Procuring one of the most powerful symbols of remembrance

The poppies for the 2026 Royal New Zealand Returned Services Association Annual Poppy Street Appeal. Photo: Supplied

This ANZAC day the poppy we all wear to help raise funds for returned soldiers has had one of its most remarkable procurement journeys ever.

This year the Royal New Zealand Returned Services Association (RNZRSA) poppy looks a little different, says Chief Executive Evan Williams. 

"This has been an incredible procurement project for everyone involved. What we're procuring, the poppy itself, is and remains one of the most powerful symbols of remembrance we have as a community," says Evan. 

"We're procuring a way for people to express their feelings about significant international events, the sacrifices of others, and how veterans and their families are recognised by our society." 

For many decades the RNZRSA's poppies were produced in Christchurch by a small team of volunteers using a purpose-built machine. That arrangement served the organisation incredibly well, but over time the machine was becoming less reliable and the plastic materials used to make the poppies were increasingly difficult to source and were raising environmental concerns.

"As those challenges became clearer, the RNZRSA began exploring options for a replacement poppy that would allow the Poppy Appeal to continue without significantly increasing costs for RSA Associations," says Evan. 

"Because the Poppy Appeal is such an important fundraising activity for supporting New Zealand's veterans and their families, it was important to take the time to assess the costs, sustainability considerations, and long-term supply implications of any new poppy."

The process to source took many months.

"The key challenge was balancing environmental improvements with practicality, durability, and cost. Some concepts were technically interesting but would have been significantly more expensive or difficult to distribute through the nationwide volunteer network that runs the Poppy Appeal."

And then quite coincidentally, while this work was underway the Royal British Legion announced it was transitioning to a new sustainable poppy for its own appeal. 

"Because both organisations use the Haig Poppy as the symbol of remembrance, we approached them to ask whether their poppy might also be used for New Zealand's appeal. They generously agreed, and that collaboration has allowed RNZRSA to transition to a sustainable poppy while protecting the fundraising power of the Poppy Appeal."

Evan said the new poppy strikes a good balance. 

"It's made entirely from paper and is fully biodegradable. The paper itself contains renewable fibres from responsible sources, including material recovered from waste produced in the manufacture of coffee cups. That represents a significant environmental improvement compared with the old plastic-based poppy."

The Royal British Legion option offered a proven product, a secure supply chain, and a cost structure that protected the appeal's fundraising potential.

Ideally, Evan said, the organisation would have preferred to source a poppy produced in New Zealand, but the reality of manufacturing costs meant that no viable local option could be identified without significantly increasing the cost of running the appeal.

"In the end, the partnership with the Royal British Legion in the United Kingdom offered the best combination of sustainability, ethical sourcing, reliability and affordability."

Working with the Royal British Legion has been extremely positive, he said.

"Both organisations share a deep commitment to remembrance and supporting veterans, so there is a strong sense of shared purpose in the collaboration.

"It has been a very natural partnership between two organisations that have a long history of honouring service and sacrifice."

The RNZRSA made an initial order of one million poppies to cover the 2026 appeal and test the new logistic support processes. 

"For the 2026 appeal many RSA Associations will have a mix of both the traditional plastic poppy and the new sustainable poppy available while existing stocks are used up."

Evan said the initial response from the public was overwhelmingly positive.

"While there are some traditionalists who prefer the old poppy, most understand the need to move to something more sustainable – and being able to retain the iconic shape of the RNZRSA's poppy has been well received."

The procurement project is a very significant step for future poppy campaigns.

"Moving to a sustainable poppy ensures the appeal can continue in a way that reflects modern environmental expectations while also securing a reliable supply for future appeals," says Evan.

"It also provides confidence that the Poppy Appeal can continue supporting New Zealand's veterans and their families for many years to come."