Kokatahi Teacher'S Hemp And Merino Knitwear A Hit

• Published date: 08 November 2023
• Publication title: West Coast Farming Times, The

Home for Siobhan, her husband Christopher and their three children Finnian, Aisling and Ruairi is an 80ha dairy farm in Kokatahi. During the week, Siobhan works fulltime as an English and classics teacher at Westland High School and Chris runs the farm

It was a far cry from the cowshed though, that the Hemprino journey began. In 2018 at the 'Kellogs Rural Leadership' course, Siobhan took an interest in one of the key topic's 'mega trends in natural fibre' which included a presentation from the commercial hemp industry. Siobhan completed the course, but found herself wondering, 'What would happen if you put the strength of hemp with merino'.

A phonecall to fellow course attendee and merino farmer, Paul Ensor followed, and the quest to answer Siobhan's question began.

Three years of research and development followed. Blending two very diff erent fibres proved 'technically difficult'. Even when a 'recipe' for the blend was found, there were still challenges. The hemp had to be 'a very specific micron, length and quality' to match the merino, and there was no capacity in New Zealand at the time to process hemp fibre. Samples had to be obtained from overseas and matched directly, before purchases could be made.

Siobhan says the expansion of the hemp and flax industries in New Zealand means a locally grown and processed hemp fibre is now very close, which fits with a broader business objective 'to create a market, and an end buyer for hemp fibre, so that New Zealand can backfill the processing and growing'.

Three years down the track, and Siobhan along with co-founders Paul Ensor and Harriette Belle, have released a line of highquality knitwear to the market that is 100% natural, right down to its cotton label.

Siobhan says they sell to a wide range of customers, but often they are, 'people who...