Shopping for New Zealand Products
Local Gifts, Souvenirs & Specialty Items
Explore unique New Zealand products that make perfect souvenirs or gifts, including Manuka honey, merino wool clothing, greenstone (pounamu) carvings, Māori art, and locally crafted food and wine.
New Zealand offers a wide range of authentic and high-quality products that reflect the country’s culture, landscape, and craftsmanship. Manuka honey is prized for its natural health benefits, while soft merino wool clothing is both stylish and functional. Greenstone (pounamu) carvings carry deep cultural meaning and make for meaningful keepsakes. You’ll also find beautifully crafted Māori art, natural skincare made with native botanicals, and artisan food and wine that showcase the best of New Zealand’s produce.
To help you choose, we’ve listed some of the most unique and memorable items to take home—each one a special reminder of your time in Aotearoa.
Mānuka Honey
Mānuka honey is one of New Zealand’s most prized natural products, known for its rich flavour and powerful antibacterial properties. Sourced from the nectar of the native Mānuka tree (Leptospermum scoparium), this honey is valued both as a health supplement and a gourmet ingredient. Its unique potency is measured by the UMF (Unique Mānuka Factor) rating, which reflects its antibacterial strength. Mānuka honey can be enjoyed by the spoonful, added to tea, or used in skincare for its soothing and healing benefits. Whether you're after wellness or indulgence, Mānuka honey is a distinctly New Zealand product worth taking home.
Top locations to purchase while on a tour
Supermarkets, heath food and honey shops New Zealand wide.
Possum Merino
Possum merino is a uniquely New Zealand blend of fibres that combines soft merino wool with warm, lightweight possum fur. This luxurious fabric is prized for its incredible warmth, softness, and durability, offering up to 40% more heat retention than pure wool alone. Possum fur is hollow, making it exceptionally insulating while remaining breathable and light. The blend is also resistant to pilling and ideal for sensitive skin. Products made from possum merino, such as scarves, gloves, sweaters, and socks, are not only stylish and practical but also support conservation efforts by using fur from a pest species that threatens New Zealand’s native wildlife.
Top locations to purchase while on a tour
Small boutique clothing shops who specialise in wool products. Arrowtown just outside Queenstown has lots of retailers in the main street with high quality locally made products.
Greenstone - Pounamu
Our top choice for friends and family who love unique jewellery with meaning
New Zealand greenstone jewellery, also known as pounamu, holds deep cultural significance and is highly valued for both its beauty and meaning. Sourced primarily from the South Island’s West Coast rivers, pounamu is a type of nephrite jade treasured by Māori for centuries. Traditionally gifted as a symbol of respect, love, or connection, each piece of greenstone jewellery, whether carved into a twist, koru, toki, or fishhook, carries its own story and symbolism. Wearing or gifting pounamu is seen as a gesture of protection and strength, making it a meaningful and authentic souvenir of Aotearoa.
Top locations to purchase while on a tour
New Zealand wide local artists, it’s important you ask the store or arstist about the stone and the symbol as that’s part of the story.
New Zealand Natural Skincare Products
New Zealand natural skincare products are renowned for their purity, effectiveness, and use of native botanical ingredients. Brands like Antipodes, Scenturiê, Linden Leaves, and Trilogy harness the power of locally sourced elements such as mānuka honey, kawakawa, harakeke (flax), and kiwifruit to create gentle yet nourishing skincare solutions. These products are often cruelty-free, eco-conscious, and made in small batches to ensure quality. Whether you’re after hydrating creams, soothing balms, or rejuvenating serums, New Zealand’s natural skincare offers a beautiful way to care for your skin while taking home a piece of the country’s clean, green philosophy.
Top locations to purchase while on a tour
New Zealand wide, check on the packing that its New Zealand made.
The Buzzy Bee
Our top choice for kids under 4 years old
The Buzzy Bee toy is a true Kiwi classic, instantly recognisable with its bright colours, spinning wings, and cheerful click-clack sound as it’s pulled along. First created in the 1940s, this wooden toy has become a beloved symbol of New Zealand childhood, passed down through generations. Simple, charming, and proudly made in New Zealand, the Buzzy Bee isn’t just a toy, it’s a piece of cultural heritage that brings joy to children and nostalgia to adults alike. Lightweight and easy to pack, it makes a delightful souvenir that carries the spirit of New Zealand home with you.
Top locations to purchase while on a tour
Most small gift stores or toy shops have the Buzzy Bee New Zealand wide.
New Zealand Wool Products
New Zealand wool products are timeless souvenirs, valued for their natural warmth, softness, and durability. Sourced from the country’s famously well-cared-for sheep, this high-quality wool is crafted into everything from cosy scarves and blankets to stylish knitwear and accessories. Each piece reflects New Zealand’s farming heritage while offering practical comfort that lasts for years. Lightweight, breathable, and naturally insulating, wool products are perfect for both cool and warm climates. Beautifully made and authentically Kiwi, they make a thoughtful gift or personal keepsake that captures the essence of New Zealand’s rural traditions.
Top locations to purchase while on a tour
Small boutique clothing shops who specialise in wool products. Arrowtown just outside Queenstown has lots of retailers in the main street with high quality locally made products.
All Blacks and Black Ferns Rugby Shirts
Our top choice for teenagers and young adults
An All Blacks shirt is one of the most iconic souvenirs you can take home from New Zealand. Representing the country’s legendary national rugby team, it stands for sporting excellence, national pride, and deep cultural heritage. Equally celebrated are the Black Ferns, New Zealand’s world-champion women’s rugby team, whose jerseys carry the same powerful silver fern emblem. Whether you choose an All Blacks or Black Ferns shirt, each is a meaningful gift or keepsake—perfect for rugby fans or anyone wanting to take home a piece of New Zealand’s proud sporting legacy.
Top locations to purchase while on a tour
Airports and sporting goods stores New Zealand wide
Swanndri Clothing
Our top choice for friends and family who love the outdoors
New Zealand Swanndri clothing is a classic Kiwi favourite, known for its rugged durability, timeless style, and connection to the outdoors. Originally designed in 1913 for farmers and bushmen, Swanndri garments, especially the iconic wool bush shirt, are made to handle New Zealand’s ever-changing weather. Crafted from high-quality wool and built to last, they’re ideal for hiking, farming, or simply staying warm in style. Taking home a Swanndri piece is more than just buying clothing, it’s a true piece of New Zealand heritage and a practical, long-lasting souvenir that captures the spirit of the land and lifestyle.
Top locations to purchase while on a tour
Swanndri has their own stores in most large towns in New Zealand, plus sporting and hunting shops
Māori Carvings
Māori carvings are a powerful expression of New Zealand’s indigenous culture, rich in meaning and tradition. Hand-carved from wood, bone, or pounamu (greenstone), each piece tells a story, often symbolising protection, strength, connection, or ancestry. Common designs include the koru (spiral of new life), tiki (wisdom and protection), and manaia(guardian spirit). These carvings are more than decorative, they hold deep spiritual and cultural significance. Whether worn as jewellery or displayed as artwork, Māori carvings make a meaningful and authentic souvenir that connects you to the heart of Aotearoa.
Top locations to purchase while on a tour
New Zealand wide local artists, Rotorua has Te Puia the home to the New Zealand Māori Arts and Crafts Institute.
Whittaker’s Chocolate
Our top choice for everyone as it’s very tasty
Whittaker’s chocolate is one of New Zealand’s most beloved and recognisable treats, making it a delicious and easy souvenir to take home. Family-owned and proudly made in New Zealand since 1896, Whittaker’s is known for its commitment to quality, using only the finest ingredients and crafting its chocolate from bean to bar. With a wide range of flavours, from classic creamy milk and dark Ghana to uniquely Kiwi options like Hokey Pokey and Jelly Tip—there’s something for every taste. Affordable, locally made, and full of flavour, a block (or two) of Whittaker’s is the perfect way to share a taste of New Zealand with friends and family back home.
Top locations to purchase while on a tour
Supermarkets and corner stores
Pāua Jewellery
A good option for friends as it’s cost effective and small
Pāua jewellery is one of New Zealand’s most distinctive and eye-catching souvenirs, celebrated for its vibrant colours that shimmer in shades of blue, green, and purple. Made from the iridescent shell of the pāua, a species unique to New Zealand waters, each piece is naturally one-of-a-kind. Local artisans craft pāua into necklaces, earrings, and bracelets, often combining it with sterling silver or wood to highlight its beauty. Affordable and authentically Kiwi, pāua jewellery captures the spirit of New Zealand’s coastline and makes a meaningful gift or keepsake to remember your travels.
Top locations to purchase while on a tour
Souvenir and gifts shops New Zealand wide.
Lord of the Rings
Lord of the Rings souvenirs are among New Zealand’s most sought-after keepsakes, celebrating the country’s role as the breathtaking backdrop for Middle-earth. From replica rings and Elven brooches to detailed figurines and artwork, each piece captures the magic of the films that were brought to life in New Zealand’s stunning landscapes. Many items are crafted locally, with official merchandise available from Wētā Workshop, the creative studio behind much of the trilogy’s design. Whether you’re a lifelong fan or simply enchanted by the scenery, these souvenirs offer a tangible connection to the epic story and make a memorable way to take a piece of Middle-earth home.
Top locations to purchase while on a tour
Hobbiton and Weta Workshop
New Zealand Wine
New Zealand wine is one of the country’s most celebrated exports, admired worldwide for its distinctive flavours and exceptional quality. From the crisp, aromatic Sauvignon Blancs of Marlborough to the elegant Pinot Noirs of Central Otago, each bottle reflects the unique terroir of its region. Vineyards across the country welcome visitors with tastings and cellar-door experiences, making it easy to connect with the winemakers behind each vintage. Whether enjoyed at home or gifted as a special keepsake, New Zealand wine offers a refined way to share the country’s rich landscapes and world-class craftsmanship with friends and family.
Top locations to purchase while on a tour
Wineries, liquor shops and supermarkets New Zealand wide.