POSSUM FIBRE: A SUNSET INDUSTRY AIMING FOR DIVERSIFICATION

New Zealand has been harvesting quality fibre from brushtail possums for decades, however, a new government native species conservation plan means the industry – in NZ at least – may have limited time to survive. The animals, native to Australia, have caused considerable environmental damage across the Tasman Sea in NZ since their introduction in the 1830s. But by harvesting possum fibre, New Zealanders supported conservation efforts – keeping numbers limited - whilst creating a successful natural fibre industry. The brushtail possum, a fluffy marsupial ...


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