General Questions

Q - Where is your showroom located?
A - We are now located in Taradale, Napier 4112, New Zealand. Mob +64 27 222 6230 or Australia only 1300 001 259. The home-based showroom does not have set hours, so please call to book a convenient time. We will give you the address details when you call us or email to book an appointment.

Q - Did you used to be called a different name?
A - Yes we used to be called Debandada until about 2008, but we changed it to Gorgeous Creatures because Debandada was difficult to say (actually impossible), spell, and remember.

Q - What time is it in New Zealand?
A - If you need to phone Gorgeous Creatures in New Zealand, remember that we are in a different time zone than most other major countries. We will answer the phone between 9am and 9pm NZ time 7 days a week if we can. Please leave us a message if we are unable to answer the phone.

Q - Does Gorgeous Creatures belong to a professional organisation or association?
A - Yes, we are current members of the New Zealand Retailer's Association (Retail NZ) and the Buy NZ Made campaign.

Cowhide Product Questions

Q - What are your cowhides used for?
A - About 50% of the cow skins we sell are used as floor mats, rugs, & floor coverings. The other 50% are used as upholstery to cover cowhide ottomans, footstools and other types of cowhide furniture.

Q - How do you price your cowhide rugs?
A - All our cowhide rugs are priced based on their size. The colour does not normally matter, even though some colours like white or grey are rarer or more in demand. The price range goes from about NZ$695 for small to NZ$1295 for an extra large monster-sized skin.

Q - How does your approval service work in New Zealand?
A - *New Zealand customers only* - If you would like to see a cowhide rug or one of our other products in your own home, we can lend it to you for up to 3 days. We will hold your credit card details on file until you decide if it is the right product for you or not. There is no obligation and we understand that buying a cowhide can be a large commitment.

Q - How do you measure the size of a cowhide?
A - The overall leather size or 'meterage' is measured at the tannery by a surface scanning machine. This is reported in metres square and written on a sticker on the underside. We also measure the longest dimensions from head to tail and left to right across the hind legs in centimetres and inches so that you can tell if a cowhide will fit into your room space. Remember that it is OK for the legs and other parts that stick out from a cowhide to go under furniture. In fact this works well to anchor a furniture setting. Click here to read more.

Q - How do I clean my cowhide rug?
A - Cowhide is easy to maintain and clean. Click here for detailed cleaning instructions. And we have now developed a special cowhide cleaning product.

Q - How long will cowhide last?
A - Cowhide is durable and will last many years depending on how and where you use it. We can't say for sure how long a cowhide will last but 10 years is normal if the hide is well looked after and cleaned regularly. Cowhides are very family & animal friendly and easy to clean with our Gorgeous Creatures cowhide cleaner.

Q - How do cats or dogs react to cowhide? Do they try to eat it?
A - This is a tough one to answer because every pet is different. In general, dogs love cowhides and will start sleeping in the middle straight away. I have not heard of trouble with dogs eating cowhide. It is tanned so has no flavour and does not smell like food. However puppies do tend to chew on things including leather shoes, so we can't make any promises. Most cats are very wary of cowhide, the smell, and texture are foreign to them. They walk around the edges. After they realize that a cowhide is no threat they either ignore it or start sleeping on it as well. Animals can occasionally pee on a cowhide rug. If this happens clean with our cowhide cleaner.

Q - Are cowhides animal and child friendly?
A - Yes they are. Cowhides are easy to keep clean and a lot more forgiving than other floor rugs. Kids love cowhide, they get down on their tummies and 'swim' around on them. I guess this is because of the soft and silky texture.

Q - Were the cows killed for their skins?
A - No, no, no! Cowhides are a by-product of the farming/meat industry. The cows were farmed for meat and milk. The sheep and goats are also farmed/herded for food.

Q - How are the hides tanned?
A - They are tanned using the chrome tanning technique so the back of the leather is a blue-grey colour. This is the best technique for a soft and floppy leather result. They have not been treated with, and contain no residues of PCP, AZO-colouring agents, Chrome VI, formaldehyde, and nickel. The tanneries use an environmentally responsible method of waste treatment that exceeds international industry standard requirements.

Possum Fur Product Questions

Q - Why is this fur OK when all other real furs are seen as bad?
A - This is a big question. The short answer is that these animals are an introduced exotic evasive species that shouldn't be in New Zealand at all. They are doing major ecological damage. Click here for more info.

Q - If possums are doing so much damage then why are they in New Zealand in the first place?
A - In the old days (1800's) people did not understand what would happen when you added an animal/plant/fish/insect into another eco-system. They didn't know that it would upset the natural order of life and impact native species in a negative way. Click here for more info.

Q - Were the possums killed for their fur?
A - No and Yes! Primarily the possums are culled because their numbers must be reduced to save the native forests and birds. Most of the possum bodies are left in the bush to rot and recycle back into the soil. However, this is not ideal because possums are a known carrier of bovine tuberculosis. People have started to collect these wasted by-products and use the leather and fur, so that they are not completely wasted resources. Possum meat can also be used as dog food from TB-free areas.

Ordering, Security & Payment Questions

Q - How do I order from this website?
A - Browse the product categories, select the products' you wish to buy and put them into your shopping basket. When you are ready, click the 'checkout' icon at the top right next to the search function and follow the on-screen instructions. Fill out your name, address, phone and email information.

On the secure checkout page simply input all your credit card details making sure you input the correct expiry date and confirm the payment. You have the option of Shopify Payments or PayPal if you prefer. We can also accept bank transfers from bank accounts in New Zealand, Australia, and the USA. You will receive a receipt after the transaction is completed.

Please let us know if you don't get an automatic receipt (please check your junk mail folders) or if you have trouble ordering. We are happy to take orders offline by phone or email. Ph +64 9 522 1050. Or contact us with our form.

Q - What currency does this website use?
A - If you are shopping from New Zealand, Australia, USA or the Canada you should see your local currency automatically (unless in incognito mode). A pop-up box should have given you that option at the very start.

For all other countries, our website is in New Zealand dollars NZ$. Or there is a currency changer option in the footer at the very bottom of the page, but it is still only NZD$, USD$, AUD$ or CAD$.

Some payment methods allow checkout in NZ$, AUD$, USD$ or CAD$ and some default to NZ$. Please contact us if you have any questions regarding checkouts and payments. We are happy to take orders off-line by phone or email. Ph +64 9 522 1050. Or contact us with our form.

If you chose to shop in these foreign currencies then this is the currency you will also pay in. Your own bank or credit card company will work out the currency conversion, and might charge you a currency conversion fee.

Q - What credit card payment options do I have?
A - We take Visa, MasterCard and Amex (Amex in Shopify Payments only - not in the physical shop) credit cards through our secure websites' payment gateway - Shopify Payments or Paypal.

If you don't like using a website, please email or phone with your order and credit card details.

Q - What bank transfer options do I have?

A - You can do a direct bank transfer for NZ$, AUD$, UK£ & US$. The AUD$ & USD$ options use a Wise Bank foreign currency bank account. The US$ bank account is with Evolve Bank and Trust. The AUD$ bank is with Cuscal Payments. Both our foreign currency accounts with Wise use a second-tier banking institution (not the big mainstream banks). The NZ$ bank account is with our New Zealand banking partner Westpac Bank.

Q - My bank warned me about a potential scam when I tried to do a bank transfer to Gorgeous Creatures in AUD$, UK£ or USD$.

A - The first customer who used our AUD$ bank account (June 2023) said a message popped up, warning him to think twice before doing a transfer. He contacted me, and we decided to do a small transfer as a test (it was the first time for me too). It all worked correctly, and he said the next payment did not show the message.

We can't control what your bank security systems will say, and they probably automatically flag any bank that is not one of the big main banks. Contact us if you have concerns.

Q - I'm having trouble ordering. What do I do?
A - If your payment is failing, and you know that your credit card has plenty of funds, it is most likely that you entered your credit card numbers or expiry date incorrectly. You would be amazed how many people get this wrong more than once, try to enter the numbers again paying close attention to similar numbers that can be transposed.

Or it might be an internet connection issue. If the connection between you, our website and the bank drops out even for a tiny moment this can be enough for the bank to reject a payment.

We know it is a pain, but try again in a few minutes or if all else fails please email or phone us. We really really really want to help you out and we can take orders over the phone or by email. We will need to know all the usual stuff like what product you want, your address, phone number, email address, freight preference and payment details.

Q - Do you sell to trade customers at special prices?
A - Not anymore sorry.

Q - What will it cost me for freight?
A - International and local freight is calculated in the shopping cart, based on the weight of the product and the destination country. You usually have a choice of courier or normal air post. New Zealand doesn't have a registered post option.

The easiest way to check the freight is to put the product into the shopping basket, go to the "view my cart" page and select your country with post code, and the freight options will appear. More info.

Q - What if I don't like my order when it arrives?
A - No problem. But talk to us first before you return your order, to get the correct return address, and so we can watch out for it. Simply return any stocked items (with all tags and packaging), as explained in our 7 day return policy for a full refund less the bank fees and freight. Click here for policy details.

Custom made or special order items can not be returned, because they have been made especially for you, the way that you described. Examples of special order or custom made products include (but are not limited to) cowhide patchwork rugs, cowhide ottomans, possum fur throws & blankets or multiple skin sheepskin rugs (more than 4-skins sewn together).

Q - Who pays the freight if I want to return a purchase?
A - If you want to return a purchase or approval, you will need to organize and pay for the freight back to Gorgeous Creatures in Taradale, Napier, New Zealand using a tracking courier with insurance. Ask us for the best return address (we don't display this address online). You need to tell us you are returning the item BEFORE you send it please. If returning from overseas the declared value and description is very important for tax purposes. This is why you need to talk to us first.

Q - Is my order insured while in transit to my delivery address?
A - Yes, we have insurance to cover items while in transit from Gorgeous Creatures to your home or office at the declared value. For International couriers the declared value is the insured value up to a value of NZ$1500 and is automatically included in the insurance for couriers (air post is a maximum of NZ$250), after that additional insurance must be purchased for an additional cost. When the courier arrives check the packaging for damage and open the parcel before signing the courier receipt docket to check that everything is OK. If you sign for it and it is damaged the courier company will not accept an insurance claim. If you give permission to leave without a signature, you are opting out of the right to claim insurance for damage.