Located in the rolling green foothills of South Island, New Zealand, Taranui is a small family-owned and operated sheep farm owned by several generations of the Gardner family. ”Our family history makes this farm a lot more special. It is not just about lamb and wool, it’s home,” claims chief shepherd, Harriet Gardner. “I have a real passion for the product we create,” she adds.
Since 1982, the family has been producing highly sought-after wool of the highest caliber by carefully breeding a special flock of sheep featuring only natural-colored animals, mostly black, brown and grey. While their merino wool is used to make exquisite Italian suits in and high-end fabric for furnishing luxurious super yachts, their unique flock of HAUNUI, is bred for fiber enthusiasts the world over.
HAUNUI, (pronounced Hoo-noo-ee and translated as “place of the winds,”) is a fusion of New Zealand Halfbred and Fine Romney stock, line-bred for generations to ensure the very highest quality. HAUNUI carries a micron count of 22-24. Each fleece is meticulously checked, tracked and graded to ensure the best selection of quality and color. Animal welfare is of chief importance here.
The sheep are never mulesed. “We are of the understanding that in order to preserve these coloured sheep, their wool has to be something to be loved and enjoyed,” adds Gardner.
From New Zealand, the fleece is exported to NORO, in Japan, where it is lovingly carded and spun. With great respect for the wool’s natural qualities and as per Noro’s exacting standards, fleece is never over processed.
According to Noro, “Natural fibers have great features that humans can not mimic. I want to leave these features as much as possible in my yarns. These natural states are intentionally left by using human hands and old machinery so that natural fibers are not over processed. All of this is so knitters can feel nature more closely when knitting with Noro yarns.”
HAUNUI is currently available in five beautiful neutral Colours.
