A New Zealand Shoppers' Guide
Bargains Abound When You Buy Locally Made Products
Shoppers who buy imported goods are in for price-tag shock, but sheepskin seat covers, rugby jerseys, wool sweaters, crafts and other kiwi-made products are bargains.
Unless you buy a life-size replica of a Maori canoe, almost anything else that you purchase in New Zealand will fit in very nicely with your lifestyle – wherever you live -- and in your luggage, as well.
The cardinal shopping rule is to limit your purchases to items produced within the country. That’s because thousands of miles of water separate the country from most of the rest of the world and that means hefty transportation fees for articles made from imported materials.
The Clothes Line
Since New Zealand has millions of sheep, everything from woolen sweaters and wall hangings to sheepskin seat covers, gloves and jackets are very good buys. You’ll also find an abundant supply of sheepskin rugs, fleece-lined gloves and suede boots. Hand-knit sweaters are expensive, but if you want to knit your own you can buy wool from Perendale sheep comes in a palette of colors produced with natural dyes. One of the best places to find knitting wool is the Woolshed on Ruapehu Street in Taupo (North Island).
Boldly-colored Canterbury rugby jerseys are among the most popular items of wearing apparel produced in New Zealand. Designed just after World War I to withstand the abuse of rough and tumble rugby matches, the shirts are high ticket items, but you can count on having yours 20 years from now (strangely enough, the jerseys sometimes cost less if you buy them in Australia.
Specialty Jewelry
A special form of nephrite jade called greenstone, which is mined from the country’s riverbeds, was once prized by the Maoris for jewelry and small ornaments. Today,
You can find greenstone rings, earrings and pendants – some of them incorporating traditional Maori designs – for sale throughout the country. At greenstone factories in Auckland and on the west coast of the south island, you also can watch the transition from rock to polished jewelry. The opalescent shell of the paua fish, harvested from coastal waters by divers, makes attractive jewelry, too, which you’ll find in shops throughout New Zealand.
Crafter's Clues
Whenever you’re looking for locally made jewelry or crafts, buy one-of-a-kind items if possible. To find them at their lowest prices, seek out the individual artists and artisans in their studio/showrooms (some of them have galleries along major highways or in towns that are tourist centers. For information on where to find them, inquire at tourist offices in the various population centers, where brochures on local crafts are also available. The website www.craft-search.co.nz is also a good information source.
Edible New Zealand
Another shopping ploy is to visit the stores where the locals shop. You’ll find everything from kitchenware to camping goods that’s as fine as produced anywhere in the world. And don’t forget the grocery stores for items like kiwifruit jam, wines and tamarillo flavored candies so that you can have a taste of New Zealand after you return home.
