Frequently asked questions
Possum fibre has several unique qualities. It has a hollow core which traps a tunnel of air that provides extra-ordinary warmth – up to 55 percent more than a 100 percent wool garment. The only other animal with a hollow core fibre is the polar bear. The hollow core also creates a fibre lighter than most other natural fibres. In practice by blending 40 percent possum fibre into the yarn the overall weight of a garment is reduced by more than 20 percent. Merino possum yarn is highly resistant to pilling. There are also therapeutic benefits. Science shows an enzyme in the possum fibre helps combat skin conditions like athlete’s foot and eczema. Finally merino possum fabric will absorb and expel moisture vapour form the external environment or the body microclimate in changing conditions.
New Zealand sourced possum fur is recognised globally as being green and ethically sound. Possum fur is a natural product that comes from renewable resources. It has a 20 to 30 year life span. In comparison fake fur is made from petroleum-based products derived from non-renewable resources. New Zealand sourced possum fur is 100 percent from wild pest populations. The New Zealand Fur Council and the Department of Conservation agree fur recovery is one of the solutions for the control of possums for natural heritage protection. Possum harvesting can greatly improve flora and fauna growth and preservation at zero cost to taxpayers. A Memorandum of Understanding between the New Zealand Fur Council and Department of Conservation gives accredited hunters access to possums on defined areas of the DOC estate.
Possums are an introduced pest. They eat the forest at every point, including leaves, buds, flowers, fruit and seeds from the tallest trees. On the ground they eat seedlings, saplings and sometimes bark, and favoured foods include Mistletoes (some driven almost to extinction), tree Fuchsias, Kamahi and Rata trees. It has been estimated that up to 21,000 tonnes of vegetation a night is destroyed by possums. As well as competing for food with native insects, bats, and birds, they also eat them and their eggs and nestlings. Possums also drive native animals out of their dens and nesting sites.
In an ideal world possums would never have been introduced to New Zealand, or a virulent possum-only disease could be created that wiped out their population. Despite the wishes and intentions of some groups, it is unlikely that possums will be eradicated in the next 20 years. Only two percent of Department of Conservation estate receives protection through 1080 poisoning. Harvesting possums for fur is a pragmatic response to the here and now. It is an opportunity to extract value from a national pest while improving conservation outcomes with no additional cost to the tax payer.
The New Zealand possum fur industry currently generates retail sales of possum-related garments of between $100 and $150 million per year, with international tourists accounting for 85 percent of total retail sales. The industry employs about 1,500 workers. It also contributes to the conservation of natural flora and fauna through the reduction of approximately two million possums per year. Forecasted expansion in the possum fur industry will add $58.5 million and 760 jobs to the New Zealand economy each year. NZIER Economic Impact of Possum Industry 2014
Contact Basically Bush to find out the current value of possum fibre and pelts.
New Zealand sourced possum fur is 100 percent from wild animals. Possums are not farmed.
Hunters generally use leg hold traps (non-toothed) or cyanide paste for fur recovery. Cyanide is considered the most humane poison of the six poisons currently registered in New Zealand for possum control. It is rapid action (possums are rendered unconscious after six minutes and die in 10-20 minutes compared with 1080, 4 to 12 hours; Brodifacoum, 1-2 weeks; or Pindone, 2-3 weeks). Cyanide has low environmental persistence, and low secondary poisoning risk (other animals are unlikely to die if eating dead possum).
Hunters and trappers must adhere to laws including the Animal Welfare Act 1999. Trap users have a duty of care for the welfare of the animals they capture. The conduct that is, and is not, permissible in relation to any animal is covered by the Animal Welfare Act 1999 – that is to prevent unnecessary pain, suffering or distress. The New Zealand Fur Council also endorses the International Fur Trade Federation commitment to the Agreement on International Humane Trapping Standards – that is that any traps used for any reason must reach a humane standard which, requires the animal to be killed outright and quickly. Traplines must be visited within a day of being set and leg hold traps must be non-toothed.