Magical, Marvellous
Merino Wool
Check out the new styles available now!
The OBR Merino Story
We often get asked where the name OBR comes from. One Beach Road is where our design studio is, right beside the sea where we are inspired to design luxury Merino garments for you.
One Big Ram starts the whole merino process.
We are at one with nature whether we are on the sea shore or in the mountains of Central Otago where the Merino sheep are bred. We have been making garments in New Zealand for over 20 years, and can take pride in the fact that they are all 100% New Zealand made.
We are the number #1 experts in New Zealand made luxury merino products and have been selling our garments throughout New Zealand and Australia for over 20 years and now export throughout the world.
OBR Merino owner and Director of Design, Jan Turley has been in the fashion business for many years and has used New Zealand Merino for most of that time, and the reason she is so passionate about it is for all the myriad qualities associated with it.
As Jan puts it, “All Merino is not created equal and New Zealand made Merino wool is undoubtedly the best in the world.” Our NZ Merino wool is ‘natures performance fibre’ and is a natural, renewable fibre that is warm without weight, odour resistant and durable.
NZ Merino fabric has excellent wrinkle recovery, resists soiling and is recyclable and bio-degradable which, in these very environmentally aware times, is even more important. Speaking of the environment, it is only New Zealand Merino you can be confident is 100% Merino with no ugly chemicals added.
We use 19 micron Merino which is extremely fine so even softer than most. Jan and OBR Merino’s philosophy is that they take pride in offering and delivering to their customers the best quality garments they possibly can.
The Jan Turley Story
This is really my personal story of how I came to create this company based solely on fine merino wool. I had been in the fashion industry for years when about 15 years ago this little piece of magic appeared called merino wool made here in New Zealand.
Why do I call it magic?
All my Iife I have suffered terribly from skin allergies and couldn’t wear wool next to my skin. I became an avid knitter at 8 but couldn’t wear what I made. One minute next to my skin and it would feel as though ants were crawling all over me.
I was told this new fine merino wool was different as it had non allergenic properties but I was such a sceptic. Like magic it opened a whole new world to me.
Because it is so fine and natural and chemical free (pure honest merino) I can wear wool at last!
I wear our merino wool for travel because it is so light, takes up just a wee bit of space in my handbag and is just so easy to care for. ( see more under our Magic Merino tab)
At OBR merino we walk the talk of sustainability. From the sheep grown in the high country fresh air to the fabric plant that is organically certified to cutting and hand making every item locally here in New Zealand.
We believe in giving back. We donate wraps for good causes and are about to launch a “give back” programme. Getting customers to return old pieces that might be marked, have holes or simply they have been worn so many times that it’s time to buy a new one…we will get these looking as nice as possible and donate to a good cause that can on sell these to do good.
So now my business is based entirely on this magical fine merino wool. My dream is to show women around the world a little bit of this Kiwi magic for travel.
As for me, I am a 50 + entrepreneur. I have travelled the globe more times than I can remember following fashion trends. My travel now is mostly discovering the beauty on NZ or finding sun in the Islands.
I have a delightful teenage daughter, a pooch called Milo and the sweetest cat called Maizie.
The OBR Merino Story
We often get asked where the name OBR comes from. One Beach Road is where our design studio is, right beside the sea where we are inspired to design luxury Merino garments for you.
We are at one with nature whether we are on the sea shore or in the mountains of Central Otago where the Merino sheep are bred. We have been making garments in New Zealand for over 20 years, and can take pride in the fact that they are all 100% New Zealand made.
We are the number #1 experts in New Zealand made luxury merino products and have been selling our garments throughout New Zealand and Australia for over 20 years and now export throughout the world.
OBR Merino owner and Director of Design, Jan Turley has been in the fashion business for many years and has used New Zealand Merino for most of that time, and the reason she is so passionate about it is for all the myriad qualities associated with it.
As Jan puts it, “All Merino is not created equal and New Zealand made Merino wool is undoubtedly the best in the world.” Our NZ Merino wool is ‘natures performance fibre’ and is a natural, renewable fibre that is warm without weight, odour resistant and durable.
NZ Merino fabric has excellent wrinkle recovery, resists soiling and is recyclable and bio-degradable which, in these very environmentally aware times, is even more important. Speaking of the environment, it is only New Zealand Merino you can be confident is 100% Merino with no ugly chemicals added.
We use 19 micron Merino which is extremely fine so even softer than most. Jan and OBR Merino’s philosophy is that they take pride in offering and delivering to their customers the best quality garments they possibly can.