KMD Brands’ retail subsidiary Kathmandu has entered a new multi-year partnership with New Zealand wool supplier Zentera Wool Company, with the outdoor apparel brand preparing to incorporate Zentera's ZQ+ certified merino into its Autumn Winter 2027 collection.
According to Zentera, ZQ certified wool is a leading ethical wool standard, developed by the company almost twenty years ago. The wool fibre is trackable back to the farm and grown using regenerative practices. Kathmandu reported this would give customers greater visibility into where their gear comes from.
Kathmandu CEO Megan Welch said the partnership was based on shared values around quality, performance and connection to place.
"Partnering with Zentera and its ZQ+ growers allows us to use natural fibres that perform in the outdoors, with greater confidence in where and how they're produced," she said.
"As a proud B Corp, we're committed to improving how our products are made and giving customers greater transparency. Partnering with Zentera and its ZQ+ growers helps us deliver high-performing natural fibres with clear provenance from farm through to finished product."
Welch said the Kathmandu team had spent time on the farm meeting growers and learning about the systems behind ZQ+ wool production.
"We're pleased to be working alongside Zentera and its growers and look forward to bringing the range to market next autumn," she said.
Zentera CEO Angus Street said the partnership comes amid a growing demand for certified and trackable fibres.
"We're thrilled to be partnering with Kathmandu,” Street said. “They're a purpose-driven brand that values quality, performance and like us and our other brand partners, want to make a positive impact for people and the planet.”
This new deal adds to KMD Brands’ push into driving traceability tools across its brands, which also include Rip Curl and Oboz Footwear. In FY25, Kathmandu managed to achieve 100 per cent use of wool from Responsible Wool Standard (RWS) certified sources, according to KMD’s annual report for FY25. In FY24, this was at 64 per cent. The brand also managed to hit 100 per cent sustainable cotton usage.
The next steps, according to KMD’s Climate Related Disclosures report for 2025, is embedding traceability tools, investing in a product lifecycle management system, as well as focusing on responsible material innovation.
Materials commonly used in KMD Brands apparel, footwear and equipment products include cotton, down, leather and neoprene, according to the group’s modern slavery statement 2025.
Kathmandu's A/W 2027 merino baselayer range will be available sold online and in stores from May 2027.