Born On The Trails

The Wuru Wool Story

Elevating Comfort

As Kathryn and I considered honeymoon destinations, our passion for the outdoors and our drive to be active made New Zealand an obvious choice. A hike of the legendary Milford Track quickly became part of our plans.

We arrived in New Zealand excited to meet up with our guides and the other adventurers joining us on our trek. As the guides helped us with last-minute preparation, they spoke passionately about a particular product that I’d never heard of.

While we’ve always been fans of wearing high-quality merino wool socks in just about any active situation, I was skeptical at first about using additional wool for blister prevention. Luckily, Kathryn decided we should try it out.

In a place that averages up to 27 feet of annual rainfall, it doesn’t take long for hard-earned callused feet to turn into wet, blister-prone feet. My skepticism in the benefits of using loose wool for targeted areas of discomfort dissipated quickly. Around the lodges at night, conversations revolved around this unheard of product. Along with our fellow trekkers, we couldn’t believe how well it worked, and we wondered why it wasn’t available back home. The word was out, and our guides were right.

TRULY BORN ON THE TRAIL, SOMEWHERE BETWEEN QUINTIN LODGE AND SOUTHERLAND FALLS

During the trek, I asked our friend, Pete from Wellington, New Zealand, a half-joking question: “do you know anyone in the wool trade?” I figured that in a country of 55 million sheep, it was worth a shot. Little did we know, his answer would become our new venture.

“One of my good mates,” Pete said, “he’s one of the largest wool traders in New Zealand.”

Our company, Wūru, was truly born on the trail, somewhere between Quintin Lodge and Southerland Falls, along the Milford Track. We named the company Wūru because Wūru means “wool” in Māori, the indigenous language and people of New Zealand.

Since that initial conversation, we have been working hard to bring Wūru to life. We are passionate about physical activity, and we can’t wait for your feet to experience the same aha moment that ours did.  No matter your activity, we strive to ensure your foot comfort will allow you to go further, whether it’s running that extra mile, putting another point on the board, hiking to that next peak, or walking the extra block.  No matter your goal, we strive to enable you and your feet to accomplish your goals in more comfort. 

Matt Disney – Wūru Founder