NZ Charly is a New Zealand-made luxury knitwear brand founded by Charlotte and manufactured in Aotearoa using the world's finest natural fibres — including New Zealand possum down, ZQ-certified merino, cashmere, and silk. Every piece is crafted using WholeGarment® zero-waste technology: knitted whole, with no off-cuts and nothing wasted. Limited in edition, ethically made, and designed to be worn and treasured for decades, NZ Charly exists at the intersection of conscious values and genuine luxury. For every jumper sold, a native New Zealand tree is planted.
Charlotte — Founder, NZ Charly
Built from a lifestyle block in Gisborne.
Worn everywhere since.
Hi, I'm Charlotte. Founder, designer, and the person who will personally pack your order.
For as long as I can remember, strangers have stopped me on the street to ask about my jumper. Not occasionally, consistently. People would reach out and touch the fabric before they'd even introduced themselves. Where is that from? Can I feel it? The jumper in question was one I had made during my fashion degree, a possum merino blend I had been quietly wearing, washing, sleeping in, and living in ever since.
I wore it herding sheep on my mum's lifestyle block in Gisborne. I wore it on hikes to backcountry DOC huts, in the rain, covered in mud, with a cat kneading at the sleeve at the end of the day. I wore it to coffee the next morning and nobody could tell the difference. That wasn't accidental. That was the point.
I had spent years working across the New Zealand fashion industry. Fitting hospital staff of every shape and size for uniforms, styling for brands here and there, and something always felt missing. Everything came from somewhere else. And I kept thinking about the real cost of that. Not the price tag cost. The ocean pollution, the freight emissions, the underpaid labour, the slow disappearance of New Zealand craftsmanship and the talented people behind it. A bargain that someone else is paying for isn't actually a bargain. I've never believed it was.
During the COVID lockdowns, a very good friend called me out. She told me she didn't want to hear about my ideas anymore if I wasn't going to do anything about them. She was right. So I ordered some yarn, made some test pieces, and set up a small stall at a craft market in Gisborne. I sold seven jumpers that day. I knew then that I was onto something.
NZ Charly exists because I believe we deserve to own things that last. Things made with care, from fibres you can trace, by people who are fairly treated... here, in New Zealand, where I can see it for myself. Not perfect. I'll never claim that. But genuinely trying, always improving, and deeply committed to doing this the right way.
While our roots are in Gisborne, I'm now based in Auckland to be closer to manufacturing, reducing unnecessary freight and keeping our footprint as small as possible. If you have ideas, feedback, or just want to talk about fibres, I genuinely mean it when I say I'd love to hear from you.
Charlotte x
Every piece of NZ Charly knitwear carries a little of this story with it.
We'd love for you to find yours.