Wise batch 19
scoured march 2026
Gisborne, New Zealand
The wool inside this product came from four family farms on the East Coast of New Zealand.
Four farms. One region. Generations of families who have farmed this land since before most countries had electricity.
This is a provenance map of Tairāwhiti Gisborne. Each pin marks a farm whose wool is in Wise Batch 19
Totangi Station
George McIldowie · Ngātapa · Fifth generation since 1907
The McIldowie family has farmed Totangi since 1907. George is the fifth generation. He grew up on the station and returned to run it after studying in Auckland, working on superyachts in the US, and farming in the UK.
Today he farms alongside his wife Emma, son Hugo, his father and his sister. 2,250 hectares of East Coast hill country. 21,000 stock units. 60,000 kilograms of Romney wool a year.
"We believe wholeheartedly that wool will return to its rightful place among our everyday modern lives."
- George Mcildowie
Elmore
Ken & Kirsty Shaw · Rakauroa · Family farming this valley since 1898
Elmore sits near the highest point of the highway between Gisborne and Ōpōtiki. Ken and Kirsty Shaw have farmed it since 2000, running 2,900 Romdale ewes and 650 cattle across 680 effective hectares. When Ken fell ill in 2010, Kirsty took on full management the kind of resilience East Coast hill country demands.
Recognised Beef + Lamb NZ Monitor farmers. The family has been in this valley for over 125 years.
Te Aroha Station
Phil & Minna Steele · Peheri · Steele family since 1911
42 kilometres west of Gisborne, Te Aroha is one of Tairāwhiti's most storied farms.
The Steele family has farmed it since 1911. Phil returned in 1990 and expanded the operation in 2005 by absorbing the neighbouring 430-hectare Sherbrook property. Today Phil and Minna run over 3,400 Romney sheep alongside a long-running Hereford cattle programme.
Aurora
Diesel & Caroline Coop · Tiniroto · 13 years on the land
Aurora sits in the hill country of Tiniroto, inland between Gisborne and Wairoa, a region known for deep farming heritage and classic strong-wool country. Diesel and Caroline Coop run Aurora alongside the leased Reripi block with their two children, a balanced 50/50 sheep and cattle operation.
Romney wool, raised on hills that have been farmed continuously for generations.
What Happened Next?
Shorn on farm: Strong Wool fleece, clipped twice a year.
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Grading: The wool is then graded into most premium length, color, micron and vegetable matter quality.
Scoured at WoolWorks: Washed at the world's most sustainable wool scouring operation. Double washed to the Wisewool recipe no other supplier matches.
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Engineered at Te Poi: Processed into WiseLayer™ and WiseFill™ at our Matamata factory and shipped to the manufacturer who made the product you are holding.
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The wisewool story
132 Years. One Fibre. One Family.
Wisewool is a fifth-generation New Zealand wool company. We have been working with farmers like these since 1894. We pay farmers first. We engineer nature's cleverness into every fibre we process. And now, with WiseTrace, we can prove it.