Keraplast uses natural raw materials that are sustainably produced by the world’s best managed agricultural sector. Wool is a 100% natural, fully renewable fibre and it is produced year-round by a range of animals, including sheep. Crossbred sheep, such as Romney and Perendale, are the most common breeds in New Zealand and they do not naturally shed their wool. This can be uncomfortable for the animals during the long, hot Summer, so these sheep are usually shorn once a year to avoid having to carry a full fleece of wool in the heat.

We harvest our wool from pasture-grazed sheep that are raised in the pristine countryside of New Zealand. The wool is harvested quickly and painlessly by using electronic clippers in much the same way as getting a haircut. A professional shearer can shear a sheep in less than two minutes. The wool is then collected into bales after the sheep have been shorn, and the sheep return to the pastures where they continue to graze and raise their young. During Autumn/Fall the thick fleece of wool regrows and keeps the sheep warm for the coming Winter.

New Zealand is an island nation sandwiched between by the vast, rugged, South Pacific Ocean and the Tasman Sea. This incredible “moat” acts as a natural barrier to pests and diseases, and these natural barriers have been strengthened over time through modern technologies and protocols. New Zealand is now globally recognised as an exemplar for modern biosecurity systems, and this provides us with world-class biosecurity status as a source of natural materials.

Our wool is traceable back to our source farms, and this enables us to maintain high levels of quality and safety and ensures supply chain visibility. We value our partnerships with our farmers: we have walked their farms together and we know each of them by name. We know that wool is a natural product that is damaged by photo-oxidation when it is exposed to harsh sunlight. So, our farmers follow Keraplast’s strict wool harvesting protocols to ensure the wool is harvested at just the right time, and in just the right way, to produce the highest quality raw ingredients possible.

Keraplast is committed to supporting regenerative farming practices that promote soil health, biodiversity, carbon sequestration and water cycle restoration. We endorse the Savory Institute’s “Land to Market” programme – the world’s first verified regenerative sourcing solution for meat, dairy, wool and leather. Land to Market products all come from land that is regenerating and has been independently verified through the Savory Institute’s Ecological Outcome Verification.

We are a global exporter, and we have strong partnerships with Croda International, AIDP Inc and IFF Health. Through these partnerships, our life changing ingredients have achieved global reach and are enhancing the wellbeing of millions of people.

Our research and development programmes are conducted in collaboration with New Zealand’s leading scientific organisations and innovators. Our research partners include AgResearch, the largest agricultural research organisation in New Zealand, and New Zealand’s Innovation Agency, Callaghan Innovation.

We are also extremely proud to partner with regenerative famers throughout New Zealand.