’ve also been careful to make sure that the texture of the garments feels just right – it is all comfortable and comforting, not itchy or scratchy. All the kids on the photoshoot made comments about how the clothes felt soft and were really snuggly.  

Fit to Last 

As well as merino, lambswool and silk I wanted to include some cotton styles. 

Over the years at MamaOwl we’ve managed to learn a lot about fit when it comes to children’s clothes. So for Siskin, it was essential that every piece we created was not just soft, comfortable and durable but also a great fit. All the fabrics we’ve chosen for the range are woven to be comfortable and to have some stretch so you can move freely, dance and play, with the organic cotton pieces a little thicker than you usually find. 

The Making of Siskin 

Before starting a family and setting up MamaOwl I was a photo journalist and would travel the world looking for colours and shapes that come together to make striking pictures. So right from the start I had a clear idea of the visual story I wanted to tell with Siskin. I’ve loved designing it – though I have to confess it has been a lot more work that I thought! I am so grateful to Amanda, our production manager, who has a wealth of experience and has helped so much along the way. There have been so many details to think about and get right – more than I ever could have imagined – and the expertise provided by my team Amanda and our buyer Laura has been invaluable.  

One of my highlights was receiving the first samples of the beautiful lambswool sweaters which have been made in Scotland. Inspired by fallen leaves it was so exciting to see how our sketches and colours came together so beautifully. My boys have been wearing the samples for the last few months so they were a bit surprised when they saw other children dressed in their favourite jumpers at the photoshoot!  

You can discover the Siskin collection online at or pop down to our new shop which will be opening officially this Friday 10th October and on Fridays and Saturdays from 10am to 4pm at 49 Green Lanes, Newington Green, London N16 9BU. 

Sign up for our emails or follow us on Instagram or Facebook (where we’ve just launched the MamaOwl Wool Lovers Club) to be the first to hear. 

By Anna K