The Southern Thread

Pantone's Colour (or Color) of the Year: Cloud Dancer

Pantone recently announced its Color of the Year and it is rather disappointing as a person who loves colour. Cloud Dancer is "a lofty airy white". Since the program began, Pantone has announced a ...

A Small Warm Moment in a Cold World

A reflection on wool, winter, and why human warmth still matters Winter has a way of sharpening the edges of life. The air thins, the streets empty a little earlier, and even the most ordinary rout...

Quiet Performance: Wool That Works Hard, Without Looking Like It

Some clothes are made to shout. They gleam with logos, flash zippers like medals, and promise you’ll conquer mountains before breakfast. But what if your idea of performance isn’t about summits and...

Showing Up Anyway

Today was our very first Wool & Wonder Learn to Knit Day. No one came. I won’t pretend that wasn’t disappointing — it’s always a bit disheartening when you put energy into something and it do...

Thoughts on home and homesickness

I wrote an earlier post about long-term homesickness which was a prevailing feeling I was having earlier in the year. I have since been home to New Zealand for a fairly extended period and conseque...

Why Wool Matters

OUR VISION We want New Zealand wool to become the first and most natural choice for winter in Japan. Japan is known for its four seasons, and winter can be especially cold. In the past, warmth came...

Why Visit New Zealand in Winter? A Quiet Season Full of Wonder

While most travellers from Japan head south in summer, there’s something deeply special about discovering New Zealand during winter. With direct flights from Tokyo to Auckland, the journey has neve...

In Good Company: Thoughts on Belonging, Foreignness, and Community

Lately, there’s been a noticeable stir in the air. Among Japan’s foreign community, conversations are bubbling up about a shift in tone—particularly in political commentary. There’s been talk of fo...

Planning a Wool-Focused Trip to New Zealand

The early stages of a slow and purposeful journey In September I’ll be heading to New Zealand — a place close to my heart, and the home of the beautiful wool I work with every winter here in Japan....

A Check-Up on More Than Just My Health

Today I did something that’s been on my to-do list for a while: I went for a physical check-up. The kind you’re meant to do every year. For me, it had been five. I kept putting it off. I told myse...