About Us

A warm welcome to Isolation…

Wrapping your baby in a gorgeous merino blanket or shawl is knowing your precious child is safe and warm in nature’s own creation. Isolation Merino is a family owned business inspired by becoming parents of our three boys and wanting them to grow up experiencing wearing 100% natural fibres.

Sally and Rob Peter founded Isolation Merino baby wear in the 1990’s. From early beginnings of producing baby blankets we have grown to offer over 20 garments in both natural hues and vibrant colours.

Isolation is unique in many ways and has a story to tell….

Our farm is situated in the mountains inland from the Kaikoura Coast amongst steep tussock-covered hills where our 2000 Saxon merinos graze. Once a year these sheep are gathered together for shearing and the beginnings of our next seasons garments. The fleeces are carefully sorted and only the strongest, longest, brightest fleeces are kept to process into yarn.

From the farm gate our bales of merino travel to Christchurch for processing into a specialised yarn suitable for our baby and toddler knitwear.

I work closely with our talented knitters discussing patterns and colours to make decisions for our baby and toddler knitwear range. Rob on the other hand is deciding which stud rams will have the right attributes to father the lambs that will start next year’s wool clip.

Lambing begins on Isolation at the end of September when the Winter weather has hopefully past and the Spring has begun to warm the soils and the grasses and herbs are growing.

What is a Saxon Merino?

Saxon Merinos are an ancient breed, growing a superfine, supreme fibre to withstand harsh climates and weather changes. They are a hardy smaller sheep with attitude and instincts intact. A big proportion of Isolation is unfenced and Saxons are living in their natural state and let us muster them once a year to be shorn. The Saxons have been bred and selected to suit our farm conditions. Because of the isolated position of the farm we are able to run our sheep with minimal chemical inputs.

Personal Service

At Isolation we pride ourselves in our personal touch and enjoy speaking with our customers. I continually hear delightful stories of little ones that develop an attachment with Isolation garments – loving the touch and comfort of merino.

For example the wee boy who started school and leaves his blankie in the mailbox to be collected by him at he end of the day – a comfort awaiting him.

Another wee chap prefers to drag his crawlers around with him rather than wearing them, enjoying the touch.

The little girl sitting under the clothes line awaiting her blankie to dry and being reunited.

Of the grandmother who cried when she opened our gift box of a hand knitted heirloom shawl, she was delightfully surprised buying an unseen product.

Our Baa Baa Blankets alongside our plunket pattern singlets still remain our most popular sellers and being machine washable is a bonus.

Selling Isolation, whether it is to an expectant mum, an excited grandparent or for a special gift is always a joy and an emotional experience for some.

We hope you get just as much enjoyment out of our products as we do growing the fibre for you.

Every baby deserves to wear 100% natural fibre.