Log in
Farming has a way of reminding you that you're never entirely in charge.
You can plan your lambing, prepare for shearing and look ahead to the seasons, but ultimately, nature has the final say. And right now, on our Australian Merino wool farm in northern NSW, what we would really like nature to send us is rain.
We are in drought.
The countryside is dry, and like so many Australian wool growers know, drought means extra work, extra expense and plenty of watching the sky.
But there is good news too.
Our sheep are doing well. They are being fed, and importantly, our farm is fortunate to have natural springs and creeks providing them with plenty of water.
Lambing is almost finished, our main December shearing is approaching, and life on the farm continues.
And that, really, is farming.
You work with the season you've been given.
Caring for Our Australian Merino Sheep Through Drought
When people see the finished Sleepy Merino garment, they see something beautifully simple: soft Australian made Merino sleepwear designed to be comfortable against the skin.
But long before wool becomes clothing, there are sheep to look after.
Drought changes the daily rhythm of a farm. When there isn't enough feed naturally available in the paddocks, feeding sheep becomes an important part of keeping them in good condition.
That's what we're doing now.
Although the paddocks are dry, our Australian Merino sheep have feed and access to water from the farm's natural springs and creeks. They are doing well, which is the thing that matters most to us.
For Merino wool farmers, producing beautiful wool begins with looking after the animals growing it.
It's not glamorous. It's feeding, checking, planning and doing it all again tomorrow.
And sometimes it's looking hopefully at every cloud that passes overhead.
Lambing Is Nearly Finished
At the same time, one of the loveliest — and busiest — periods in the farming calendar is coming to an end.
Lambing is nearly finished.
Seeing lambs in the paddock brings a bit of optimism to even a very dry season. They represent what's next.
There's something reassuring about watching farm life continue despite difficult conditions. The landscape might be waiting for rain, but the sheep haven't read the weather forecast. There are lambs to care for, ewes to check and jobs that simply need doing.
This is the part of the Sleepy Merino story that can sometimes be difficult to communicate through a photograph of a finished pair of Merino wool pyjamas.
We really are woolgrowers.
Sleepy Merino grew from our connection with Australian Merino wool and our belief that this remarkable natural fibre deserved to be taken beyond the farm gate.
Next Comes Our December Merino Wool Shearing
Once lambing winds down, another major event is waiting around the corner.
Our main shearing will take place in December.
Shearing is one of the biggest moments of the year on a Merino property. It is when months of growing fine Merino wool culminate in the wool coming off the sheep.
Our premium wool is produced under the Responsible Wool Standard (RWS).
The Responsible Wool Standard is an independent, voluntary global standard owned by Textile Exchange. It includes requirements relating to sheep welfare and land management, including not mulsing sheep, with certification and chain-of-custody requirements designed to provide greater confidence about how certified wool has been produced and moved through the supply chain.
For anyone interested in understanding the standard in more detail, you can read about the Responsible Wool Standard at Textile Exchange.
For us, though, responsible wool growing isn't simply something to talk about when shearing arrives.
Animal care happens every day.
It's particularly obvious during a drought, when ensuring sheep have the feed and water they need becomes an even bigger part of farm life.
A Busy Time for Our Family
This year, there is another side to our farm story.
My brother has a particularly busy few months ahead as he keeps everything moving on the farm through the end of lambing, drought feeding and the lead-up to shearing.
Meanwhile, I'm managing as much as I can from Newcastle while undergoing cancer treatment.
Life certainly doesn't always follow the plan you had written for it.
For me, staying connected to the farm and Sleepy Merino is one of the ways normal life continues. There are still customers to talk to, decisions to make, sheep to ask about and a business that connects our farm with people all over Australia and beyond.
My brother and I may be working from different places at the moment, but the farm keeps us connected.
And we're getting on with it.
One day at a time.
From Australian Merino Wool Farm to Sleepy Merino
People sometimes talk about "farm to wardrobe" as a concept.
For us, it's simply our life.
Sleepy Merino was created by a Merino woolgrower, and our sleep and loungewear is made in Australia from pure Merino. The brand remains closely connected to the farm and the people who understand this fibre from the sheep onwards.
That's why knowing where things come from matters to us.
Australian Merino wool isn't simply an ingredient in our clothing. It is connected to sheep, seasons, families, regional communities and generations of knowledge among Australian wool growers.
Our website describes Sleepy Merino very simply:
Made in Australia, Direct from the Farm.
That's still the heart of it.
Why We Love Natural Merino Wool
There are plenty of reasons we've built Sleepy Merino around this fibre.
Pure Merino is naturally breathable and helps regulate temperature. Sleepy Merino is designed to feel soft against the skin, and our garments are made here in Australia.
Merino wool is also natural, renewable and biodegradable — qualities that sit comfortably with the way we want Sleepy Merino to operate.
It's a fibre we've known for a very long time.
And every December, when our own sheep are shorn, we're reminded where the story begins.
Supporting Australian Merino Wool
When you choose Australian wool and Australian-made products, there are real people behind them.
There are farmers feeding sheep through dry seasons.
There are families juggling work, health and everything else life decides to throw their way.
There are people working in regional communities and people keeping Australian manufacturing skills alive.
That's why we're proud that Sleepy Merino remains grounded in its farming origins.
If you'd like to see what we create from our love of Merino, you can explore our Women's Merino Pyjamas or Men's Merino Pyjamas.
And if you'd like to know more about the people and farm behind Sleepy Merino, visit Our Story.
Waiting for Rain — and Looking Forward
So that's where things stand on the farm.
It's dry. Very dry.
But our sheep are well.
We're hopeful.
Farmers have to be.
We'll keep caring for our sheep, keep looking towards shearing, keep Sleepy Merino moving — and, of course, keep watching the sky for rain.
Thank you to everyone who follows our farm story and chooses to support Australian farmers, Australian manufacturing and Australian Merino wool.
It means more to a small family business than you might realise.
Made in Australia. Direct from the Farm.
Explore Sleepy Merino
Discover our Australian-made pure Merino sleep and loungewear and learn why we've chosen to build Sleepy Merino around the fibre we know and love.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Where does Sleepy Merino come from?
Sleepy Merino is an Australian farm-to-sleepwear brand founded by Merino woolgrower Julie Bird. The brand is connected to the family's northern NSW farming background, and Sleepy Merino sleep and loungewear is made in Australia from pure Merino.
2. How are the sheep coping with the drought?
Despite the dry conditions, our sheep are doing well. We are feeding them, and we're fortunate to have natural springs and creeks on the farm providing plenty of water.
3. When is your main Merino wool shearing?
Our main shearing is coming up in December. It's one of the busiest and most important periods of the year on the farm.
4. What is Responsible Wool Standard wool?
The Responsible Wool Standard is a voluntary global standard addressing areas including sheep welfare and land management. Certification also incorporates requirements for tracking certified material through the supply chain.
5. Where can I buy Sleepy Merino wool pyjamas?
Sleepy Merino's Australian-made pure Merino sleep and loungewear is available directly through the Sleepy Merino website. You can browse Women's Merino Pyjamas and Men's Merino Pyjamas.