The berries of mountain horopito are a deep wine-red and, along with the strikingly colourful, rusty leaves, are a familiar sight on many of our bush tramps.

https://www.rhayne.co.nz/horopito

https://www.rhayne.co.nz/blogs/news/uses-for-horopito

Harakeke is one of the most well-known species in our New Zealand native flora. One of the few plant species that reproduce from a rhizome or underground root stock but are not pests. The leaves spread outwards in a fan-like growth from the underground root system. Flax grows in places with exposure to sunlight and average soil quality.

This unique flax seed oil contains linoleic acid, phytosterols and the fatty acids omega 3and omega 6. Linoleic acid is famously 'nature’s great moisturiser'.

Obtained from Kahikatea berries

The edible berries of the kahikatea tree are known as koroī.

Sourced from an organic farm in Central North Island, NZ our Manuka oll acts as a natural bacterial and mould inhibitor, meaning we can leave out the nasties. It also gives our paint some of its loveIv subtle essential oil aroma.

Turutu is a perennial herb native to Aotearoa, New Zealand.

The berries should not be eaten. Similar in appearance to a small flax and tolerant of low light.

Turutu, has bright iridescent blue berries in summer, this small evergreen flax like plant works well in most situations and is especially attractive planted naturally in groups. Ideal for dry areas under existing vegetation. Turutu grows up to 50 cm tall and about 30 cm wide. The magnificent bright blue and fleshy berries that arise during summer from tiny white flowers with yellow stamens. The berries are spread and eaten by native birds.

Habitat: Coastal to montane (rarely subalpine) (1-1100 m a.s.l.).

Is the natural fossilized remains of single-celled aquatic algae. It serves as a versatile mineral that enhances paint performance, eliminating the need for harsher additives. Remarkably sustainable, it undergoes constant regeneration and plays a vital role in removing carbon dioxide from the ecosystem.

Kokowai is red coloured clay which, when burnt and mixed with shark oil, makes a vibrant colour to paint carvings or stain flax weavings. Kokowai is found in areas rich in iron and aluminium silicates – the geothermal minerals present in the soil in Te Whakarewarewa Valley makes for plentiful supplies.

Kokowai is associated with the Māori creation story. In the beginning, Ranginui (the sky) and Papatuanuku (the earth) were joined together with their children born between. Deciding light needed to be let into the world, the children violently separated their parents turning Te Pō (darkness) into Te Aō (light). Causing a lot of blood loss, Ranginui's blood can still be seen as a red glow in the sky, while Papatuanuku's flowed through the earth to become kokowai.

Kawakawa, a herbaceous shrub with knobbly joints and branching stems, is indigenous to New Zealand, characterised by its large, dark green, and occasionally slightly glossy heart-shaped leaves. 

Obsidian, formed from the rapid cooling of silica-rich volcanic lava, held great value as a cutting material in a metal-less ancient world.

Revered since prehistoric times, this precious stone served as the foundation for crafting spear points, arrowheads, and various cutting implements. Moreover, its significance extended beyond practical applications, captivating Stone Age communities, spiritualists, and alchemists, who embraced its healing properties.

Nephrite

There are two types of Jade; jadeite and nephrite. Jadeite is a silicate of sodium and aluminium and is found in an area of Northern China. 

Nephrite is a silicate of calcium and magnesium and is found in New Zealand.

https://www.mountainjade.co.nz/pounamu

After heat treating, Tanekaha changes from a pale tan to a rich reddish brown. 

Our methods have resulted in an earthy brown-violet / maroon tone.

The outer and inner bark from the raurekau is scraped away to reveal a yellowy orange layer. This layer is stripped from the sapwood and boiled in water. 

oil

oil

Hinuera Valley clay and stone. Natural Yellow Ochre, made using earths containing hydrated iron oxides, has been used since prehistory. Many Yellow Ochre paints are now made with the synthetic pigment PY 42 instead. Yellow Ochre is one of the colours in the Zorn palette, a limited colour palette used by artist Anders Zorn. Yellow Ochre can be very useful in landscape palettes, as they create a spectrum of natural greens when mixed with any blue.