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Wool Seeds Being Sown Early

Wool has always been on the sheep’s back. But have we as New Zealander’s taken this wonderful fibre for granted? The benefits are something that Tracey Robinson owner of New Zealand business, Cosy Toes knows only too well. Tracey began her business manufacturing and marketing children’s merino wool socks in 2005 after realising that wool socks had gone off the shopping radar and were unavailable for her two, at the time pre-school children.

Tracey like many others in New Zealand grew up wearing wool and the benefits were ingrained in her because of her upbringing on a sheep farm. “My mother is a knitter and my nana was too and the clothing made was always with wool. If I picked out a pretty colour yarn that I wanted my jersey to be made in and it wasn’t wool – Mum would say, “That’ll be no good because it’s not wool.” “Because of my upbringing there was no other fibre in the world other than wool and I thought no different of it,” Tracey explains.

In 2001 Tracey and her partner began a family of their own and if it wasn’t for having children, Tracey would not have realised that wool socks for children were very hard to find and purchase. Wool clothing for children almost seemed flooded out by imported synthetic clothing.

Now most of us would accept that mass produced, synthetic socks were acceptable. But not for Tracey as she was determined to bring merino wool socks back on the market not only for her own family but for other families as well. Five years on Cosy Toes is a profitable, growing business that this year was awarded the South Island winner for The Enterprising Rural Women Award. “I believe it’s not only that the business is doing well but it’s also my drive and passion behind the business for wool that has got Cosy Toes to where it is today.” Tracey says.

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Wool has proved to be the back bone for Cosy Toes and Tracey is determined that one day every New Zealand baby will have a pair of Cosy Toes merino wool socks. “Every child needs to grown up with wool and think no different of it. “

With big plans to extend Cosy Toes further, it’s easy to see the passion behind Cosy Toes. When Cosy Toes opened its doors to the world through the internet it was about getting the wool socks back on the market but now there is a driving force and mission. Kiwi parents and parents around the world are choosing merino wool more and more to dress their children in as merino clothing and now merino socks are becoming readily available for them. Tracey believes it’s only a matter of time before everyone once again will know about wool because of the seeds that are being sown with our little people in New Zealand.

For more information www.cosytoes.co.nz

ENDS


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