Over 100 years ago, classic Kiwi ingenuity saw the birth of one of Aotearoa’s most iconic clothing brands – Swanndri.

While Swanndri is still synonymous with the iconic check bush shirt, rapid growth over the last five 5 years has seen the brand expand to over 500 different everyday lifestyle products from t-shirts, shorts, knitwear, oilskins and even coats for dogs.

With a head office and distribution centres based in Christchurch, LPC is proud to support Swanndri to import around 40 containers a year filled with ‘Swannis’ for the New Zealand and global markets.

Swanndri Marketing Manager Jenny Drinkwater says the majority of their range is made in China in small family-run factories the company has worked with for decades.

“They provide consistently high quality and know how to work with our specialist fabrics, and we also use two New Zealand-based factories primarily for our accessory ranges.”

Committed to their Kiwi roots, the wool for Swanndri’s outerwear is grown here in New Zealand and sourced through the ZQRX regenerative agriculture programme through the New Zealand Merino Company.

“This means we can trace our fibres back to the farm they have been grown on, and we also know that the workers are paid fairly and have guaranteed income despite market fluctuations,” says Jenny.

“Animal welfare is also important to us, and through the ZQRX programme, we know that the production of the wool we use is governed by the five animal freedoms and humane treatment of animals is assured.”

Arguably, Swanndri’s understanding of the power of wool may be the key to their success. Wool ticks all the boxes – sustainability, durability and comfort.

“We’ve always kept our customers comfortable on the farms, in the mountains and forests of New Zealand and around the world, but today we also keep them comfortable and looking sharp in the cities,” says Jenny.

Swanndri’s signature style now extends beyond the rural environment, and their range is a real crowd pleaser with city folk, too.

So next time you pop on your favourite Swanni, keep in mind all the stories, people and sheep who’ve gone into perfecting your comfort and style.