Although you may not think so when you go into a clothes shop, Kiwi workers still make clothes. More than 6,000 people still work in the NZ clothing manufacturing industry. Some of these workers make high end fashion garments, some make every day jackets and T shirts. NDU members work for big clothing manufacturers such as LWR and Pacific Brands. NDU members at Bouzaid and Ballaben in the Wairarapa make just-in-time orders for Glassons. NDU members at Kooky in Wanganui make for the Kooky chain that has shops in many malls. We make Swazi products in Levin and Albion and Deanne Apparel products in Christchurch. We make NDU jackets Jaedon Enterprises in Auckland.
NDU members work at Australia and New Zealand’s remaining suit manufacturers; Rembrandt in Lower Hutt and Cambridge in Auckland. Although both these companies are also manufacturing in China, they are still making some suits in New Zealand.
The NDU is represented on the Board of Textiles New Zealand which seeks to ensure that New Zealand still has a sustainable and growing textile, clothing, footwear and carpet manufacturing sector.
It is a legal requirement that all clothing has to include a country of origin label. Look for “Made in New Zealand”. Be aware of the words “designed in New Zealand.”
The NDU is one of the recognised food unions in New Zealand. We are part of the CTU union food group. Much of our link to the food industry comes through the retailing and distribution of food products. However our members are also involved in the manufacture of food. The NDU covers workers in the baking, retail meat and sugar processing industries. We also have members in fish and chicken processing, brewery and other beverage manufacture. As the Buy Kiwi Made campaign says, a third of everything we make we eat and drink!
Every time you go to the supermarket have a look at where the products are made before you buy. You cannot always tell from the brand. NZ brands could be made in Australia or in other countries. It is sometimes even harder to find out where the “home brands” are made. Although food does not have to have country of origin labelling, much of it does and much of it is no dearer than New Zealand made products.
Wood is the backbone of New Zealand. Wood is grown the length and breadth of New Zealand and employs over 22,000 Kiwis in planting, silver culture, cutting and wood processing. Wood products range from paper, packaging, plywood, veneers and furniture to construction timber.
The wood industry is going through a difficult time at the moment with more than 1,000 job losses in 2008. It is important that the industry survives.
NDU Vice president, Dennis Dawson works for PanPac just outside Napier. Panpac produces both pulp and sawn lumber. “Although much of our production is for export, the New Zealand market is still important,” says Dennis. “Whenever you or your company use any wood product, make sure they specify NZ Wood. The job of your neighbour may depend on it.” New Zealand wood products are some of the most sustainably grown and produced in the world. Always check the wood product that you intend to buy is Kiwi Made.
Salu-Jean Mu'a (right) with co-delegates from Cavalier Bremworth.
NDU MEMBERS ARE MAKING THE WORLD’S best carpets. Over the last few years, the main news from the carpet industry has been the trouble around the collapse of Feltex and the closure of four of the former Feltex yarn and carpet mills.
However a world class carpet industry still remains in New Zealand, using New Zealand wool and employing hundreds of kiwi workers, most of whom are NDU members.
The remaining carpet firms in New Zealand are Godfrey Hirst and Cavalier Bremworth.
Godfrey Hirst took over the remains of Feltex after its collapse and has a large carpet manufacturing facility in Wiri with yarn plants at Dannevirke and Lower Hutt.
Cavalier Bremworth has two yarn mills in Wanganui and Napier and a carpet mill in Papatoetoe. It also is the major shareholder in Norman Ellison that makes yarn and carpets in Onehunga.
Cavalier Papatoetoe head delegate Salu- Jean Mu’a says,” Our carpets are made from NZ wool and provide lots of jobs for kiwis from shearing, scouring, yarn and carpet making. When you, your employer or a Government department buys a kiwi made carpet you are keeping hundreds of us keep our jobs.”