From Farm to Fashion, Accessories Label Honest Wolf Will Have You Seeing New Zealand Wool in a New Way

How many fashion companies can you think of that supply their own raw materials?

This is the story of Honest Wolf, a locally designed accessories label founded by Sam and Sophie Hurley. Based in the central North Island, the duo also runs a third-generation, 3300-hectare sheep and beef farm named Papanui Estate – previously farmed by Sam’s dad and grandfather.

Their sheep are shorn biannually and, in the past, that wool was just supplied for carpets – where only a particular grade is accepted and the increasing use of synthetics has had an impact on the industry. The Hurleys wanted a way to use the perfectly good wool that would otherwise go to waste, and to up its profitability. “We saw an even bigger future for the fibre,” Sophie tells Broadsheet.

In 2020 they launched Honest Wolf, combining their wool (after it’s been felted and dyed into various colours) with New Zealand Luxury Group -sourced, chrome-free leather to create gender-neutral bags, hats and wallets that are both functional and chic. “Sam and I design our range with longevity in mind. They are pieces you will use for a lifetime,” says Sophie.

Accessories such as the Tote make for “the perfect mum bag”, she says, but its compartments also mean it’s handy for work and day-to-day use. The Weekender is a larger duffel shape, with a clever separate shoe compartment, and the Backpack has comfortably wide leather straps, a padded slip pocket for laptops and a detachable wet bag. The Casual Shopper is ideal for the supermarket or the beach.

All the raw materials are biodegradable, and the products are wear-tested around the farm for durability. The designs have impressive attention to detail; the bags’ cotton lining, for example, is printed with a topographical map of Papanui Estate, complete with the names of each paddock, so you can see exactly where it started out.

They’re available in a range of colours, from plain grey marle to a carefully contrasted oatmeal taupe wool with dark brown trim. The most recent shades launched in October – a forest green, a rich navy and a deep black.

Sophie remembers being blown away by the support the couple received in the first few months after starting Honest Wolf – they were packing orders in their living room until midnight to keep up with demand. In the last two years, they’ve grown the core team of staff to three plus themselves and recently opened their first flagship store in Hunterville.

Since the beginning, they’ve tried to make each new release as timeless as possible. “We extend our range by pinpointing what functional accessories can make people’s lives easier, and introduce colourways that pay homage to Aotearoa and our land,” says Sophie. “And that won’t go out of fashion.”

honestwolf.co.nz