- Lynne Macdonald: I bought my first possum blend from a knitting mill in New Zealand 12 years ago and it is one of the...
- jacqui: wow. this yarn feels (and looks) amazing! I got a sample of it at the TNNA show, my daughter loved it!!...
Zealana Blog
March 31, 2010 by ClaudiaI have to admit, when I first contacted Jimad Khan at Woolyarns to order some of their new hand knitting yarn, back in 2006, possum was the last fiber I was considering. New Zealand merino was what I was after, having depleted my supply and unable to find it at my local yarn shops. Jimad urged me to try the possum, and I did, but only out of curiosity, and only a little of it to go along with my merino order. I loved the new Zealana brand so much (especially the possum), my husband said I should import it – easier said than done, but here we are, 4 years later!
Because most Americans have a negative perception of possums (or mainly the opossums we have in America), possum yarn has had a rough start. Some New Zealand manufacturers have abandoned it altogether. Woolyarns will release their 6th and 7th possum blends at TNNA in June. They are a mill with a mission: to provide hand knitters with what has been the best kept secret in the high fashion world for over a decade, while helping to protect an ecosystem.
Possum is the ECO -Fur
“But there’s that killing thing”, you say. It’s a problem for some, but the fact is, the animals would be just as dead if we didn’t utilize their fur. Without culling, New Zealand would be stripped of foliage and several native species of birds in a very short time. Some of these birds are already nearly extinct and live only in sanctuaries, such as the Karori which Woolyarns supports. If you love the beauty of this delicate ecosystem, knitting with possum yarn is one of the best things you can do to protect it. Possums will never be farmed for their fur and (barring a biological disaster) will never “run out”.
All possums aside, the low pill factor, the softness, lightness and look of these yarns are reason enough to love them.
The other Zealana
Possum may be their specialty, but Woolyarns intends to make Zealana a full-range brand. Our 2109 Merino Cashmere has now been replaced by Willow, a 70/30 blend that feels like pure cashmere. Vogue Knitting will feature it in a cabled cardigan this coming Fall issue. Watch for new braided yarns for fall, as well as some new colors.
Lynne Macdonald
said on May 10th, 2010 at 2:57 pmI bought my first possum blend from a knitting mill in New Zealand 12 years ago and it is one of the nicest yarns I knit with. It has ben a well kept secret (too well kept) and I am gled to have it brought to North America- not that I don’t enjoy trips to New Zealand!!!