There is a new blend on the block that could be a game-changer for international fashion designers. Perino by Woolyarns is a luxury yarn blend that combines the extraordinary properties of sustainably sourced New Zealand brushtail possum down with luxury fibres such as cashmere. Woolyarns are the creators of Perino and are situated just out of New Zealand’s capital city, Wellington. They are dedicated yarn engineers with a focus on creating new and innovative yarn blends. Combining the softness of cashmere and silk with the warmth and low pilling properties of New Zealand brushtail Possum down, Perino yarns are providing designers with the opportunity to look beyond 100% cashmere for high-quality yarns that benefit the wearer as well as the environment.
Originally from the Kashmir region in northern India, cashmere is predominantly farmed in China, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan and Iran. Manufacturers use the soft undercoat fibres of cashmere goats to develop yarns and fabrics that are soft to touch, lightweight and adapt naturally to the humidity in the air. Cashmere as excellent drape and handle, however the fibres when compared to fine wool, are weaker and more susceptible to abrasion and pilling.
Perino by Woolyarns builds on the properties of cashmere – adding brushtail possum down fibre and mulberry silk to complement cashmere and increase performance.
Brushtail possum fibre is unique in its structure and shape. The hollow structure of brushtail possum down fibre traps air in the fibre’s core, increasing warmth due to the increased barrier between the garment and the wearer. Perino has been found to be up to 35% warmer than 100% cashmere fabric of the same weight and knit. Due to the tapered shape and extremely low micron of the fibre, the pilling of possum yarn is dramatically reduced. Instead, the possum fibres burst to the surface. This gives garments produced from Perino a distinct halo-like surface appearance and very little pilling.
The Perino collection is made up of four blends, giving designers options when finding a yarn that suits their brand, design, and budget. Perino Cirrus is developed for luxe high-end garments and consists of 40% cashmere, 40% Brushtail possum down and 20% mulberry silk. Cirrus is the lightest, softest, and most luxurious of the four Perino blends.
Perino Nimbus is also targeted toward top-end luxury and consist of 65% New Zealand ZQ merino fibre, 25% Brushtail possum down and 10% mulberry silk.
Perino Alto represents sustainable fashion and is a blend of 70% New Zealand ZQ Merino and 30% Brushtail possum down making it an entirely New Zealand product.
Perino New Status is designed for accessible, everyday opulence. It blends 70% New Zealand ZQ Merino, 20% Brushtail possum down with 10% Tencel for added strength and garment recovery from a manmade natural fibre that is sustainably produced.
Woolyarns understands the importance of using high-quality raw materials and the impact they have on the final product as well as the environment. Woolyarns exclusively use brushtail possum down that has been sourced from select regions of New Zealand at certain times of the year, according to the strict trapping standards set out by the New Zealand government and the NZ Fur Council. Woolyarns only include merino wool that is ZQ certified in the Perino Nimbus yarn blend, and mulberry silk that is Oeko-Tex 100 certified across the range. Woolyarns are constantly monitoring the supply chain of the raw materials they source and only work with companies who meet the standards deemed acceptable by Woolyarns.
How does Perino help preserve New Zealand’s wildlife?
The brushtail possum was introduced to New Zealand in the 19th century and numbers quickly grew out of control. The brushtail possum has no natural predators in New Zealand and with abundant food sources there are now roughly 30 million of these pest’s country wide. The brushtail possums consume approximately 21,000 tonnes of vegetation every night, stripping native trees of bark, leaves and eating the regenerative seedlings. They invade native and endangered
bird species’ nests, eating live young and eggs, including the beloved national icon, the Kiwi bird.
New Zealand’s Department of Conservation (DOC) continually works to control the possum numbers in New Zealand. Possum trappers work alongside DOC to allow the byproduct of possum fibre to be put to effective use. The laws around trapping possums in New Zealand are regulated to ensure there is no unnecessary stress put on the pests that live wild in the forests of New Zealand. DOC says having trappers reduce possum numbers in the buffer zones around DOC targeted pest control areas can delay possum re-invasion by two to three years. In the yearly budget DOC proclaimed that between 2018 and 2022 they will spend more than $80M on predator control across New Zealand, so any delay in re-invasion is not only financially beneficial but gives precious extra time for New Zealand’s
native plants and birds to recover.
Perino by Woolyarns is a brand developing luxury blended yarns for international fashion designers. They have refined their internal processes to create innovative brushtail possum blended yarns that build on the luxurious properties of cashmere. They are committed to customer service and are contributing to conservation success in New Zealand. The unique collection of Perino by Woolyarns yarns create soft, warm and durable fabrics that add a touch of luxury
to any collection.
For further information about Perino yarns contact us