Summertime Wool

Summertime wool.  Yes, it’s a thing.  It’s Mother Nature’s thing.

And to some, that’s a surprise.  You already know that wool is a great insulator keeping you warm during winter’s chill.  When you think of wool, you might think of your thick wool sweater folded and unused in your closet during the spring and summer months.

But not all wool is created equal.  Our wool isn’t heavy, scratchy, or thick.  It’s super soft, lightweight, and breathable.  It comes from merino sheep roaming free in mountainous New Zealand and Australian meadows — the kinds of places subject to winter’s chill and summer’s heat.  

These merino sheep can’t take off their wool jackets in the summer, like you might.  Instead, they wear wool year-round, staying warm in the cold and cool in the heat.  The sheep understand the secret of all-season merino wool.

It’s nature’s little secret, and now you can share it with your little one.  So what makes our t-shirts, shorts, and hoodies summer-ready?  

It’s a merino wool super power: temperature regulation.  When it’s chilly, merino wool acts as insulator, trapping warm pockets of air to keep your little one cozy.  When it’s warm, merino wool’s breathability ensures that excess heat and moisture are released, keeping your little one cool and comfy.

The end result is merino wool apparel that stands up to your kids’ summertime activities.

Have a little one that dashes through a sprinkler?  Our merino tees and shorts can hold up to a third of their weight in water before they even feel wet and, once wet, they dry quickly.

Taking a nature walk with your little one?  Our lightweight airy tees keep little ones feeling fresh and comfy.

Snuggle with mama and papa after a day outside?  Our super soft tees, shorts, and hoodies won’t get in the way of a good hug.  

And for those cool summer mornings or evenings? Our hoody is the perfect weight for a little extra warmth with the added bonus of thumbies.

Yes, summertime wool is more than a thing.  It's a gift from Mother Nature.

Here’s to your summertime adventures!

Introducing Merino Essentials for Everyday Play

Just in time for summer, we're releasing four new styles on April 7th that will keep your little one comfy and cool during summer's everyday adventures. 

You were there from the beginning. You were there when we launched our original collection of super soft merino wool items for the nursery and play. We are forever grateful that you invited us into your homes, made us a small part of your journey, and shared the natural goodness of merino wool with your little one.

And now, we're excited to embark on our next journey with you: a newly designed collection bringing little ones the merino essentials for play in the great outdoors and everyday adventures -- graphic tees, shorts, and all-season hoodies for kids 3 months to 5 years.

Made in the USA from New Zealand merino wool, our new collection allows little ones to explore this big beautiful world with a helping hand from Mother Nature.  

All new styles will be available in our shop starting April 7th (with a few items available for pre-order...finishing touches being applied now!).  To celebrate, we're offering free domestic shipping for our entire shop on April 7th.

Here's to your adventures ahead!

Philip Rive, Merino Rancher

He possesses quick wit, a mischievous smile that he freely shares with his wife Kate, and a knack for storytelling.  His name is Philip Rive, manager of the Cecil Peak merino ranch outside of Queenstown, New Zealand.

Although a lifetime of farming shows in his sun-baked skin, he still exudes a boyish charm.  Perhaps that charm springs from a life well-lived in one of the most beautiful places on Earth.  Rolling mountainside meadows, majestic merino sheep, and bubbling brooks and slender waterfalls speckle the land as if stroked by an artist’s paintbrush.  This is home, always has been home, for Philip.

On a drive deep into Cecil Peak, he captures you with longing eyes surveying the land, much the same way that you look at a photo album, memories washing over you.  He hooks you with a story’s opening line, in his Kiwi accent, “When I was a wee boy…,” and then he takes you away.

Away to a childhood exploring this mountainous ranch land by pony with friends.  A vivid picture emerges of an 8-year-old Philip Rive on horseback with that same mischievous smile and boyish charm.  

You see him as the Kiwi Tom Sawyer, breaking into a hunting cabin miles from home with his friends and feasting on rations stored by his and his friends' fathers.  Young Philip and his friends, in that moment, don’t ponder the consequences of their pilfering.  Instead, the boys share the rations, basking in friendship, exploration, and the unmistakable bond forged by adventure.

That boy who explored the mountainous ranch land by pony is now a merino rancher himself, overseeing Cecil Peak Station for almost two decades.  The land nurtured him as a boy and, as a man, he now repays the favor.  Although aged by sun and seasons, Philip remains the quintessential adventurous boy at heart. 

You see, Philip Rive is not just a rancher.  He is a guardian of hallowed land — land that nourished his soul, imagination, and sense of adventure as a boy.  

Philip, the land, and the merino sheep have grown together.  The Cecil Peak merino sheep are not mere commodities.  Instead, they represent a way of life or, better yet, a way of living.

So, when people ask me, “where does merino wool come from?”, my answer is that it comes from people like Philip: a purveyor of land, of sheep, of living a life with deep roots and purpose.  It comes from a rancher who grew up without losing the best of his childhood.