Wisewool and Kovacs on the telly
Is there any greater honour for a New Zealand company than appearing on Country Calendar? The nation’s longest running television show is usually focused intently on our iconic rural sector – rolling farms, picturesque orchards and the like.
We townies, however, were proud to host the crew in our Christchurch factory recently, showing the country how New Zealand’s premium wool can be used to craft furniture with less impact on the environment.
The episode highlights a natural symmetry between our two family-run companies. Like us, Wisewool have intergenerational expertise on staff – and want to see the use of renewable, New Zealand-sourced materials prioritised in home furnishings. As Hildy puts it, “we’re both passionate about our products. It just works.”
It has also been a mutually beneficial collaboration in terms of product development. As Wisewool’s Nicky Hansen says, “Hildy has taught us so much. She’s let us come through and see what she’s doing in the factory and that’s been a massive learning curve for me.”
The natural properties of wool make it the perfect padding material for furniture. Its resilience and elasticity mean it will bounce back quickly and easily when pressure is applied. Add to this the fact that wool is naturally fire resistant and it’s easy to see why the raw material is so helpful when designing quality furniture.
As long as there are sheep in New Zealand, a naturally renewable resource, wool is the smart choice for our furniture and for our planet. While the product won’t entirely replace synthetics in furniture cushioning just yet, there is plenty of will and wherewithal working to make that shift happen.