What sets Tolaga Bay Cashmere apart from other knitwear companies is that their cashmere is not only grown in New Zealand but is also knitted by skilled artisans on the same block of land that the goats freely roam on.
In a fast-paced world where most of our clothes are made offshore, the brand is a truly rare example of a locally grown and locally made product.
What started with one goat on the family farm soon became a business idea for Trish Girling-Butcher and her husband Nick, who had moved back to Tolaga Bay – a small town on the East Cape – from Auckland in 1984. Trish, who has a background in high fashion, saw the value in the precious, soft, and downy undercoat of their pet goat and went about researching how they could produce cashmere – one of nature’s rarest and most noble fibres, and previously never produced in New Zealand. From 10,000 feral goats found high up in the East Cape’s mountain ranges, Trish and Nick hand-selected 1,000 goats who possessed a little cashmere in their coats. Through careful selective breeding, they have for the last three decades created a premium, elite herd of the healthiest goats with the finest fleece to create luxury garments under the name Tolaga Bay Cashmere.
Farmed with sustainable values at the forefront, their unique goats roam freely on the rugged headlands of Tolaga Bay – the Pacific Ocean providing a stunning backdrop for the animals. Paramount to the brand’s ethos is slow fashion and the desire to never be mass-produced. “Most of the world’s cashmere is produced in volume as a commodity,” says Trish. “We take a rather different approach by farming our own. It means we can tell our customers exactly which hills in Tolaga Bay our cashmere was grown on.” This commitment to work in tandem with nature ensures that every garment can be traced back to the source, with quality guaranteed.
While breeding cashmere goats is one skill, creating high-quality cashmere garments is another – and one that Tolaga Bay Cashmere has perfected over the decades, setting an industry benchmark. Using a mixture of old and new machinery, each garment is individually produced by highly trained artisans. “We embody slow culture, preferring the quality-assured touch of a human hand,” says Trish. “It’s a philosophy permeating through our factory-atelier, where our handcrafted cashmere is carefully knitted, milled and steam pressed by hand.
“We seek to know, why did this happen? Why is the immune system susceptible? And how can we build a person’s system so that they don’t succumb to an illness?”
.” The brand’s commitment to this handcrafted approach, along with their trans-seasonal designs for both women and men, has given them their popularity – sold online as well as in high-end stores throughout New Zealand, Australia, and the US. While the brand takes note of trends, they’re conscious that their garments need to be modern and timeless.
“We value longevity,” says Trish. “Cashmere is the kind of luxury item to share as a well-loved family heirloom. Our garments get softer with age, never pill and always spring back into shape.”
The garments are also incredibly low maintenance – they can be handwashed, spun on high speed in the washing machine, and even tumble dried on low heat. The brand also offers a bespoke service whereby customers can request design alterations. One loyal customer in Paris has his items tailored to his liking each season.
When asked what has made the brand so successful, Trish replies: “The knowledge we have gained over the many years while striving to obtain perfection. From breeding the goats to the final product, not many companies have this level of vertical integration or continuity from beginning to end. There’s no other cashmere brand doing it this way. We live and breathe for our cashmere and want your garment to last a lifetime.”
