Southland warmth
Together with her husband Tim and their three children, Esta Naylor runs a working farm in the deep south of New Zealand. With Romney sheep grazing the paddocks and an abundance of wool produced each season, the idea for something new began to take shape.
“When our youngest child was six months old, I started thinking about what I could do,” Esta says. “My mother-in-law and mum are both amazing knitters and would knit for our kids up to the age of four. It made me think: why aren’t we seeing thick wool jerseys for older kids and adults?”
What began as a simple idea soon became a serious project. Esta spent eighteen months researching how to transform the wool from their farm into garments that could be worn every day.
The result was McIvor Hill, a small New Zealand brand producing 100 per cent lambs’ wool jerseys. Lambs’ wool from Romney sheep was chosen for its softness, representing the finest stage of the fibre.
“I wanted to keep production in New Zealand, and finding Otago Knitwear in Dunedin – who could process and knit our thicker wool – has worked out amazingly,” Esta explains. “People love that it’s all made locally.”
For Esta, the business has always been about creating a lifestyle that works alongside family life on the farm. Alongside online sales, McIvor Hill now also has a small bricks-and-mortar store in Te Anau, where travellers exploring Fiordland often discover the jerseys.
“It’s the best souvenir for people to take away,” she says. “It’s a real piece of New Zealand.”
The garments themselves remain intentionally simple and practical. Esta has introduced vests for children – a design she says suits active young wearers.
“They’re always on the go, and their arms are everywhere, so it was important to create an option where their arms were free.”
Today, the collection includes vests, classic crew jerseys, and button-collared styles in four earthy colours: light grey, rust, navy, and dark olive.
Esta’s classic styles are as at home on the farm as they are on the main street.
“I like to stick to tried-and-tested designs,” she says. “I don’t want to be a trendsetter, but rather create timeless pieces.”