Originating from one of the purest nations on earth, New Zealand Possum fur clothing uses a unique combination of Possum fur and Merino wool to create a fabric that is extremely lightweight and has an excellent warmth to weight ratio. Due to this Possum clothing is becoming more and more popular in countries that experience extremely cold weather conditions.
Possum fur has more recently been shown to give excellent insulation properties, the fur is hollow like that of a Polar bear and the tips are soft which means when spun into a yarn it creates one of the softest and warmest products available for your skin. Whilst some people see the harvest of Possum fur as cruel the other side of the coin is that they were originally introduced to New Zealand to create a fur trade and due to ideal conditions for growth they over-ran New Zealand’s forests and became a pest destroying native forests and birds eggs. They are not farmed but more controlled and extermination is the only thing that will protect New Zealand’s forests.
Merino Wool (which needs to be combined with Possum fur due to its short length) is well-known to be great for clothing with products such as icebreaker showcasing it’s ability to create high-end clothing and the fibres ability to breath and regulate temperature. Used in high performance clothing and for sporting the merino wool also doesn’t retain odours. The wool has become extremely popular in a range of products from clothing ans socks to blankets and more..
Eco-fur. This is the name a lot of people have given to Possum fur due to the collection requiring the extermination of Possums. As New Zealand tries to re-grow its vast native forests and re-populate is bird life that has been decimated over the years by deforestation and pests, the move to control Possums will help dramatically.
Merino and Possum fur come together extremely well to create a luxurious clothing product only available from New Zealand. The fibres are used to create a range of clothing from Jumpers and sweaters, gloves, possum fur clothing, scarves and blankets and more.
There are a range of brands being sold and two of the most popular are Lothlorian Knitwear and Zinity clothing. Lothlorian provide sort after designs that are timeless and can be dressed up or down easily. Zinity is a more high end fashion label and provides clothing exclusively for woman. The designs from Zinity are more fashion conscious and change more frequently.