Tell readers what  you do?

 I am the Founder/CEO of Untouched World Ltd, established in 1981 ( formerly called Snowy Peak Ltd).

We are a sustainability focussed lifestyle company, we manufacture here in NZ (mostly in Christchurch); we design, develop, produce mainly knitwear but also woven clothing.

We wholesale in NZ and Australia and in lesser amounts to seven countries around the world, sell online globally reaching over 49 countries, and have our own retail concept stores in NZ for the Untouched World brand.

We also have our own café attached to the flagship store in Christchurch which has won best CHCH café for the last two years.   We have the Merinomink brand too which is wholesale only.   We are acknowledged for founding the highly successful possum merino industry in NZ.

We won the Common Objective best global Sustainable Fashion Brand award this year ( there are 650,000 C.O. member brands worldwide) – ahead of Stella McCartney and Gucci who were also in the finals. We were the first fashion company in the world to be acknowledged by the UN for sustainability and invited to put the UNDESD logo in our clothing for the duration of the Decade for Sustainable Development.

A lot of our materials for our knitwear, all natural fibres, come from within New Zealand, we buy most of our finest merino direct from Glenthorne Station in Canterbury.  I also Chair the Untouched World Foundation which since 2002 concepts and runs Leadership for a Sustainable Future Programmes for Young Adults. We have now put 3000 students through these groundbreaking programmes.

What other companies have you been involved with?

I have been in this company since setting it up as a cottage industry in 1981.

How are you finding current business conditions?

2023 has been a softer year for us and our customers everywhere, than expected, while still ahead of last year by a squeak,  but has come back strongly over December.

How is 2024 looking?

We are confident in our positive forward projections for 2024. We are opening a new store in Newmarket in spring. The tourism driven part of the business is looking good, the Australia and NZ domestic fashion customer will surely be feeling more confident this year than last year, though interest rates may hit some confidence.

It is still very difficult to forecast and anticipate stock requirements though post Covid– the crystal ball is murky.

Where are the growth opportunities for your business interests?

Both our brands have large growth potential. Merinomink as a B2B brand in many more countries than we are in now, and in more depth;  Untouched World as an online brand, and also selected concept stores and B2B wholesale.  Online has recently been growing at 30-50% YOY offshore.

For us it’s a case of growing at a rate we can be sure our sustainable values and quality are being upheld every step of the way as that is core to our brand, and of course resourcing it all.

What would you do if you ever changed your profession?

A really good question. I often say in my next life I am going to make something simpler like lunch boxes – they don’t have to have new design and development, fit different shapes, need new photoshoots, new production learnings every season, they are light, travel easily.

This is already my second profession, the first was in cardiology which I loved, and before that nursing.   Even though building a sustainable clothing brand and with the Leadership for a Sustainable Future foundation alongside has offered plenty of challenge, I wouldn’t swap it. It is engaging and interesting every day and every day I learn something new, still!

Greatest influence?

The environment.  Mother nature.

Favourite book?

Of all the books I have read on my journey I think that Onward – How Starbucks Fought for Its Life Without Losing Its Soul, by Howard Schultz was possibly the one I was inspired by the most, but there have been so many!

Favourite quote?  

Just this morning ‘ nah we are just 3 Māori boys’  -from the boys who turned up in wetsuits to rescue people stranded up trees, on the tops of their houses and in their roof, amidst cyclone Gabrielle in a raging torrent of flood water and howling wind on being asked “are you from the navy”

Other than that – from Margaret Mead– “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has”.

Lesson learned that stands out?  

Every one person, every one company, can make a difference.