Meet the People - 22

Graeme Maxwell, Fibre Zone, Christchurch. August 2008. Ajr

Another in the Series Meet the People – Ordinary and Extraordinary New Zealanders doing Interesting Things – Graeme Maxwell is the last qualified master furrier in New Zealand and you’ll find him up to his elbows in possum fur in his Christchurch studio, where he crafts stunning jackets, luxurious bed covers and indulgent accessories. Graeme is a fully qualified bespoke tailor and fur cutter so he’s just the man to create that special one-off garment you’ve always wanted. Fibre Zone is the business he’s created with his wife, Rosalie and together they’re spreading the word about the luxurious warmth and beauty of natural fibres – possum fur chief among them. Graeme may have completed his apprenticeship in mink but he prefers the softness and lightness of possum fur and if it helps rid our forests of that cute little pest then so much the better. The estimated population of 70 million Bushtail possums happily munches its way through an estimated 21,000 tons of New Zealand forest foliage each night. And did you know that possum fur is one of only two hollow-fibre furs in the world. The other is polar bear fur. That makes the fibres incredibly light and the fur has terrific heat retention because of it. Given our current weather patterns, I can think of nothing nicer than wrapping myself in possum fur. http://www.fibrezone.co.nz/