Knitting ‘essential’ for health
Maree Buscke knew knitting was essential, but she wasn’t sure the Government would.
It did, and she’s delighted. Buscke is manager of Napierbased company Skeinz, the retail arm of Design Spun, the country’s largest producer of hand-knitting yarn.
Like other businesses, Skeinz went into lockdown last week, shutting both its retail outlet and its online business.
An avid knitter from age four, and well acquainted with her customer base, Buscke knew the impact a lack of yarn would have on those who took great comfort in knitting, especially the elderly, the lonely and the housebound.
So on Monday, she rang the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment’s 0800 line and, over the course of a thorough series of questions, was able to convince the ‘‘nice man at the other end’’ of knitting’s benefits to mental wellbeing.
‘‘He was fantastic. I told him we particularly wanted to get it to those who needed it the most – the rest homes we supply, those people in the over-70 age group, those who knit blankets for babies in SCBU, or those just at home alone,’’ Buscke said.
‘‘When MBIE could see it was for mental wellbeing and keeping people sane, basically, they really understood what we were trying to do. Then we had to show that our processes and distribution were safe in terms of preventing the spread of Covid and of maintaining our bubbles.
‘‘I think if you’re not a hand knitter, you probably don’t understand the mental wellbeing benefits you get. It’s the task of focusing on something other than everything else going on around you for a while. It’s mindfulness, really, only you come out with a garment or something of use at the end,’’ she said.
Buscke said she had received emails from grateful knitters since online sales recommenced, but not everyone was pleased. A few people were angry that the company had been deemed essential. Someone reported it to police, who dispatched an officer to the shop.
Skeinz will celebrate its 10th year in May, and recently completed its 40,000th online order. About 70 per cent of its business comes from online sales through its website.
The ministry has been contacted for comment.