Strong wool: Southland farming couple create jerseys from their own Romney flock

Esta and Tim Naylor have launched McIvor Hill, a business creating jerseys from their Romney lamb’s wool. Photo / Sally Rae

You don’t get any more home grown than Tim and Esta Naylor’s range of jerseys.

The enterprising young farming couple, who have a 400ha sheep and beef farm at Blackmount, Southland, have launched McIvor Hill, a business creating jerseys from their Romney lamb’s wool.

It was Esta who was looking for her next move once the youngest of the couple’s three children, now aged 3 to 8, started to gain independence.

Their children had been fortunate to have two grandmothers who had knitted them jerseys, vests and hats from when they were newborns, and it got her thinking there were not many wool jerseys to buy for adults or children.

That began her journey into all things fashion, design and production, and also provided the couple with an opportunity to do something proactive with their wool while strong wool prices remained in the doldrums.

It took three years to get to this point, with McIvor Hill launching a month ago and the first public outing at Southern Field Days this month.

Their wool is spun into yarn at Woolyarns in Wellington before returning south to Otago Knitwear in Dunedin, where the jerseys are made.

When asked what inspired her in the design phase, Naylor said she wanted colour and to modernise woollen jerseys, and to appeal to urban as well as rural customers.

When the first garments arrived, she admitted it was a little surreal and it was cool to say they had been made from their own wool.

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The couple encouraged other strong wool farmers to do something themselves with their wool because it was good to try something new.

Esta and Tim Naylor hold their Romney lamb’s wool, which has been used to create the jerseys in the background. Photo / Sally Rae

Tim Naylor, who comes from a farming background in Central Otago, worked in agronomy and rural banking before moving to Blackmount, those experiences proving beneficial when it came to the farming operation.

The couple had stuck with Romneys on the hill-country farm, sourcing rams from Blair and Sally Robertson’s Merrydowns stud at Waikoikoi.

They were limited by the country on the property and Romneys did well for them, Tim said.