Wellness brand Natpat’s mosquito repellent stickers ride wave of attention from Kim Kardashian
A wellness brand that caught global attention has sold more than 100 million products – and it all began with a simple parenting dilemma. Here’s how they did it
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A wellness brand that caught the attention of Kim Kardashian and has sold more than 100 million stickers globally began with a simple parenting dilemma – and a bit of citronella candle wax.
Natpat is an Australian brand which has focused on creating natural, essential oil-infused patches and stickers designed to address various wellness needs and everyday challenges for both humans and pets.
Also known for their speciality of Buzz Patch mosquito repellent stickers, which has also diverse into different products for sleep, focus, allergies, and even pet care.
“This business was certainly an overnight success. But there’s no way it was an overnight success without, you know, the prior 10 years of experience to be able to achieve an overnight success,” said co-founder Michael Jankie.
“We got lucky with this business, but we only got lucky because we engineered ourselves into a position where we could earn that luck.”
It was late 2019 when Mr Jankie noticed his young children rubbing citronella candle wax on their clothes in a desperate bid to fend off mosquitoes during a family summer on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula.
The moment which sparked an idea: a fun, personal mosquito repellent that didn’t require direct contact with the skin.
“Wouldn’t it be fun if we could create a way where the citronella could be activated in a personal way as a personal repellent, rather than a skin-based repellent?” he said.
That idea turned into BuzzPatch — the world’s first mosquito-repellent sticker and in 2020, Natpat was born.
Built alongside longtime friend Gary Tramer and third co-founder Andrei Safonauy, Natpat has since expanded into a suite of wellness products addressing sleep, congestion, emotional regulation, focus, UV exposure, and itch relief.
Mr Jankie thought stickers were fun and it could be used to create joyous moments while solving the problem.
Since then, the company has since sold over four million packs comprising 100 million stickers, generated more than a million online orders, and hit mid-eight figures in annual revenue, with customers in over 8000 stores worldwide.
Parenting played a central role in shaping the brand.
“Being a parent means you understand the problems innately,” Jankie said.
“There are others like you — and you want to give your kids the best. Second-rate is completely unacceptable.”
From the outset, Natpat took a global-first approach, launching in the United States before expanding into Australia.
The company’s team is entirely remote, with co-founders living across different parts of Queensland.
In the early days, Natpat received a surprising boost from an unexpected source – Kim Kardashian.
“I saw the notification come through on my phone that she’d posted about us on Instagram,” he said. “It was legit. To this day, we have no idea how she got our product. We never spoke to her or her team.”
The unsolicited endorsement provided a surge in sales, but more importantly, validation.
“We had already sold over $10 million worth of product, but we were still wondering if this was a real business,” he said. “That was the moment we knew.”
In 2025, Natpat made its biggest retail leap yet – launching in Chemist Warehouse stores across Australia.
The national pharmacy chain has been stocking eight of Natpat’s products – the widest range carried by any retailer globally – including BuzzPatch, SleepyPatch, MagicPatch, and more.
“Chemist Warehouse is a perfect partner,” he said.
“It’s where our customers are – and now they can discover and buy us without needing to plan three days ahead for delivery. We’re incredibly grateful they took this leap with us.”
While Natpat’s products are at the heart of its success, the company has also branched into entertainment. The animated YouTube series My Natpat Files brings the brand’s characters to life, spreading positive messages around diversity, self-belief, and childhood anxieties.
Five years in, Natpat continues to evolve – from a citronella-fuelled idea to a globally recognised wellness company.
And for Jankie, it all comes down to understanding the problem, creating the solution – and being ready when luck shows up.
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Originally published as Wellness brand Natpat’s mosquito repellent stickers ride wave of attention from Kim Kardashian
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