Our Story

Family-Owned and Operated

Earth Sea Sky was formed in December 1990. Founder David Ellis drew on his 10 years’ experience working in the old family outdoor company to fill a growing demand for outdoor clothing that combined comfort, style and performance. Family-owned and operated, this was a continuation of the Ellis family being at the forefront of New Zealand-made outdoor clothing and equipment for over 100 years.

Using his knowledge of design and marketing, David introduced garments that linked function and fashion. The first Earth Sea Sky range of 20 styles included tramping jackets, oilskins, waterproof ski wear, 60/40 anorak windshells and Polartec® thermal fleeces.

The beginning – Roland Ellis & the pioneering spirit

David Ellis & the continuation of tradition

The Ellis sons, Michael, Ben and Mark with Jane

The small Earth Sea Sky team includes founder David, wife Jane and son Michael. Son Mark and Ben have been involved with projects and in putting garments to the test in the South Island mountains. Tragically Mark died in an accident in 2012. The sixth generation of Ellis’s, Frankie and Finn, 5 and 8 years, are currently making dog toys for community fundraising projects.

Though not related, production manager Libby, designer Nicky and accounts manager, Nor are part of our Earth Sea Sky family.

We use our own outdoor and travel experiences to inform our designs. This ensures we can supply a versatile outdoor wardrobe that will perform trail running, travelling, on mountain adventures or exploring city environments.

READ ABOUT OUR HERITAGE

Fabrics

The key to having top performing outdoor clothing is the fabric. There is no fabric production in New Zealand. Sourcing the world’s best performance fabrics is a large part of our work. We consistently find the best fabrics continue to be produced by the original manufacturers and continue to work with specialist factories in Italy, USA, Japan, Taiwan and Korea.

Committed to 100% NZ Made

This is part of our DNA ensuring we maintain consistent quality, uniqueness and the ability to meet short deadlines. Our workrooms in Christchurch, Dunedin and Napier produce over 200 Earth Sea Sky styles, supported by a team of outworkers, skilled machinists working from home.

Since 2000, we’ve seen most New Zealand outdoor clothing brands move manufacturing offshore but we continue to keep production local.

The Wider Earth Sea Sky Family

Our small size enables us to connect directly with a diverse group of people. We highly value the relationships, feedback, and stories shared with us. Our community includes retailers, ambassadors, photographers, artists, guides, mountaineers, scientists, and some of New Zealand’s most accomplished outdoors people.

Our Story

Family-Owned and Operated

Fabrics

Committed to 100% NZ Made

The Wider Earth Sea Sky Family

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