What Possum New Zealand Does with its Offcuts for Humans

It’s all  very well that people go on about being “ green” or environmentally conscious, but here at Possum New Zealand, it is a core philosophy that is part and parcel of the business.

As you can imagine being a manufacturer, Possum New Zealand has heaps of  eco-fur offcuts. We do not bin this resource but recycle in the following interesting  ways:

• eco bag trimming
• stuffing for pompom ranges
• stuffing for cushion inners
• strip cutting for our striped ranges or fur trim
• buttons and decorative flowers.
• Supplying to craft shops, designers and  schools

Possum New Zealand has hosted a dozen or more Possum Workshops by now for kids 5 – 14 years old.  The latest one had  the girls making their own possum fur trimmed cushion covers to their own design – they added their own bling and ribbons and we made a huge mess stuffing these to the max with the smaller possum fur off-cuts.  Wow, the warmest cushions this side of a polar bear!!!  Check out the pic of the finished products. These young, aspiring fashion designers really blew Ms Possum’s socks off with their originality and creativity.  The next workshop will be for grown up girls and we are already booked way out!!!

What Possum New Zealand Does with it’s Offcuts for Animals

And something for you doting Mum’s of 4 legged creatures. Apparently there is something about possum fur that drives your cat or dog crazy. That is why we already developed the “Possum Fur Possie Tail” for you cat lovers for only NZ$38.

Gaylene is a Possum New Zealand fan and she has amassed a few furry designs over the years. She had this manic cat called Chocolate who went totally mad whenever the Possie Tail was thrown his way – he would leap over couches,hide round corners and pounce ferociously on this item and then “eat” the tail until there was just a shred of fluff left unceremoniously dangling from the leather lead. Scary!

One day Chocolate was found in Gaylene’s wardrobe dangling from a possum fur button of one of our knitted jackets – yep, he’d massacred all the bouffy possum buttons and gnawed them to bits! Oh dear, think he was trying to tell us something. So, we replaced not only the buttons but Chocolate got a new possie tail and everyone was happy.

So this next pic is for Mums of mini- canines: Jenni just got this handbag dog and we thought we’d see how “ Chino ” would like a bigger possum off-cut. Well, he just loves it and it’s part of his bedding arrangement not to mention the handbag liner.

If you would like to spoil your fave animal like this, check out this link to our full possum hides you can buy in 19 different colours from NZ$61 including postage.

I know what you are going to say: what about clothes for the handbag dogs? Well, I’m waiting for that phone call from Paris Hilton – yeah right!

If you have a possum story to tell, drop me a line. See all you Fur Fashionistas later…..

Oxford St Retail Windows

Here’s a selection of retail windows from Oxford St in London’s West End. The AW08 trends from the northern hemisphere are the use of bright colours and natural fabrics, cashmere, fur etc.

             

Click on any of the images to see full size version on Flickr.

Ms Possum’s Photos

A while ago on a whirlwind shopping trip to Melbourne, I visited the Queen Vic market and snapped a few pics.

The website Schmap included one of my photos from the market in their ‘what’s on’ guide.

Here’s the link.

New Custom Throws

We’ve just got in the scrummiest new hides for one of our discerning clients and look what we’ve made – a dramatic reversible raw edge bed throw that nonchalantly drapes over a settee or bed with unabated elegance.

This throw has a chocolate suede reverse with a dark wash over the natural possum fur to give a depth of colour and texture that really epitomises the best in luxury décor. Turn back a corner; completely reverse it, or wallow in the sheer fluffiness of a few dozen pelts – the choice is yours.

We will quote in any size and colour – simply email us your requirements as we are carrying out an increasing amount of custom work. For some other examples of our gorgeous throws, click here, or check out more of our custom work at Flickr.

The Latest Fashion for Autumn

LEOPARD! It’s one of my absolute favourites, and it seems like it’s Kate Moss’ too… When I saw the leopard print coat that she has designed for ASOS, I just had to have it!

I’m pleased to say it arrived the other day, and looks just as fab in real life as it does on the net. I shall be wearing it everywhere. My spies have told me that it is everywhere in London at the moment – short jackets teamed with structured jeans and tan boots.

This Berman faux fur mini blazer also caught my eye – the cut is just divine, and judging by the photos that accompany it, Kate Moss rather likes this one too!

Don’t forget, if you’re looking to layer your leopard print this autumn, check out our Possum Merino Venetia jacket. Not only is it ultra-warm, if you buy it during October you’ll get a FREE possum fur scarf collar and eco-bag. Over $100 of free stuff, so check it out today!

Eco-Fur in the US

One of our re-sellers in the US has featured lately in some press regarding eco-fur. Chrys Hutchings is really working hard to dispel the myths regarding possum fur, and particularly the misconceptions North Americans have regarding Possums and Opossums!

Here’s the link to the article from OrgeonLive.com.

The article features an interesting quote from Helen Bain from Royal Forest and Bird:

“They’re probably the Number One threat to our native species, to the birds and native forest plants of New Zealand,” Bain said. An expanded fur trade “would be helpful” in dealing with the problem, she said.

New Zealanders aren’t big on fur coats, Bain said. But there are a lot of possum fur accessories available in the country, including hats, ear muffs and — don’t try to picture this — possum lingerie. More popular are sweaters and scarves with blends of Merino wool and possum fur. 

It is interesting to hear an American’s take on the Possum problem in NZ, even if there are NO grounds for comparing it to the Mink trade!

Furball?

We’re starting a new feature on the Possum fur blog. Steve our erstwhile web designer has left our shores to do his big OE.

So he doesn’t forget Possum NZ altogether, we’ve sent him on his way with one of our new Possum fur toys, nicknamed ‘Furball’. As Steve travels around the UK and Europe, he’ll send back regular updates of what the international fur scene is like, and shots of Furball from some of the worlds great landmarks. Sort of, a Possum photo travel diary.

We’ve just received his first lot of photos from his arrival in the UK.

He can confirm that Jellied Eels taste how they sound…

   

If you’d like your own furball, keep an eye on the Possum New Zealand site, as we’ll be releasing them in the next week or so.

Fire & Ice Gala Dinner 2008

The Breast Cancer Research Trust held its annual Fire and Ice Gala earlier this month.

Possum NZ were happy to be involved, and donated a red Roll Collar with a matching eco-bag as a lucky dip prize.

Click here to see the photos from the event. It looks like it was a fantastic party, raising $150,000 on the night for such a worthy cause.

Can wearing fur be guilt-free?

This article appeared in the online Independent this week. It started off talking about designer Chie Imai who designs under the name Royal Chie, and her ‘Eco Harmony’ range of mink and chinchilla (up to £42,000 for a cape, eep!).  Her take on ‘ecological fur’ is an interesting one

As Imai says, fur can be worn for generations, is organic, causes no pollution, and “returns to the earth”.

The article quotes Possum New Zealand’s take on the marsupial morass

Others, such as Possum NZ, a company run by Teresa Angliss in New Zealand, have already started making hats, scarves and gilets from possum fur.  The animals were originally brought to the country in the 1800s to establish a fur trade, and without a natural predator they bred like, well, possums. Possum-haters say that there are now 17 of these animals for every human on the island.