MERINO

Miraculous merino

Merino wool is such a fantastic sustainable fibre! And we are so lucky to farm it. It makes a natural biodegradable fabric, that won’t end up as micro-plastics in the ocean each time you wash, a fantastic alternative to synthetic and cotton fibre.
Every time we shear (once a year before lambing, early September) there are wool classers who examine and class every single fleece. If the animal has been stressed at all this can produce breakages in the wool, meaning it’s worth less. It is not only in our interests of animal welfare, but also to the money we make to look after these precious animals. Merino originate from Spain, and like dry conditions, they are browsers not grazers, so they are fortunate to spend most of the year up on our high country, only brought down in the winter months for snow, sheering and lambing. Foot rot is a huge problem amongst merinos and we work hard to keep their feet right. They’re not the easiest sheep to farm, but they do produce a wool that is fine enough for suits yet strong and moisture wicking, great for sports clothing. There are many great brands out there making merino clothes, my personal favourite being @monsroyale designed right here in Wanaka.