What should I buy as a made in new zealand gift?
Posted by Team NZNC on 29th Jun 2022
New Zealand is a beautiful country, famous for its outstanding landscapes, strong rugby team and indigenous Māori culture.
When you’re in this exquisite country, whether as a local, visitor or recent immigrant, supporting the economy by buying from New Zealand businesses is always a great way to go.
New Zealand Natural Clothing is all about sustainability, the natural environment and sourcing raw materials from the land.
This is really important to us, and we have compiled a list of New Zealand-made gifts that will make your festive shopping a lot simpler!
Gifting from New Zealand is a statement of love.
We are so proud to be Kiwis, and we are particularly proud of our natural fibres. These are shipped all over the world and can also be found in many of our wardrobes.
We have a wonderful range of gifts to share with you from New Zealand Natural Clothing, but there are so many fantastic businesses creating Kiwi-proud gifts that we wanted to share three of our favourites with you!
New Zealand Travel Journal
A travel journal, perfect for the traveller or Kiwi who misses home. A lovely diary to jot down inspirations and musings. The unlined pages are also great for drawing and sketching.
This one we've found is hand-bound using long-stitch binding with durable linen thread.
It makes a great gift for travellers or even for yourself and can also be personalised. Handmade in New Zealand.
New Zealand Greenstone Jewellery and Carvings
New Zealand greenstone, also known as pounamu or jade, is a precious stone that has been used for hundreds of years by Māori people for carving and gifting. Greenstone pendants, necklaces and earrings come in a variety of designs, each with its own special meaning. Wildside Gifts greenstone jewellery features a number of beautiful greenstone carvings.
One of the most popular designs, the koru, is a curled symbol inspired by the New Zealand fern as it unfurls. The koru represents new beginnings, growth and positive change, making it a meaningful and inspirational gift.
New Zealand’s Buzzy Bee
Disclaimer alert! An NZ design, but no longer exclusively made in NZ...
The Buzzy Bee is iconic! This pull-along children's toy is made from wood and has been embedded in Kiwi culture for over 80 years!
Painted in vivid colours designed to appeal to children from around nine months old, the Buzzy Bee became so popular that he even had his own TV series!
The perfect iconic NZ gift for a little person dear to your heart!
What about those natural fibres?
As we mentioned earlier, we are passionate about our natural fibres.
Here in New Zealand, we are so lucky to have lots of wide-open spaces that boast phenomenal mountain ranges and seascapes – they are breathtaking. Think Lord of the Rings level enchanting!
Many of our natural fibres come from this beautiful land of ours, and products made from them make great gifts because they are:
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Lightweight – Makes shipping much easier.
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Unbreakable – No worries about your knitwear being roughed up and tumbled around.
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Really feel like New Zealand – Soft, fresh and born of our land.
We have a range of great products, but these are our top five recommendations for that thoughtful gift made in New Zealand:
These are often bought to be packed in luggage and given to hosts and business associates alike. They come in one size, fitting men's UK shoe sizes 5–10.
Native birds, farm animals, local souvenirs and even an eel-patterned sock inspired by our very own The Wopwops Wetland Park!
We are proud to have our very own range of knitwear from the environmentally award-winning Palliser Ridge farm. See our blog to learn more about the partnership we have with them.
For someone who has everything and a classy home to match, what better gift than a beautiful pure lambswool blanket? Perfect for draping over the couch, keeping in the car or placing at the end of the spare bed!
Why should I buy a made in New Zealand gift?
In this day and age, there is a growing demand for products to be:
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Natural
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Sustainable
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Eco-friendly
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Healthy
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Safe for kids
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Biodegradable
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From the land
A natural fibre, NZ-made garment or accessory can tick many of these boxes and more!
For example, when untreated wool is disposed of (after many years of use), it naturally biodegrades in the soil, releasing nutrients that can support plant growth and help continue the cycle of natural fibre production.
We Kiwis are super proud of our farming sector. It helped build our economy and was a drawcard for many migrants seeking a better life in our wide-open spaces, while producing food and clothing for the world.
There are a lot of processes in the chain to get products into our tummies or layers of clothing onto our bodies for warmth and comfort. Some of these practices are being redeveloped and enhanced so that waste and by-products can be reused or disposed of safely.
We are proud of the products New Zealand Natural Clothing chooses for its range of garments and stand proudly behind our efforts to reduce the environmental footprint we leave behind.
Be part of making a difference by buying a New Zealand-made gift today! Just drop us a line in the chat box if you have any questions.