Our story

Like most days Anna had an idea. Matthew thought it was a great idea. A bear that you talk to, without any modern technology. With the main aim of helping kids understand their emotions. So Anna borrowed her mums sewing kit and made the first prototype.

The process

Matthew: "Let's get it made properly."

Anna: "Okay, here’s a drawing of a new bear."

two Weeks later

We got our second prototype and fell in love with Yako when Matthew took Yako home to test him on his son Jake.

something amazing happened

Matthew's son Jake started telling YAKO about his worries. Worries that as adults, we wouldn’t ever think of.

This is when we knew YAKO was someone special. And ever since then, we have been testing, changing, sewing, building websites, writing stories and working out how to get this bear out to the nation. We have set up a production house in Columbia with our friend Diana, who is paying all staff more than living wage.