Possums Made Good

Founder and CEO of fashion label Untouched World Peri Drysdale – who has an MBE for services to manufacturing and export – began selling garments blended fom possum and merino in 1996, later catching the attention of Hollywood stars elicity Huffman and Sharon Stone. “The thing we really like about [the possum/merino blend] is it creates a light, luxurious, beautifully soft garment and, unusually for a very fine textile, it has very good long wearing qualities,” Drysdale said. Drysdale’s Snowy Peak and Untouched World companies are among a rising number of New Zealand firms making products under names such as merinomink, eco-possum, possumdown, eco fur and possum wool. This year, Drysdale was the Supreme winner at the World Class New Zealanders Awards. Drysdale’s daughter Emily is Untouched World’s design director.