Indulge in Classic Comfort…

Classic Sheepskins was established in 1969 and has since successfully grown and created a reputable name for itself as a premium New Zealand Tannery. Look closer at their product range and one will find a vast array of unique and functional wool accessories. All have been designed with your comfort in mind and all provide additional benefits which wool is renowned for.

Wool is one of the most functional and unique natural fibers known to us. It has a multitude of qualities which set it apart from most other fibers including Silk and Cotton. Being highly resilient and durable; wool fiber has the ability to bend back on itself over 20,000 times without breaking. In addition to the added crimp and ultra-springy like make-up of the individual fibers means wool underlays and medical sheepskins in particular can act like a type of ‘therapeutic cushion’. Making them effective in providing pressure point relief found on the body for the user.

Wool is a natural insulator and can help self-regulate one’s body temperature during both colder climates and hotter or humid temperatures. Wool has the ability trap air within and between its fibers and this trapped air helps to insulate the user from the underlying surface. The body is thus kept at a consistent and even temperature keeping the user cooler in humid conditions and near body temperature as it gets colder.

Wool can also absorb a great deal of moisture and can absorb up to 30-40% of its own weight in moisture alone. Wool’s ability to absorb and wick away moisture from the skin helps keep the skin dry this helps towards the prevention of pressure/bed sores and also the breakdown of skin cells particularly for those infirmed and bed ridden for extended periods of time.

Wool does not have to be treated to become inflammable and it will not support a flame; being a hypoallergenic fiber it is kind to sensitive skins and to those with rashes and other dermatitis conditions.        

Mother Nature has blessed us with a versatile and special natural fiber which tannery professionals such as Classic Sheepskins can transform into high functioning and highly comfortable wool products and accessories. Whether you are looking for a comfortable wool slipper, car seat cover or a medical sheepskin/underlay; Classic Sheepskins has successfully created such products and many more.

All can be found at the one-stop Shop New Zealand.

Classic Sheepskins @ Shop New Zealand.

Mad about chocolate…

 

Whittaker’s is one of New Zealand’s most trusted brands; in fact, it IS New Zealand’s most trusted brand as voted in the annual Reader’s Digest survey. And why not? It makes some of the world’s finest chocolates, being a bean to bar manufacture that keeps an eye on their precious cocoa beans from the farm to the factory. They turn their Ghanaian and Malagasy (Madagascar) cocoa beans directly into their renowned chocolates, as opposed to melting them first and then turning them into chocolate products. This bean to bar process is done for two main reasons; firstly, it ensures that the beans retain their natural flavor (especially important since Whittaker’s uses some of the finest cocoa beans) and, secondly, to make sure that chocolate is made in the most ethical and sustainable way possible (Whittaker’s purchases its beans from the Ghanaian Cocoa board that tries to ensure responsible and ethical practices).  This bean to bar methodology also applies to their non-cocoa related ingredients like macadamia nuts and almonds. Whittaker’s only sources the finest ingredients to be used in their chocolate. 

But it’s not like Whittaker’s emerged as one of Australasia's premium chocolate makers overnight. The business started when James Henry Whittaker immigrated to New Zealand in 1890 and begun making his own chocolate in his Christchurch home to be sold door to door. In 1913 two of J.H Whittaker’s sons, Ronald and James, joined their father in partnership to establish J.H. Whittaker and Sons. Today Whittaker’s is still a family run business that is committed to producing excellent tasting chocolates. Despite the age of the business, it still continues to innovate and add new products to their line. There are too many delicious Whittaker’s chocolate (and non-chocolate) treats to list here, but take a look for yourself at Shop NewZealand.

Whittaker's range @ Shop New Zealand

Honest skincare

Nuzee is a New Zealand skincare company that focusses on producing natural products that are gentle on your skin and on the earth. All the products in their ‘Natural’ and ‘Organic’ range bears the Bio Gro certified logo. Bio Gro is a New Zealand organic certifier that audits manufacturers according to principles of sustainability concerning organic cultivation and manufacturing processes. Their standards exceed the New Zealand Government's own organic standards and the fact that all Nuzee products bear their logo is a testament to the fact that their stringent policies have been met. This ensures that from the farm to the factory, you can trust that Nuzee products attempt to stick to the highest natural, organic and transparent standards. Nuzee products are also produced in small runs in the belief that this assists in ensuring that the quality of Nuzee products are not compromised.

In particular Nuzee’s Organic Series product line adheres to principles such as excluding the use of:

• Water: organic aloe vera juice is used in the place of water.
•    Paraben Preservatives: replaced with Benzyl alcohol, dehydroacetic acid (DHA) and potassium sorbate as certified by Bio Gro. Parabens are alleged to possibly cause cancers.
• Coloring: excluding colouring ensures that the natural colour, plant oils and other characteristics are maintained.
•    Synthetic oils: excluded because they could clog pores and cause acne. Organic plant oils are used in their place.
•  Artificial Fragrance: can irritate skin and cause allergies.
•    Peg Emulsifier: might cause skin allergies. Olive oil used instead.

Nuzee’s Organic series tries to utilise the best ingredients found in the pristine areas of New Zealand. The gentleness of the ingredients means that many of their moisturizers are appropriate for use on the face, as well as the rest of the body. Nuzee’s concern with pure natural ingredients possibly stems from the fact that this company began life making products that catered to children with weak skin immunity. Although they have now grown and branched out into other areas, their products still reflect their original principles.

Have a look at their Natural and Organic range at Shop NewZealand.

Stay on top of your game…

Some of us are on-the-go more than others and increasingly in today’s ever changing and demanding world we are subjected to the pressures which living busy lives can bring. Lack of sleep, increasing stress levels from working or playing too hard, the need to juggle family and social commitments, on top of sporting and hobby pursuits leaves us at times run down, unmotivated or just plain tired.

Thompson’s nutritional products provide natural health and well being remedies helping you to stay physically and mentally on top of your game.Thompson’s was established in 1951 as the first health shop in New Zealand by respected and now renowned herbalist M. Barrington Thompson. Immediately business began booming as word spread of his effective and popular herbal formula's. The brand has become a market leader in the field of natural herbal products and exports around the globe. Because of significant international expansion and business acquisitions Thompsons changed its name to Integria Healthcare. This in part is to more accurately reflect the diverse portfolio of healthcare businesses within the group which are all market leaders in their respective fields.       

Lack of Sleep and too much stress are today’s common culprits…

Lack of sleep and insomnia have a direct impact on the quality of our wellbeing. Some of us can productively function on as little as five hours sleep a day, however it is the majority, those of us who require seven to eight hours of sleep are the ones who are most susceptible to the effects from lack of rest.  For many sleep is something ‘we do’ once our daily grind is over, sporting, social and family commitments take priority over the need to get quality rest or in many instances, it is our busy challenging lives which are actually preventing us from getting a quality or uninterrupted sleep.  

This lack of rest can lead to feelings of grumpiness, leave us unmotivated, depressed and with little energy to meet our daily life challenges. We can also become more susceptible to stress factors as our stress level threshold lowers once lack of sleep becomes recurrent.    

It is important to know the symptoms which recurring lack of sleep is associated with;

• Difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep
• Waking up during the night or too early and having difficulty falling back to sleep
• Waking up tired, non-refreshed or irritable because of poor quality or too short a sleep

Just as important as it is to be aware of the symptoms which lack of sleep brings we must also understand some of the possible causes of insomnia;

• Stress and too much of it
• Feelings of anxiety and depression
• Excessive use of stimulants such as caffeine, recreational drugs, smoking and alcohol
• Restless legs syndrome
• Obesity and the associated problem of Sleep Apnea
• Working Shifts, in effect disturbing ones bio-rhythm

Medical herbalists such as Thompsons have a range of non-addictive herbs in order to promote a good night’s sleep and also ones overall mood balance. As quality sleep, reducing stress and a balanced mood can be the precursors to one’s overall wellbeing, herbal remedies such as Thompsons Mood Manager can help you stay on top of your game. You may also like to browse Shop New Zealand’s range of Thompson’s Health Products which range from the Mood Manager to a digestion and cholesterol manager, in addition to others.