Zentera Wool Company has entered a multi-year supply partnership with Kathmandu, with ZQ+ certified wool set to feature in the brand’s Autumn Winter 2027 collection.

Zentera CEO Angus Street says the deal reflects demand coming from multiple directions.

“There is genuine demand driven by regulatory changes and consumer considerations.

“At the corporate level where retailers and brands are really wanting to put their best foot forward to have a positive impact on people, planet, and animals,” he says.

“To have one that has such strong Kiwi roots, connected to the DNA of where the wool is grown, is really special.”

The partnership comes as wool markets recover after difficult years. Growers have absorbed higher energy prices, rising input costs and flat commodity returns.

“Those growers that have stuck with wool, have committed to producing what I believe is one of the world’s most magical fibres, are really starting to reap some of those benefits, and they deserve to.”

Kathmandu will source from Zentera’s ZQ+ tier. ZQ was developed as the world’s first certification for non-mulesed wool, covering animal welfare, people and planet. ZQ+ extended the framework to regenerative farming.

“It evolved out of the need for businesses to be able to communicate with confidence with the data and the evidence that they were sourcing a raw material that was having a positive impact on the planet.”

The PETA campaign led Zentera to deepen its assurance work.

“Feedback is a gift – I don’t necessarily love how PETA gave us that feedback, but it gave us an opportunity to realise an area that we could work on.”

Cameras in sheds and trained animal welfare coordinators at shearing are being piloted, and Four Paws has recognised ZQ as the world’s highest wool standard.

“It’s the attitude and the mindset of our growers that allows us to continuously improve, and allows us to go to brands like Kathmandu with such confidence to say, ‘We have the best growers in the world, we have growers committed to animal welfare, and we have growers committed to regenerative farming practices.”

He says Kathmandu staff visited farms as part of the partnership process.

“You won’t get it unless you actually slip on some gumboots and get some mud on your shoes.”

The ZQ+ merino baselayer range will be available online and in stores from May 2027.

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