You can’t say the name without a smile crossing your lips. “Munki Munki” just sounds like something that would bring you joy. That’s what the brand creator saw when she was out at a Chinese food restaurant and the menu’s overlapped. That night the brand name was born. When it came to the original line, the creator used her grandmother’s bedsheets. Well worn washed hundreds of times, and hung to dry in the crisp Vermont sun. “It’s that nostalgia and comfort that we infuse into every part of the brand,” shares Product Designer, Luci Kandler.

The design team works from Minneapolis, Minnesota, and pulls inspiration from the abundance of mid-century art. The patterns carry the character from a time well passed with the vision of a fresh set of eyes. Their team works tirelessly to bring these unique designs to life. The excitement only builds as the collections grow and move with every new design.

You can’t just have a cute set of pajamas, though. You need a set of pajama’s that you want to spend an excessive amount of time wearing. So the fabric is carefully chosen to bring maximum comfortability. The current favorites are the new Jersey fabric, that is made with rayon, bamboo, cotton, and just a bit of spandex, and the Super Soft Flannel that’s made with rayon, bamboo, and cotton for breathability.

The brand and team are just as cozy as their product. “We’re always coming up with new ideas, so everyone in the office wears a lot of hats to get projects completed,” says Luci. The art and design team is only around half a dozen people, one of which is the very hands-on CEO, Ben. Every few months the team meets to talk about all the new projects coming up. That’s when designs are shared, and fabrics and patterns get chosen. “When materials come in it’s like Christmas! Everyone has a favorite they’ve been waiting to see come to life,” gushes Luci. From there the products get chosen and sent off to meet the world.

As part of the Nite Nite Munki Munki line, the brand is moving outside of apparel and into the lifestyle. Things like travel mugs, makeup cases, and notebooks are in the works. Design expansion and licensing are also chugging along. They’re working with Disney on their Disney Slumber and Disney Off to Sleep Collections now.

The families they touch and the smiles they bring are the most important thing at Munki Munki. “The phrase we use most often in our meetings is ‘Smile Factor,’” says Luci, “meaning what’s going to stop the customer in their tracks and make them smile? We want everything we do to personally connect with our fans.”

And of course, how do they take their coffee? Apparently fancy is the only way over there. “Oh, that’s an awesome question. Our Product Manager lives right next to Common Roots in Minneapolis’s Uptown neighborhood and she got me hooked on their Lavender Latte. So I did her a solid and introduced her to the Miel at Spyhouse Coffee Shop with cinnamon and honey… in other words, we like our coffee fancy.”

I had the chance to try 3 of Munki Munki’s seasonal pajama’s made from their vintage washed thermals. The sets range from $57-88, so they’re a little on the pricey side of the pajama world. But the Nite Nite Munki Munki brand at Target has fun, affordable PJ’s for the whole family.

All of the sets surprised me with how comfortable and soft the fabric is. I wouldn’t have typically chosen a thermal set being that usually thermals tend to be on the “scratchier” end of the spectrum. These pajama’s were actually like a blanket material.

The Union Suit $80
This one surprised me. I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about it. The first thing I noticed was the butt-flap. Yes, there is a little button flap that goes over your bottom. I was worried about the buttons as I slept and whether or not having a functional flap was even necessary. Let me be the one to tell you that the flap actually works. Is it an extra second or two to snap all the buttons back? Yes. But it brought even more character to an already cute design.

You see those Sock Monkies??

An added plus to all of these pajamas? They all come with thumb holes in the sleeves for a little bit of extra coziness.

It’s a little brisk right now for me to wear a sleeping shirt as my only piece of sleepwear. But if you are someone who runs a little on the hot side I can tell you that the sleeping shirt breaths well and is really comfortable to wear.

The Scotties

The Long John Set $88 
This set is my favorite. The fit is like a warm hug. There’s stretch in the fabric and is both breathable and insulating at the same time.

Whales

Here’s a Code so you all can experience the fun and the warmth first hand! Get 10% off of your entire order at Munki Munki: 118COFFEE