Last updated: October 2026.
Koala Hats started the way most good ideas do. Out of a genuine problem, a few honest conversations, and a frustration with what was already out there.
This is the story of how it happened.
It started in the sauna
Noah and Sam, two brothers from Mona Vale on Sydney's Northern Beaches, were saunaing most days. It was part of the routine. Recovery, switching off, the ritual of it. But after regular sessions, their hair was getting completely fried. Dry, brittle, not in great shape.
It was not just the hair either. Once they started wearing the hats, the difference in how long they could comfortably stay in was obvious. They were outlasting everyone else in the sauna without effort. The hat was doing something real.
Then they took their sister Ivy along for a session.
Ivy is a hairdresser. She noticed straight away that the heat was doing a number on her hair. But what really got her thinking was what she started seeing back at the salon.
What Ivy found at the salon
Ivy started asking her clients with dry, damaged hair a simple question: do you sauna?
The answer was almost always yes. Clients who saunaed regularly tended to have the same issues. Dry hair, split ends, hair that just was not as healthy as it should be. The pattern was hard to ignore.
So Ivy took it a step further. She suggested some of her clients try a Koala Sauna Hat during their regular sessions. At their 6 to 8 week check-ups, the difference was noticeable. Clients who had been wearing the hat were coming back with less dryness and fewer split ends compared to before.
It was not a clinical trial. But it was real feedback from real people, and it pointed in one clear direction.
Looking for a solution
Noah and Sam started looking at sauna hats. They had seen someone wearing one and were curious. But when they looked into what it was made from, it turned out to be a blended synthetic mix. Not ideal.
So they looked at what else was out there. At the time, the options in Australia were pretty limited. There was one brand charging a significant premium, and a handful of cheap entry-level hats with questionable materials and no real transparency about what they were made from.
There was a clear gap. A product that was genuinely good, made from a premium natural material, priced fairly and built for people who actually sauna regularly. That did not really exist in Australia yet.
The idea takes shape
The idea started coming together around September 2025. Noah, Sam and Ivy headed to Europe together, samples in hand, and tested them in saunas across the continent. Travelling through countries where sauna culture is part of everyday life made the gap even more obvious. Sauna hats were normal over there. In Australia, they were still a novelty.
The samples worked. The decision was made.
Launch
The first proper stock arrived back end of January 2026. Koala Hats launched in February 2026 with two variants. The Checkered in green and cream, and the Natural in cream.
It started as a passion project. Something to build on the side, with genuine belief in the product and a clear reason for existing. But the response was faster and stronger than expected.
Both styles sold out. Orders kept coming through. The community kept growing.
Update, October 2026: the massive restock has landed, so both colours are available again.
Where things are now
Both the Checkered and the Natural are in stock. The demand has been real and the response from customers has made it clear that the gap in the market was exactly what Noah and Sam thought it was.
Koala Hats is still founder-led. Noah packs every order himself and runs every Aus Post drop. It is still the same product it was on day one. 100% Australian merino wool, made for regular sauna users who want something that actually works.
The mission has not changed either. Make sauna hats a normal part of the sauna routine in Australia. Not a novelty. Not a gimmick. Just a practical, premium tool for people who take their sessions seriously.
The hat that started it all.
The Koala Sauna Hat is made from 100% Australian merino wool and designed on Sydney’s Northern Beaches for regular sauna users. Available in Checkered and Natural.
Shop The Koala HatUpdates since launch
A short timeline of what has happened since the first hats went out.
February 2026: Launch and a quick sell-out
Koala Hats launched with the Checkered and the Natural. The Checkered sold out first and orders kept coming through.
March 2026: The first overseas customers
Not long after launch, a customer in Canada left a review of her Koala Hat, from the beach to the sauna. Since then we have shipped to customers overseas, including in the UK, and we now ship to selected countries.
Along the way: The Koala Protocol
We built the Koala Protocol, a free session builder that creates a personalised sauna and recovery routine based on how you are feeling and what you have access to that day. You can try it at protocol.koalahats.com.
October 2026: Harbour Heat
We visited Harbour Heat, the wood-fired sauna at Q Station near Manly, and wrote up an honest review. Read it here: Harbour Heat Sauna Review: Wood-Fired Sauna on Sydney Harbour.
October 2026: Both colours back in stock
After both colours sold out, we got a massive restock underway. It has landed, so the Checkered and the Natural are both in stock, and selling fast. If a colour ever sells out again, you can join the waitlist on the product page and be first to hear when it returns.
October 2026: What customers are saying
Koala Hats is now rated 4.9 from 60 customer reviews. You can read them all here.
What makes Koala Hats different
There are a few things that have been non-negotiable from the start:
- 100% Australian merino wool. No blends, no synthetics, no vague material descriptions. The material is clearly stated because it matters.
- Built for regular sauna users. Not a novelty gift. A practical product for people who actually show up to the sauna consistently.
- Founder-led and transparent. Noah and Sam are not hiding behind a faceless brand. This is a real product built by real people who use it themselves.
- Made to help normalise sauna culture in Australia. Sauna hats are normal in Finland and Scandinavia. They should be normal here too.
Build your sauna protocol.
The Koala Protocol is a free session builder that creates a personalised sauna and recovery routine based on exactly how you're feeling and what you have access to that day.
Build your protocolWhat's next
There are some recovery accessories in the works to add to the experience. More details to come. The recovery stack is growing and Koala Hats is just getting started.
If you want to follow the journey, the best place to stay across what is happening is the Koala Club. Sauna tips, product updates and early access when new stock lands.
FAQs
Who founded Koala Hats?
Koala Hats was founded by two brothers, Noah and Sam, from Mona Vale on Sydney's Northern Beaches. The idea came from their own experience saunaing regularly and noticing the effect dry heat was having on their hair.
Where is Koala Hats based?
Koala Hats is based on the Northern Beaches of Sydney, Australia. Every order is packed and shipped from there by the founders.
When did Koala Hats launch?
Koala Hats launched in February 2026 with two variants. The Checkered and the Natural. Both made from 100% Australian merino wool.
Are both colours in stock?
Yes. Both the Checkered and the Natural are in stock. If a colour ever sells out, you can join the waitlist on the product page.
What is Koala Hats made from?
Every Koala Sauna Hat is made from 100% Australian merino wool. No blends, no synthetics. Just premium natural wool designed for regular sauna use.
Is Koala Hats an Australian brand?
Yes. Koala Hats is an Australian-owned, founder-led brand based on Sydney's Northern Beaches. It ships from Sydney and was built specifically for the Australian sauna market.
Do you ship overseas?
Yes, we ship to selected countries, including customers in the UK and Canada. International orders may be subject to VAT, duties, taxes or import fees depending on your country.
Do sauna hats help you stay in longer?
For Noah and Sam, wearing a sauna hat made a noticeable difference to how long they could comfortably stay in. Because the hat helps reduce direct dry heat exposure to the head, sessions tend to feel more manageable from start to finish. Most regular users find they can stay in longer and more comfortably compared to going without one.