4 minute read
Fleece to Floor
FROM FLEECE TO FLOOR
WORDS LIZ FRENCH | IMAGES BRYDIE THOMPSON
Wool carpet is having a renaissance and there are many good reasons why.
Gerrand Floorings advocates wool and has introduced Wools of New Zealand carpet as a new brand in their store.
Wools of New Zealand is exactly what it says, a marketer of New Zealand wool, 100 percent owned by farming families who grow our wool. Its original purpose was to link brands with farmers by matching the perfect wool to the perfect product, its mantra: ‘Wool for a Better World’. In a logical progression, Wools of New Zealand recently launched their own boutique carpet range. They approached Gerrand Floorings, who welcomed the opportunity to showcase the brand, story and ranges. Gerrand is currently the only independent Tauranga flooring retailer stocking the brand. The Wools of New Zealand carpet range is so new that when Nourish magazine visited, Leanne had just opened her first box of samples. Spread across the floor was a toe tempting array of soft carpets in a range of textures and piles, their colours earthy and natural, from creamy beiges through to darker browns and hints of green. The ‘flock’ includes names like Takitimu, which is a cut pile with a heather twist inspired by farms in the deep south. From the rolling hills of Otapiri Farm comes a textured loop, bouncy and warm. Fernvale is a cut pile twist which hails from Fernvale Farm in Otago, and the flecked Mt Peel references the well-known Mt Peel Station in South Canterbury. “The team are excited to share the new ranges with clients and their designer and specifier databases,” says Leanne. “There is a perfect balance and mix of ageless styling and options to keep on point and current. It’s also priced competitively with other wool carpet, so we are thrilled to be among the first to offer Wools of New Zealand carpet. Of course, we like their story too, the way its journey from farm to floor is easily traceable.”
From Farm to Feet
Your wool carpet starts in the paddock where sheep convert grass to meat and wool. It takes a year to grow a fleece, most sheep shorn in summer. The premier parts of the fleece are sorted for carpet use. Then it is scoured to remove dirt and lanolin, and dyed from its natural white state, which allows for almost any colour. Carding and combing are followed by spinning and often twisting before being tufted onto backing. The final product is tested to ensure it meets high-performance criteria. There’s a good reason many of the staff at Gerrand Floorings choose wool carpet for their own homes. “The benefits of wool carpet stem from its authenticity as a natural product,” Leanne points out. “It is warm, fire resistant, holds one third of its weight in moisture, absorbs sound, ages gracefully and can be returned to the earth.” Leanne notes the importance of reading the care and maintenance provided with your new carpet purchase just like all items in your home to allow it to give you the life it should. She also recommends that, with our intense and increasingly damaging ultra violet light and our love of bigger and bigger windows in our homes, if building new or renovating, talk to your joinery or glass provider about glass treatment options to help protect all the interior contents of your home, including your carpets.
Flooring in the Family
Like Wools of New Zealand, Gerrand Floorings also has a story. Leanne is the second generation in the family-orientated and local company set up by her parents and celebrating 35 years this December. Gerrand has established itself as the go-to for direct carpet purchasers, interior designers and for an ever-growing number of franchise building companies and top end bespoke builders. They have seen the trends come and go. “Interesting at the moment,” she comments. “At one end of the scale we have the popularity of the clean, spare minimalistic look and at the other we are seeing more demand for colour and patterns.” The COVID experience has certainly resulted in more people nesting and investing in their homes. “Most flooring manufacturers and suppliers on return to a working environment in 2020 had up to a thirty percent increase in demand when they expected a decrease, and 2021 still sees demand above the normal statistics pre-COVID. We are being very proactive and encouraging people to see us a good three months before they plan to install,” says Leanne. So, if you are thinking about carpet for your new home or renovation, or replacing existing carpet, it’s never too soon to see the Wools of New Zealand range at Gerrand Floorings and make your home healthier with carpet that is planet friendly, people friendly and style forward.
