Classic New Zealand

What Classic New Zealand does

Classic New Zealand Limited is a privately held, vertically integrated sheepskin tannery and manufacturer based in Napier, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand, founded in 1969. It operates as the only full-scale sheepskin tannery remaining in New Zealand, running all production stages in-house at its 22 Thames Street facility, including washing, organic chrome-free white tanning with tea tree and lemon myrtle oil finishing, and independent LASRA testing that confirms formaldehyde residuals below 20 ppm. The company serves consumers globally across four primary product collections: sheepskin rugs (single through octo-pelt configurations and natural-color limited editions), homewares (bean bags, ottomans, cushions, seat pads), infant care (play rugs, sleep rugs, buggy liners, cot and bassinet underlays) under the Baby by Classic sub-brand, and lifestyle products (car seat covers, bed underlays), plus a small footwear line and digital gift cards.

The company monetizes primarily through direct-to-consumer e-commerce on a multi-currency Shopify storefront shipping internationally (excluding the UK and Europe due to freight and VAT economics), supplemented by an on-site factory shop, a wholesale program, and a New Zealand stockist network that includes Nature Baby, Dimples, Baby City, and Baby On The Move for baby products. Pricing spans from approximately $40 for entry-level seat pads to over $2,000 for limited-edition multi-pelt rugs. Distribution is further supported by social media (Facebook, Instagram), email newsletters, customer reviews on Judge.me, and a Farmlands Card partnership targeting the New Zealand farming community.

Classic New Zealand is 100% New Zealand owned and FernMark certified (license 100145), a government-endorsed trademark guaranteeing authentic New Zealand origin. The company is structured as a private limited company with no disclosed external funding beyond two small Callaghan Innovation grants (NZD 5,631 in October 2020 and NZD 6,123 in August 2021), operates with 11-50 employees, and maintains an active operating status with both a functioning tannery and a retail factory shop. Customer concentration is low, with revenue spread across many small D2C transactions rather than enterprise contracts.

Name

Classic New Zealand

Legal name

Classic New Zealand Limited

Website

https://classicsheepskins.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1969

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Classic New Zealand Limited, founded in 1969 in Napier, is the only full-scale sheepskin tannery remaining in New Zealand, producing chrome-free rugs, homewares, baby products, and lifestyle goods sold globally via Shopify D2C, a Napier factory shop, wholesale, and NZ stockists.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sheepskin Tannery and Home Furnishings

NAICS

Leather and Hide Tanning and Finishing (31611)

SIC

Leather & Leather Products (3100)

akta.pro primary industry

Sheepskin & Shearling Processing (IMAOAGAK)

Keywords

• Sheepskin tanning
• Natural home furnishings
• Infant care products
• Sheepskin rugs
• Footwear manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

Napier

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Direct E-commerce Sales: The company sells directly to consumers through their Shopify-powered online store, offering products at various price points from $40 to over $2,000. This is their primary revenue channel with global shipping capability.
2. Factory Shop Retail: Onsite factory shop at their Napier location sells standard products, unique one-of-a-kind items, factory outlet only products, and bespoke sheepskin rugs, plus other New Zealand products like Possum and merino knitwear.
3. Wholesale Distribution: The company supplies products to wholesale customers and maintains a network of stockists for baby products in New Zealand.
4. Gift Cards: Digital gift cards available in denominations from $25 to $400, delivered by email with instructions to redeem at checkout.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Classic New Zealand is the only full-scale sheepskin tannery remaining in New Zealand, operating from Napier. It sources sheepskins from free-range local farms and processes them in-house using an organic, chrome-free tanning solution with tea tree and lemon myrtle oils to produce home furnishings (rugs, bean bags, ottomans, cushions, seat pads, bed underlays), baby/infant care products (rugs, buggy liners, cot and bassinet underlays), lifestyle items (car seat covers), and sheepskin footwear (boots, innersoles). The business sells direct to consumers globally via a Shopify store, through an on-site factory shop, and via a network of baby product stockists and wholesale partners.

Product overview

Classic New Zealand is a direct-to-consumer sheepskin tannery and manufacturer based in Napier, New Zealand, operating since 1969. The company offers a unified portfolio of 100% New Zealand-grown, made, and designed sheepskin products. The core offering spans four main collections: (1) Sheepskin Rugs Collection featuring single pelt to multi-pelt rugs (Octo, Sexto, Quad, Double, Single variants) in various sizes and colors; (2) Natural Rugs Collection offering unique single sheepskins with natural color variations; (3) Homewares Collection including Bean Bags, Ottomans, Cushions, and Seat Pads for comfort-focused home furnishings; and (4) Baby/Infant Care Collection with specialized products for babies including Play, Sleep, and Buggy sheepskin rugs, plus Cot and Bassinet underlays. Additional product lines include Lifestyle products (Car Seat Covers, Bed Underlays), Footwear (Kea Boot, Innersoles), and Gift Cards. The company operates as the only full-scale sheepskin tannery remaining in New Zealand, with a factory shop in Napier and global shipping.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Baby by Classic: A sub-brand specializing in sheepskin baby rugs and infant care products, made from hand-selected New Zealand lambskins with organic, chrome-free tanning.

Products and services

• Sheepskin Rugs Collection Premium sheepskin rugs in various sizes from single pelt to multi-pelt configurations (Single, 1.5, Double, Rectangular, Quad, Circular, Sexto, Octo). Made from 100% New Zealand sheepskin with long wool (60-70mm), available in multiple colors including Natural White, Sand, Honey, Grey, Black, and Chocolate. Designed for homeowners and interior design enthusiasts seeking natural, durable floor coverings.
• Natural Rugs Collection Unique single sheepskin rugs with natural color variations offering one-of-a-kind rustic charm and elegance. Each rug is sourced locally and tanned in-house in New Zealand, featuring authentic natural hues. Priced at $172 per single rug.
• Homewares Collection Sheepskin home furnishing products including Bean Bags (crafted from 10-12 pelts, 85cm height x 90cm width, from $1,019), Ottomans (Small 30cm x 44cm and Large 50cm x 60cm, from $349, made from 4 pelts), Cushions (35cm x 35cm, $63 single or $143 double-sided), and Seat Pads (35cm x 35cm in circle or square shapes, from $40).
• Baby/Infant Care Collection Specialized baby sheepskin products including Play Sheepskin Baby Rug (long wool 40-50mm, L80cm x W55cm, $86), Sleep Sheepskin Baby Rug (short wool 20-25mm, $86), Buggy Sheepskin/Stroller Liner (L77.5cm+ x W37cm), Cot Underlay (129 x 70cm quilted), and Bassinet Underlay (84 x 40cm). All baby products are organic, chrome-free, treated with Tea Tree Oil and Lemon Myrtle Oil, and certified free from formaldehyde and arsenic. Designed for parents seeking safe, hypoallergenic products for babies.
• Lifestyle Products Sheepskin lifestyle items including Car Seat Covers (universal fit, designed not to affect side airbags, with Velcro fittings, size 155cm total length) and Bed Underlays (available in Single 96x183cm through Super King 198x213cm, quilted with Tea Tree Oil and Lemon Myrtle Oil treatment).
• Footwear Collection Sheepskin footwear including Kea Boot ($114) and Innersoles ($29). Products feature naturally dirt and odour retardant New Zealand sheepskin with suede leather construction. Waterproof suede spray recommended for protection.
• Gift Card Digital gift cards available in denominations of $25, $50, $100, $125, $150, $200, $250, and $400. Delivered by email with instructions to redeem at checkout with no additional processing fees.

Quantifiable outcome

• Formaldehyde levels consistently below 20 parts per million, meeting the highest infant safety standards globally and comparable to levels found in natural foods like grapes and bananas
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Nature BabycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNew Zealand baby product retailer that stocks Classic New Zealand's baby sheepskin products including rugs, cot underlays, and buggy liners.
• DimplescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNew Zealand baby product retailer distributing Classic New Zealand infant care sheepskin products.
• Baby CitycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNew Zealand baby retailer stocking Classic New Zealand baby sheepskin products across their store locations.
• Baby On The MovecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNew Zealand baby product retailer partner for Classic New Zealand's infant care product range.
• ShopifycoreTechnology or IntegrationE-commerce platform powering the Classic New Zealand online store, providing secure payment processing and store management capabilities.
• NZ PostminorOthersPreferred shipping partner for all international shipments from New Zealand. Parcels are passed to local carriers in destination countries for final delivery with full tracking capability.
• Farmlands CardminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership allowing Farmlands Card members to use their card for online and in-store purchases at Classic New Zealand, targeting New Zealand farming community customers.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Celtic & Co: British heritage brand producing premium sheepskin rugs, slippers, boots, and homewares via DTC e-commerce. Comparable as a vertically integrated sheepskin home/lifestyle brand selling globally at premium price points ($100–$2,000+) with strong sustainability and provenance storytelling.
• Shepherd's of New Zealand: New Zealand sheepskin and wool products company offering rugs, car seat covers, footwear, and baby products. Highly comparable as a domestic NZ peer competing in the same sheepskin product categories with both retail and online channels.
• Merino Snug: Australian sheepskin home and lifestyle brand selling rugs, slippers, and bedding globally via e-commerce. Directly comparable product assortment and DTC model with similar premium positioning around natural Australian merino sheepskin.
• Bowron: Bowron is a long-established New Zealand / global sheepskin manufacturer producing rugs, medical/health sheepskins, and home furnishings. Directly comparable as a heritage NZ sheepskin tannery competing in the same premium rug and homeware category with overlapping wholesale and DTC channels.
• Down Under Bedding: Sheepskin bedding and underlay specialist selling mattress toppers, pillows, and medical sheepskins via DTC e-commerce. Comparable as a sheepskin home goods specialist competing directly in the underlay/bedding category that overlaps with Classic New Zealand's bed underlay line.
• Auskin: Auskin is an Australian/NZ sheepskin product company producing rugs, slippers, baby products, and home furnishings with global DTC distribution. Closely comparable product mix (especially baby sheepskins and home rugs) and similar premium natural positioning.
• The Sheepskin Factory: NZ-based online sheepskin retailer offering rugs, footwear, baby products, and car seat covers at multiple price tiers. Comparable as a DTC sheepskin home/lifestyle brand operating from NZ with overlapping product categories and stockist-style wholesale distribution.

Broad incumbents

• EMU Australia: Australia-founded sheepskin footwear and apparel brand with global retail and wholesale distribution. Broader incumbent offering overlapping sheepskin slippers/boots but with a much wider portfolio and brand scale an order of magnitude larger than Classic New Zealand.
• UGG (Deckers Outdoor): Global sheepskin footwear giant owned by Deckers Outdoor Corporation, dominant in sheepskin boots and slippers. While focused on footwear rather than rugs/homewares, it defines the premium sheepskin consumer expectation and competes for the same customer wallet share.

Regional players

• Australian Sheepskin Apparel: Australian sheepskin apparel and home goods manufacturer/wholesaler producing rugs, slippers, and medical sheepskins primarily for Australian and Asian markets. Comparable product mix but operates primarily in the Australian domestic market rather than competing directly in NZ or globally where Classic New Zealand sells.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/classicsheepskin
• Instagraminstagram.com/classicsheepskins

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Classic New Zealand