Wilderling (pronounced 'Will-der-ling') is a baby and children's wear brand, from Queenstown, New Zealand. We specialise in making consciously crafted garments, for ages 0-8years. Loyal supporters of our local New Zealand textile industry, we are proud to have all our design/manufacturing based throughout our small nation. 

Wilderling's ethos is on timeless designs, for a sense of occasion and a life of joy. We draw inspiration and knowledge from our rugged surrounding mountains, and the four distinct seasons we are fortunate to experience in the deep south of New Zealand. Our garments are trans-seasonal and multi-functional. We do not follow 'trends' and take a slower approach to our design, preferring to focus on quality, functional design and working in partnership with our makers.  

 

THE FOUNDER

Founded in 2016 by Victoria Eyles after a career in education and teaching high school students the craft of fashion design. Wilderling, (then Baby by Victoria) started as a passion project for Victoria, sparked by the desire to design and create beautiful accessories for babies, from the finest fabric - merino wool. In the beginning, all the patterns and manufacturing were done by Victoria in her home studio, in Queenstown. Fast-forward to 2021 and the now mother-of-three, made the decision to relaunch Wilderling as a baby and children's wear brand that could be accessible to more people. While all the research, design, pattern-making and sampling is still carried out by Victoria in her Queenstown workroom, the manufacturing is now proudly passed on to a collection of craftspeople throughout New Zealand. 

"I am starting to unpack some of my original Wilderling baby hats and swaddles, that have been loved by two babies and are now to be used again for my third child. It fills me with such joy and purpose to be able to design and produce high quality children's wear, that stands the test of time. Not only for my own children, but for babies and children all around the world! There is so much passion and innovation within the New Zealand textile industry. It is a very exciting time to be a boutique brand and I am incredibly proud of our humble beginnings and where the future may take us..." - Victoria 

TIMELESS DESIGNS TO BE TREASURED

Our design ethos is on timeless designs, for a sense of occasion and a life of joy. The delight in self-pride and the subtle impact of treasuring fewer, better objects in life, rather than excess. It is our hope to contribute to our children feeling these optimisms and "old-fashioned" perspectives, as they move further into the modern world through their experience of growing with Wilderling. 

"My own children have been a huge sense of inspiration for me, as well as real-life product testers. Being able to bring my ideas to life with my sewing machine and then test them out on my children, gives me a lot of confidence and pride in what I will eventually produce for everyone to enjoy" - Victoria

MADE WITH LOVE

All our garments are expertly made in New Zealand. At our core, Wilderling aims to be socially and environmentally conscious. Our desire will always be to support the people within the textile industry, who pride themselves on inclusive, supportive and safe work environments, as well as innovation, quality and craftsmanship. Choosing to manufacture this way, with family run businesses, we are able to create small collections that keep up with demand, and utilise the different skill sets and machinery within each factory. For example, our merino range is made by different craftspeople to our capsule collection range. There is no one size fits all. We carefully consider who will make each piece and are right there on the ground, talking to and working with our people to overcome challenges and create the highest quality outcome. 

TRACEABILITY

We only use natural fibres and trims - the benchmark in sustainability, quality and performance. We work closely with local fabric wholesalers to source fabrics, that where possible, all come with certifications to prove their authenticity and traceability. You will see ZQ Certified merino's, organic cottons, European linens, silks and bamboo fabrics throughout all our collections. Where our fabrics come from, how they are made and their safeness when being handled by our craftspeople and worn by your children, are all researched when selecting a fabric. Our environmental impact is also of great consideration. Closing the loop between consumption and disposal is an ongoing goal, and one where natural fabrics are the first step in our journey to becoming circular. 

"I am very conscious that as a society we are not all equipped with the necessary skills to create or repair our own clothing. Born from my own desire to create and teach, my dream is to develop a way for Wilderling customers to be able to restore/repair and revive the clothing they have purchased. So that it can be kept, reused and handed down to extend its life. Watch this space..." - Victoria 

To read more about our fabrics and transparency please click here.