About Prosper Yarn
Prosper Yarn: The Origin Story
Prosper Yarn began in Lester Mismash’s West Auckland kitchen with a love of knitting, a big pot, a pair of pink gloves and 100 kilograms of lambswool bought on Trade Me.
Lester was working as an architect and university lecturer when she returned to knitting during the pandemic. Soon she was experimenting with food colouring, vinegar and wool. The colours grew bolder, the orders grew larger, and the smell of wet wool spread through the house. Dyeing moved from the kitchen to the laundry, then into a studio of its own.
The name Prosper comes from Star Trek and Lester’s memories of watching it with her dad. Spock was their favourite character, and his words, “Live long and prosper”, stayed with her. Lester was as close as a daughter could be to her dad, and this small business is, in part, a tribute to him. She knows it would make him smile.
Images: Prosper Yarn began with dye recepies written on the wall and founder, Lester, selling skeins at markets and on Facebook Marketplace.
We seek out high-quality Aotearoa New Zealand fibre and work with local growers and mills wherever we can. Their skill and knowledge matter to us. Choosing their wool helps support the people who care for the animals, process the fibre and keep this work alive. Because wool is a natural material, some yarns change with the seasons and some are only here for a short while. We think that is part of their beauty.
When a fibre or process we need is unavailable locally, we source with care from reputable, certified OEKO-TEX mills overseas. We support the humane treatment of animals and require mulesing-free wool, favour untreated fibres, use as little fresh water as we can when dyeing, and work to fully exhaust our dyes. We also choose lower-impact packaging and pay our team a living wage.
Images: Prosper Yarn's first yarn lounge was in Glen Eden and the first employee, Tara, has a colourway named in her honour: Taragreen.
Prosper Yarn is a place to explore colour, ask questions and enjoy making in your own way. You do not need to follow every trend or start a project that does not feel like you. Choose the shapes, colours and fibres you love. Make something you will want to wear, give or keep.
Every maker who chooses Prosper Yarn becomes part of the story. From the grower to the dyer to your hands, we hope the care in each skein carries through to whatever you make next.
Images: Today, Prosper Yarn has a growing team and the current store on Ponsonby Road has over 45 hand-dyed colourways to choose from and is a thriving hub for makers.
