About Ritex
Ritex International was founded in 1985 by a team of former Wrightson Textiles employees, following a management buyout of one of rural New Zealand’s most trusted textile suppliers. Their aim was to carry that legacy forward with a renewed focus on practical, reliable, and locally informed service.
Among the founding team was Peter Rutherford, who took on the role of Managing Director—a position he still holds today. Alongside David Stratford, also still actively involved, Peter has helped steer Ritex through decades of change in industry and global supply chains. The name “Ritex” reflects both WRIghtson and TEXtiles—honouring our roots while forging a new path.
Today, Ritex remains a proudly family-run business based in Nelson, New Zealand. Our nine-person team covers procurement, warehousing, accounts, marketing, customer service, and more. Though small and tight-knit, we operate at scale, supporting a loyal customer base across New Zealand and Australia.
What sets Ritex apart isn’t just the range of textile solutions we offer—but the depth of our expertise. We've built a global network of trusted suppliers so our customers don’t have to and we've evolved with our industries, adapting to changes in technology, regulation, and global sourcing—while staying grounded in the customer-first values we were built on.
\We take the stress out of sourcing, deliver clarity and consistency, and back it all with a team that understands your business.
The Ritex Advantage
Decades of hands-on experience with horticultural and industrial textiles
Trusted by growers, vineyards, nurseries, hospitality, and infrastructure sectors
Flexible minimum order quantities—large or small
Fully customisable textile options to suit industry-specific needs
Competitive pricing with no compromise on quality
Engineered for practical use—easy to install, fit, and adapt
Direct relationships with category experts—from procurement to post-sale support
Over the years, we’ve built a global network of trusted suppliers—so our customers don’t have to. While online sourcing may seem easier, the risks of incorrect specs, inconsistent quality, or unreliable service are still real. That’s where Ritex comes in.
Each category manager at Ritex oversees their product line end-to-end, from sourcing to delivery. So you know who you're dealing with—and who you can rely on long-term. We remove the guesswork, offer clarity and consistency, and back it all with a team that understands your business.
Whether you're protecting crops, managing waste, improving growing conditions, or outfitting commercial spaces—we’re here to help you get it right.
Our team
Founder | Managing Director: Peter Rutherford
Peter founded Ritex International in Wellington before relocating the business to Nelson, with a clear vision: to provide high-quality, competitively priced textiles while building lasting relationships with customers across New Zealand and beyond. From the outset, he recognised the need for reliable supply in industries as diverse as hospitality, agriculture, horticulture, and manufacturing — and set out to make Ritex a trusted partner for businesses that depend on bulk textile solutions.
With decades of experience in international trade and textiles, Peter established strong supplier networks across Asia and Europe. Over his career he has travelled to six continents to build Ritex’s supplier and customer portfolio, creating a distribution model that balances affordability with uncompromising quality. His emphasis on reliability and customer service set Ritex apart from competitors and continues to shape the company’s reputation today.
Peter has always believed in keeping business personal. Many of Ritex’s earliest customers remain long-term partners, thanks to his straightforward approach and commitment to tailoring solutions for each client. He takes pride in knowing that Ritex products — from woolpacks to laundry textiles and horticultural fabrics — play a practical role in helping businesses run smoothly every day.
Over the years, Peter has also been a generous employer in the Nelson region, initially supporting a team of manufacturing staff, remote sales representatives, and office staff in Nelson. In 2009, Ritex centralised its operations in Nelson, and today the company employs a nine-strong local team alongside an office in Sydney.
Beyond Ritex, Peter is a life member of both the Karori Cricket Club (Wellington) and the Stoke Bowling Club (Nelson), and a loyal supporter of Zingari Richmond Rugby Football Club (Dunedin). He now spends more of his time at his holiday home in Wānaka, while remaining closely connected to Ritex by providing guidance and sharing his industry knowledge.
His legacy is a company built not only on strong products but also on strong values: quality, trust, and customer commitment.
General Manager: Brendan Hodgson
Nelson born and bred, Brendan’s connection to Ritex goes back as far as he can remember — his father, Wayne, ran Valiant Containers from the very site Ritex now occupies. That business was eventually purchased by Ritex, forming the foundation of the company’s polypropylene bag division.
Brendan started working casually for Ritex around 2000 during school holidays, unloading containers alongside now-Warehouse Manager James Pugh. He joined the team on a full-time basis in 2006, working across admin, accounts, and linen sales before heading off to university.
He returned in 2012 as Category Manager for Woolpacks and stepped into the General Manager role in 2023. Despite taking on broader responsibilities, Brendan still proudly manages the woolpacks category — a product he’s grown to romantically enjoy, thanks to both a genuine love of the product and the strong relationships he’s built with customers and suppliers alike.
His long history with the company gives him a deep understanding of its roots, while his leadership helps shape its future.
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Born in Blenheim but raised in Nelson, making him a true Tasman Mako man, Pete’s Ritex journey began in the early 2000s as a casual unloading containers. He moved into a full-time warehouse role in 2001 and steadily rose through the ranks to become Warehouse Manager.
With his calm manner and encyclopedic product knowledge, Pete was a natural fit to manage the woolpack category before settling into his current role overseeing Bags and Aquaculture. An expert in woven bags, he manages the full supply chain from procurement through to sales. Pete is skilled at sourcing and designing tailored solutions, ensuring every customer gets the right product to meet their unique business needs — reliably and efficiently.
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Born in Southampton and raised across six countries, including finishing his education in Jamaica, Adam developed a global eye for quality and service. Early exposure to hospitality came through an internship at Sandals Resorts, where his father had been a director.
Adam began his textile career with Britannia Textiles as Sales Manager, supplying commercial linen and medical textiles to laundries, DHBs, and hotels nationwide, gaining expertise in forecasting, custom orders, and industry representation. He also spent seven years in the automotive industry, building operational and customer-focused skills.
Joining Ritex in 2023, Adam now serves as Category Manager, overseeing procurement through to after-sales service while driving growth in laundry and industrial textiles. Outside work, he enjoys family time, tinkering with motorcycles and cars, and electronics.
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Sirena returned to her hometown of Nelson in early 2023 after several years working across various finance roles in Australia — and walked straight into her current role at Ritex.
As Financial Administrator, she oversees the company’s accounts, financial systems, and forward exchange with a sharp eye and steady hand.
Known for her no-nonsense approach and genuine passion for numbers, Sirena ensures bills get paid on time and combines international experience with a grounded, get-it-done attitude that keeps Ritex’s finances in excellent order.
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After seeing the light and relocating to sunny Nelson in 2022, Kim joined the Ritex team early 2023.
A welcoming face at the front desk and a friendly voice on the phone, Kim manages the day-to-day logistics, coordinating deliveries, incoming shipments, and inventory flow so everything runs smoothly behind the scenes.
When she is not at work you’ll most likely find her pottering in the garden.
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James officially joined Ritex in 2004, although he’d already spent most of his school holidays working casually in the warehouse from the moment he was legally allowed to. With a very solid work ethic and a steady, practical approach, he learned the ins and outs of the operation over time — building a deep understanding of the products and processes through hands-on experience.
He also carries a strong sense of the company’s history, with his late father Brian having been a well-known and much-liked category manager at Ritex for many years.
When the Warehouse Manager role became available, James was a natural choice. He now runs the warehouse with calm efficiency and quiet reliability, ensuring everything moves where it needs to — when it needs to.
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The wizard behind every relabelled towel and expertly amended sheet. Fast, precise, and always fabulous, Natasha keeps our linen looking sharp and our labels in line. She’s been with Ritex since 2005, through the evolution of the warehouse production team, pivoting from bags to linen with ease.
A true asset to our team, Natasha’s skill and dedication allow us to meet exact customer requirements, and our clients are always delighted when we include their custom labels or tailor products perfectly to their needs. Her work keeps us nimble and our product top-notch.
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Alana joined Ritex at the start of 2025, stepping into leading marketing and brand — especially in the online space. She’s held several roles with the NZ Police, MSD, and successfully built up her own online business. We’re lucky to have her while she puts her proper career on hold and smashes it in her “mum job.”
Our marketing has been a bit lacklustre and hasn’t really moved with the times — especially compared to how long some of our team members have been here! Alana is committed to bringing Ritex up to speed with modern marketing trends and brand excellence. Watch this space — big things are coming.
