Fibre Source

Part of our unique single-source natural fibres program, M.J. Bale Ashby knits are created from 100% extrafine Merino wool grown entirely on the family-run Ashby farm in Tasmania. Located in Ross in the Tasmanian Midlands, Ashby is owned by the fifth-generation Bennett family. There has been a working farm here since 1835, and the Bennett family took it over in the late 1800s to create a woolgrowing enterprise. The Bennetts run thousands of wethers and ewes, aiming for consistency in Merino fleece weight and fineness, while maintaining the local natural values. "We want the farm to continue for generations to come,” says Ashby owner, Will Bennett. “We’re here, I suppose, just to look after it. We love growing wool. It’s a natural, sustainable product, and we’re growing it sustainably here on the farm in its natural state. It takes us 12 months to grow that fleece, and we take a lot of pride in growing the best wool we possibly can."