Pictured above: Steve Dunstan, Kate Berry, Josh Prier. Photo / Supplied.     

It was 1997. Michael Jordan was winning his fifth NBA championship, the internet was a baby, the Spice Girls ruled the world – and a tiny Kiwi company began its journey to the top.

Co-founded by Steve Dunstan, a professional snowboarder fuelled by the street and skate culture of the 90s, Huffer aimed to infuse a fresh style and culture from the streets into the realm of snow. From its humble beginnings, Huffer has come a long way since Dunstan and his co-founder first envisioned the brand. 

Snowboarding was on the rise and Dunstan and the Huffer team’s need for street clothing on the hills drove their desire to design product they couldn't find in New Zealand at the time.

"Steve was heavily influenced by skate culture," says Kate Berry, Managing Director of Huffer. "Snowboarding was just emerging as a sport, and they sought functional clothing that embodied the skate and streetwear vibe, equally suitable for the slopes and the streets."

Steve Dunstan snowboarding in HUFFER 1997. Photo / Supplied.

In the winter of 1997, Huffer launched its first collection, featuring a seven-piece range with snow outerwear pieces including snow jackets and pants. "Most brands start with the basics, like printed T-shirts, but Steve took a plunge into the deep end, focusing on unique and highly functional technical outerwear," says Berry. "This distinct proposition helped build a community around Huffer."

With its community-focused approach to outerwear and accessible printed T-shirts, it's no surprise that Huffer became a household name very quickly. However, Berry says the business remained relatively small at that time. The term "Huffer Puffer" emerged from people's affection and admiration for the brand. The phrase also had a catchy ring to it, and it stuck.

Josh Prier, General Manager of Sales, says: "Our community loved the Huffer Puffer, but we were only selling a handful of jackets at that stage. We were so small that, 10 years ago, we sold 400 units. I had just joined the company." Prier continues, "Some might say we were crazy, but we decided to order 2500 jackets from our factory. It was a leap of faith but we believed we could grow off our expertise in the Down jacket category."

"Surprisingly, the plan worked, and we continued to double down jacket sales every year," recalls Berry. "It became the core of our growth strategy. We aimed to challenge the big players and prove our product was superior."

There was a gap in the market where big brands failed to cater to New Zealand's climate with down jackets. "We realised that the existing down jackets in the market were not suitable for our weather conditions, where rain is a constant factor. We wanted to create a jacket designed by Kiwis, addressing local needs."

For nearly three years, they dedicated their efforts to developing the SuperDown jacket, striving to strike the perfect balance, with a down filler that stayed in place and using fully waterproof outer fabric. "Nobody wants a soggy down jacket," Dunstan jokes, emphasising the importance of keeping the down dry to ensure optimal warmth.

"We needed to keep the down in individual 'chambers' within the jacket, but sewing those chambers would create holes and compromise the waterproofing," explains Berry. "So we developed a heat-sealing technology that sealed the chambers, making the front and back of the jacket completely waterproof." 

The result was a jacket filled with 90 per cent goose down, encased in a three-layer waterproof fabric exterior capable of withstanding extreme storms: "It truly is the ultimate down jacket, built to withstand the unique New Zealand winter elements,” she says.

Original Huffer puffer sketch. Photo / Supplied. 

 "In 2019, the commercialisation of the SuperDown Jacket transformed our Down Jacket sales for the company. Coupled with other innovations in the category, we now sell more than 50,000 units, establishing Huffer Puffer and Down Jackets as a reputable player in the outdoor market," says Prier.

The jackets stood out for their vibrant primary colours at first. "We jokingly referred to them as the Teletubby colours," laughs Berry. "We had cobalt blue, bright orange, and forest green. People would stop us on the street and ask us where they could purchase them.”

“While black jackets were the norm at that time, we wanted to show that you could wear colours, look good and still stay warm and dry." While a black version has now become a staple in our range, our jackets have evolved to cater to fashion-forward colours, such as soft blue, pink colourways, and khaki and reflective.

“It seems a lifetime ago we were only known for the Huffer Puffer but only sold a small handful; today we can’t keep them on our shelves,” says Berry. With 16 Huffer flagship stores and over 100 wholesale retail partners and an online channel, everyone in New Zealand has access to our Down and Puffer Jacket technology. 

What’s the difference between Down Jackets and Puffer Jackets? Berry: “It is a warmth fill difference that the brand maintains strictly. Down refers to the jacket being filled with an expensive and highly effective warmth trapping natural Down and Puffers at Huffer use Repreve – a 100 per cent recycled synthetic material that behaves like down. Repreve is our brand of choice as they only use recycled material collected from the environment.”  

“So far they have recycled over 50 billion plastic bottles – we like that story. To ensure Down is managed to the highest ethical standard, Huffer are audited to the Responsible Down Standard (RDS) and certified each year. This gives our customers confidence they are working with a brand that sources ethically and is audited for it”, she says.

What’s next for the brand? Huffer is launching a partnership with GORE-TEX  to utilise their dominance in waterproof breathable and wind proof super light membranes. “It’s taken a few years to get to this point but we’re thrilled to be able to use GORE-TEX as part of the fabrication of our SuperDown jackets, launching at the end of May,” Berry says.

From there, they plan to expand in the New Zealand market as well as Austraila in the Down Jacket segment. “We are great at designing a Down Jacket that keeps you warm and will last,” she says, “with the added benefit it also makes you look cool.” 

"It’s a humble experience to lead a company that goes from selling thousands of slogans on T-shirts in Summer to thousands of Down Jackets in winter, how many New Zealand brands can do that?” 

For more on Huffer go to: www.huffer.co.nz