In bloom at the moment along our driveway. It is Podalayria Sericea, the satin bush. It can grow maybe 2 to 3 metres in height, and can be trimmed.

New Zealand fashion brand Little Yellow Bird has been tackling the uniforms, workwear and apparel industry head-on since its establishment in 2015. As of today, claiming a new title, as New Zealand’s first community owned ethical fashion brand.

The company is on a mission to change perceptions and prove that fashion can and should be done with sustainability and ethics as the core focus.

Little Yellow Bird has already exceeded its minimum goal raising over $393,000 with another day still to go until the equity crowdfunding campaign closes to scale up the company. This includes diversifying the product range and exploring new markets. Planned projects include the expansion of a clothes recycling program, which the company sees as a crucial next step for sustainable change in their industry.  

“We’re more than just a clothing brand; we’re telling the story about where and how our products are made and are working tirelessly to provide employment opportunities in the communities where our clothes come from,” Jones says.At only 29 years of age, Samantha Jones has already made waves in the apparel industry. Her company, Little Yellow Bird, a certified B Corp, provides ethical and sustainable workwear, uniforms and apparel. Jones is an Edmund Hillary Fellow has been recognised for her innovative work by numerous organisations, including the Wellington Gold Awards, the New Zealand Women of Influence Awards, Sustainable Business Network Awards and was New Zealand Young Innovator of the Year in 2017.

All of Little Yellow Bird’s factories follow fair-trade guidelines and supply chains are monitored from farm to factory.

Their rain-fed, organic cotton is grown without the use of pesticides or chemicals. Their factories also use zero-waste initiates and the company is continuously working to minimise waste and utilise closed loop systems. Little Yellow Bird’s high-quality garments are made from the world’s best quality rain-fed cotton.

For further information, comment, high-res photos, or interviews, please contact Samantha Jones directly on +64 22 097 1745 and samantha@littleyellowbird.co.nz To view the PledgeMe Campaign, click here: https://pledgeme.co.nz/investments/355

Obviously this is another exception to our normal non-commercial stance, but we think you’ll agree it’s a deserving one. —Eds

Another great photo by Conrad Labone — his Facebook page

The printed name at lower left is G.H. Thompson, presumably the artist. (See earlier for more about this former Post Office.)

You can do that on the KCDC website here  In fact you can find out what it is for every other property in Kapiti if you want, too — it’s public information.

Although the Mayor is claiming that the Districtwide average increase is 4.8%, your editors’ are increasing 5.6% — from $3,128 to $3,304 and that seems typical from the few others we’ve checked.  On top of that, of course, there are the quarterly water bills which were separated out 5 years ago.

If that trend continues, everyone in Waikanae will be able to say they work for the KCDC: “we work so we can can pay the council Rates demands.”

A year ago your editors were in Hawaii (enjoying 30°C temperatures nearly every day 🙂 ). One of the places we visited was the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary on Maui which has informative displays and daily presentations about not only Humpback whales, but other marine creatures seen around the islands.  Website

As can be seen on the outdoor display board near the breakwater enclosure (click for full view), these include Spinner, Spotted, Rough-tooth and Bottlenose dolphins, Pygmy killer, False Killer and Pilot whales, Green Sea Turtles and Hawaiian Monk seals.

The major threat to marine creatures in Hawaii, as it is around NZ, is plastic waste floating in the ocean, nearly all of it having come via currents from Third World countries that don’t care about it, but some also gets discarded from fishing and other vessels.  The pic below shows a sampling of what NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) has extracted from the sea.

Mixed media on board, dated 1965.  It’s not obvious where this scene is set, although possibly in the then dunes near the river mouth.