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1415 days ago

Luxurious Lotus Silk

Robert Anderson from Curtain Clean Palmerston North

Lotus fibre or lotus silk is a rather rare and exclusive fibre. The silk comes from the stem of the lotus flower which is made up of microfibres.


The stems are snapped off, the fibres are teased out before being rolled into thread. Once the threads are dry, they are weighed down and carefully wound by hand. Then they’re put onto the loom. These fibres are fragile, but once woven, can be as durable as traditional silk.


The entire process of fibre extraction, weaving the fibre, and making the fabric is completely handmade, making the process time-consuming. This also limits the quantity of the fabric produced. A large scarf requires the thread of around 9,200 stems and would take one worker around two months to complete. This is why it is considered luxurious and items made from lotus silk do not go cheap.

The resulting material resembles raw silk or an aged linen, naturally beige in colour and possesses unique qualities. It is waterproof, practically wrinkle proof, washable, lightweight, sweatproof and is soft to the touch.

Most importantly, its key quality is that it is one of the most eco-friendly materials on the planet. The lotus is a water plant. It preserves the eco-system in which it grows including the water as much as the surrounding wildlife.

Not only is it created from waste (lotus stems), but it also leaves little waste behind. In fact, lotus silk been identified as potentially the most ecological fabric in the world, and it is the first natural microfibre in the world. Being a natural fibre, it is biodegradable after its useful life.

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13 hours ago

Neighbourly challenge: Who can solve the daily riddle?

Riddler from The Neighbourly Riddler

I have a crown but am not a king.
I'm prickly on the outside but sweet within.
What am I?

Do you think you know the answer to our daily riddle? Don't spoil it for your neighbours! Simply 'Like' this post and we'll post the answer in the comments below at 2pm.

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2 days ago

Poll: Is dumping an issue in your neighbourhood?

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

There's nothing worse than strolling around the streets in your neighbourhood and seeing dumped rubbish.

Have you noticed this in your area? What could we do to combat this around the country?

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Is dumping an issue in your neighbourhood?
  • 42.9% Yes, I've seen some illegal dumping
    42.9% Complete
  • 56.4% No, our neighbourhood is pretty good
    56.4% Complete
  • 0.7% Other - I'll share below
    0.7% Complete
993 votes
1 day ago

Is this yours?

The Team from Manawatu, Taranaki, Whanganui-Ruapehu Police

A framed copy of the Victoria cross was handed into the Palmerston North Police Station and we are hoping to reunite it with the owner.
If this is yours, and you can prove ownership, please contact 105 referencing file number 241007/0350.

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