Our NZNC BLOG

This is the most exciting product launch in the history of New Zealand Natural Clothing.

We are delighted to present the New Zealand Natural Clothing Palliser Romney wool range.

We are excited because the clothes are great and come with a real story. This range is about bringing our customers woollen clothing where we can trace the story of the wool from the sheep’s back to yours. More than that, it is about the special people involved. We want to humanise the supply chain by telling the stories of New Zealand farmers. Most importantly, it is about having a genuine connection to the land and Romney sheep from which the wool is sourced.

If you haven’t already read our introduction to Palliser Ridge and how they raise their Romneys, check out the story of this magical wool and the people who farm it here.

The Wool’s Journey

The New Zealand Natural Clothing Palliser range is all made from the 27-micron Romney lambswool we source from Palliser Ridge. We love it because of the care and science that goes into Palliser Ridge's farming practices. But there is a lot to be done between shearing day and knitting day.

Of course, the journey of the wool begins with the shearing at Palliser Ridge, located at Cape Palliser in the Wairarapa region. From there, it is transported north to be scoured at Woolworks, which, you guessed it, is in Hawke's Bay.

The final stage of wool processing is spinning. From Hawke's Bay, the Palliser Ridge wool heads south past our NZNC Norsewood shop as it heads for a city excursion to be spun in Wellington.

Each step of the process is taken by people who take care in what they do, and we care about that.

The Palliser Guernsey

The centrepiece of this exciting range is the NZNC Palliser Guernsey.

With all their years of experience with Ola Rian’s heritage Norsewear jerseys, NZNC’s Phil and Julie were inspired to create a jersey that possessed the same timeless qualities. As well as being a major reseller of Norsewear, we are also working on a museum to display this collection.

Now, armed with the perfect wool, Phil and Julie set out to follow this inspiration. The wool was sent out to a few New Zealand knitters with the idea of a Guernsey jersey. The challenge was finding machines that could still do it. Eventually, Auckland was the destination chosen as the spot for knitting.

The first recorded mention of the Guernsey came in 1851, when it was included in the Oxford English Dictionary for the first time. It has been around a lot longer than that. Guernseys, a style of knitted jumper, have been used by seamen as far back as the 15th century.

What makes the Palliser Guernsey distinct from other jerseys is how the patterned design pays homage to the style of old. The distinctive features of this jersey are the knitted shoulder pattern and the triangular cuts on either side at the bottom.

The timeless design means our Guernsey doesn’t look out of place in 21st-century New Zealand.

With no professional model, we had to settle for NZNC’s Kyle. The good thing is that we have the perfect place to shoot, with Wopwops Wetland Park being part of our Norsewood Heritage site.

The dog isn’t a pro recruit – that is Master Carver Jeff Bryan’s dog, Storm, who didn’t want to miss out on the fun.

Head-to-Toe Accessories

Complementing the Guernsey is an NZNC Palliser wool range that includes beanies, socks and fingerless gloves. All the accessories in the Palliser range are made at the old Norsewear factory behind our Norsewood shop.

The New Zealand Natural Clothing beanie comes in a number of varieties. Minimalists will love our natural white or natural brown Romney lambswool beanies. The New Zealand flavour really comes out with one of our three choices of leather patches.

Finally, there is the pom-pom edition for those who want that New Zealand-made beanie that really stands out from the crowd.

Knitting enthusiast and NZNC director Julie has made all of the pompoms herself, many of them during car journeys between our Norsewood and Ōtaki locations. We also sell the Palliser Ridge wool in spun 1 kg cones that are ready for those who would like to craft their own creations with this fantastic wool.

Next in the lineup are our fingerless gloves. These gloves are designed to be both warm and practical. This wool is hard-wearing and work-ready, whether you’re harvesting hops or pumping out an email from the milking shed.

Simple and effective, they speak for themselves, really.

The Romney wool rib-leg work sock rounds out our trio of sidekicks by making sure you’re covered head to toe. When you make a sock from 27-micron Romney lambswool (the kind of thickness that gives that classic woolly look), there is only one type of sock you’re going to go for – big, comfy and warm.

In fact, this sock is made on the very same 1950s/1960s machines used to make the iconic Norsewear Farm Fleck. Like the fingerless gloves, these socks are hard-wearing and super warm. Being wool, they also help manage moisture and are naturally breathable.

Simply perfect for work in the woolshed or on the couch snuggled up with a cuppa!

See You Soon!

We can’t wait to get to Southern Fieldays and tell the story. There is no need for our North Island friends to worry, though. We will be at Mystery Creek come June with a story we know our Fieldays regulars are going to love.

You don’t have to wait until Fieldays to get your hands on a real piece of New Zealand, though. The Palliser wool range is available online, and it’s already sitting on the shelves at our Norsewood store!