The Department of Conservation has called on Maori Arts New Zealand for help to find weavers who can work with kiwi feathers from overseas.
In October, the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington launched an annual programme where feathers from moulting kiwi were collected and given to DoC for distribution.
Twelve zoos in the United States contributed to the programme last year.
DoC says it has passed on the feathers to Toi Maori Aotearoa/Maori Arts New Zealand.
Toi Maori general manager Gary Nicholas says it's working with DoC to develop a policy about how to distribute the feathers to weavers.
Mr Nicholas says weavers can also advise on how quickly the feathers should be passed on and can identify an appropriate group the feathers should go to.
Mr Nicholas indicates that the feathers it already has will be given to weavers who are repairing inherited korowai (Maori cloaks).
