Founder and Creative Director of Davaar, Kate Macdonald. 

Davaar Knitwear began in the woolshed of a Southland farm. Founder Kate Macdonald grew up on Davaar Station, her family’s picturesque property, where generations of Macdonald’s have worked with modest, quiet pride. Farming with intention and a focus on quality has always been front and centre at Davaar Station, underpinned by a deep commitment to the land and its legacy.

In 2020, as the world was gripped by a global pandemic, Kate cancelled her travel plans, moved back home, and — rather than enjoying an overseas experience — set about building a business on the family farm. Her goal: to honour a 100-year legacy while adding value to what Davaar Station could produce.

Strong wool, once a major agricultural earner for New Zealand, has experienced challenges due to the development and availability of cheaper synthetic fibres and an increasingly competitive international and mostly fine wool market.

However, as pressure mounts globally for more ethical, low-impact materials, Kate, alongside her parents James and Fiona, saw real potential in the raw wool coming off their sheep. Kate engaged the services of Don Morrison, a wool expert who was focused on fibre scanning of wool fibres — a process that tests for micron (the measurement of the diameter of the fibre to one millionth of a metre), coarse-edge micron, and curvature among other characteristics — all down to the finest data point.

James Macdonald

The fibre scanning of the Davaar crossbred sheep allowed for a greater understanding of wool produced on the farm. Such detailed evaluation has subsequently allowed Kate, James and Fiona to nurture sheep that produce a softer strong wool as they select ewes and rams to breed from based on their wool quality. 

This deep understanding of production ensured the best wool could be identified. It was a meticulous process, but one that allowed a guarantee of both quality and traceability — from sheep to finished garment — as only the select wool would make it to the production line for Davaar jerseys.

With thorough product development around Davaar wool and the subsequent yarn completed, Kate launched Davaar in February 2022 with a small but classic range of garments. This core collection offered all the incredible qualities of strong wool — durability, warmth, breathability — but with a softer, more wearable comfort.

Today, Davaar jerseys are spun and knitted entirely in New Zealand: a modern expression of traditional craft and rural know-how. At its heart is Kate’s commitment — to make garments that reflect where they come from and establish Davaar as a leader intent on promoting a larger movement to revitalise wool’s place in the New Zealand economy. 

Through quality assurance and long-term partnerships with New Zealand based knitwear manufacturers, Davaar aims to broaden the wool audience by inspiring pride at home while driving admiration abroad.

Fiona Macdonald