Delightfully random happy “labbits”

By naomi / in News from two leaves tea company, Products from two leaves and a bud, Tea Gifts, Uncategorized / October 31, 2012

Richard Rosenfled, two leaves' CEO/Founder, has always been into saying "Rabbit, Rabbit" on the first day of the month for good luck (read this blog to hear the story behind that) and recently introduced us to something else he's into: tiny rabbit figurines made out of vinyl, called "Happy Labbits."

Our new Happy Labbits!

Apparently, he found them in a shop during a trip to Seattle, and it's my theory that the part of him that loved Hello Kitty the first time he saw those cute figurines years ago decided that yes, a grown man can buy a couple of "Happy Labbits" and still keep his dignity in tact. Especially since while these tiny rabbits appear childishly adorable, they also come with sometimes adult accents, whether that be a mustache and an anchor tattoo, or eating a carrot while wearing boxer shorts. "Happy Labbits" come in blind boxes, meaning you never know which design you're going to unwrap when you buy them, but Richard bought two and ended up with one that has an ice cream cone stuck to its face, and one that appears to be eating a bone.

A little research into "Happy Labbits" reveals this: they were designed and created by American graphic artist Frank Kozik, who is best known for his posters for rock stars like Nirvana, Pearl Jam, The White Stripes, and The Beastie Boys. The history of Labbits themselves, according to Kozik's website, starts with the artist sketching a bunny like it in the mid-'90s, and eventually that bunny design appearing on merchandise for the artist's own record label, Man's Ruin Records. In 2000 Kozik agreed to produce the rabbit as a toy with a Tokyo toy company. While Kozik called it the "Smokin' Rabbit" character, the Japanese toy company had a bit of a language barrier and referred to the figurines as "Smorkin' Labbit." Kozik decided to change the character's name as such, and since 2003 has been teaming with boutique toy company Kidrobot to produce "Labbits" in many different shapes and sizes. (Also according to Kozik's website, labbits are addicted to candy cigarettes and beef jerky, and are allergic to work in any form.)

Labbits found in a store window in Avignon, France, where Richard is currently visiting. French labbits smoke, of course.

Richard may buy an assorted case of these mini "Happy Labbits" so we can include them in all of our monthly "Richard Rosenfeld's Rabbit Rabbit" sale photos ... if that happens you'll see more "Happy Labbits" in our photos, and we wanted you to know why. Stay tuned ...

Rabbit Rabbit, White Rabbit, Rabbit-Rabbit-Rabbit

By naomi / in News from two leaves tea company / July 31, 2012

You know how words start looking funny the more you stare at them? That's how I feel about the title of this blog post.

Rabbit, rabbit! (Also, awwwwww.)

I think we can all agree that superstitions are strange things. They seem so arbitrary, and yet to the person practicing them, they can take on a life of their own. And I'm not just talking about ardent baseball players who never change their socks during a winning streak. Years ago I worked in a newsroom with a reporter who charged in on the first day of a month, pronounced, "Rabbit Rabbit!" and then sat down at his computer and got to work. Naturally, the first time this happened I wanted to know what was up, and he told me he'd always heard that if the words "Rabbit Rabbit" are the first words out of your mouth at the beginning of the first day of each month, it was supposed to bring you good luck. But much as I try to remember this on the eve of a new month, this superstition has never stuck with me. I figure as long as I don't stub my toe on the way out of bed and utter something like, "son of a ..." first thing on the morning of a new month, I'll be okay. (Swearing to welcome in a new month just seems like asking for bad luck, doesn't it? Remember what I said about superstitions seeming arbitrary?)

But bringing us back to this here tea company ... when I started working here, Richard sent out an e-mail on the first of a month that began with the words, "Rabbit Rabbit, everyone!" Richard told me the same thing that reporter did — it's supposed to be good luck. I stifled the urge to roll my eyes (he is my boss, after all), and started to wonder how I had lived 30 years without hearing anything about this superstition. So I did what anyone would do ... I Googled.

Ah, Wikipedia. The place where average Joes get to put "facts" online and the rest of us pretend they really are facts. I found this post which (along with showing me a photo of the fluffiest white rabbit I've ever seen) taught me this superstition includes saying "Rabbit Rabbit Rabbit," "Rabbits," "Rabbit," or "White Rabbit; " is probably British in origin (but who really knows); and you could also say "Brown Rabbit" while walking down the stairs backwards at night (which just sounds dangerous to me, and most likely result in a trip to the emergency room. And that's just bad luck, isn't it?).

I'll let Richard and everyone else have this superstition, and hope it works out for the best. In the meantime, the marketing department here at two leaves tea co. is always on a quest to find a way to turn this company's quirks into assets. So ...

Introducing Richard Rosenfeld's Rabbit Rabbit! It's a sale at the beginning of each month on the item that Richard is currently excited about. If you're one of the people signed up for our e-mail list (known as T-mail), on the first of each month we'll send you the R4 sale announcement, inviting you to learn a little more about the tea/product that's on sale, and get a good deal on it in the process. If you'd like to sign up for T-mail, visit our homepage and look for the link at the top that says "Sign up & save 10%."

We're looking forward to reminding you about this superstition on the first of every month. (Have any of you heard of "Rabbit Rabbit", or have your own version? Tell us in the comments!)

Rabbit Rabbit!