Although New Zealand offers a variety of products, their production centers around agriculture and this is also what their biggest export is. This may not come as a surprise since New Zealand is largely dominated by rich farmlands and has a very temperate climate. The country is also famous for its merino wool as well as its world-famous wineries. Interestingly, possum fur products are a huge hit in New Zealand. Possums are an introduced species in New Zealand and so they have no natural predators. This leaves them to prey on New Zealand’s forests and endlessly reproduce. New Zealand has chosen to make the best of this problem and continuously trap and hunt them for use in fur products. These products are greatly supported by local New Zealanders in an effort to support their environment. Apparently, one of the most popular things that are made from the possum fur are nipple warmers, which are generally sold as novelty or prank souvenirs. They’re supposed to be great on cold morning runs or bike rides. There are also jade products which are more commonly called greenstone (or pounamu by the Maori). New Zealand has an abundance of jade and they make anything from jewelry to traditional Maori tiki figures out of it. The movies which are shot in New Zealand such as King Kong and Lord of the Rings can also be considered products of New Zealand. These movies take advantage of the vast diversity of the landscape that is in New Zealand and also serve to advertise the country as an ideal travel location to the rest of the world.
All these products are things that come from the land. I think that this is very ingrained into the New Zealand people as they are always so close to nature and their own farmlands no matter where they live in the country. It should then come as no surprise that the products that they pride themselves in are ones that are nature friendly and environmentally sustainable.
Sources
http://new-zealand-camper-van-adventures.com/about-new-zealand/souvenirs/
http://www.newzealand.com/us/article/the-most-famous-things-about-new-zealand/
http://www.stats.govt.nz/browse_for_stats/snapshots-of-nz/nz-in-profile-2011/imports-exports.aspx
http://www.silverfernz.com/3702-new-zealand-possum-fur-nipple-warmers.htm
All these products are things that come from the land. I think that this is very ingrained into the New Zealand people as they are always so close to nature and their own farmlands no matter where they live in the country. It should then come as no surprise that the products that they pride themselves in are ones that are nature friendly and environmentally sustainable.
Sources
http://new-zealand-camper-van-adventures.com/about-new-zealand/souvenirs/
http://www.newzealand.com/us/article/the-most-famous-things-about-new-zealand/
http://www.stats.govt.nz/browse_for_stats/snapshots-of-nz/nz-in-profile-2011/imports-exports.aspx
http://www.silverfernz.com/3702-new-zealand-possum-fur-nipple-warmers.htm