The Super Big Yarn Announcement!

As some of you know, I have been looking for a replacement for my standard yarn for a while. The yarn is fine, but is mass manufactured by a large company and processed and dyed in a way that leaves a bigger footprint than I would like and leaves the wool susceptible to heavier pilling than I would like. I have been looking for a new yarn that lets me keep the convenience of quick turn around and a wide array of solids, but holds closer to my business model-supporting smaller businesses with more ecologically sound practices while giving you the best possible product.

I am so happy to say..I found it!

Starting next month, my standard yarn will be a 4-ply merino (with a long staple length to resist pilling) that is processed and spun by a smaller yarn company in Vermont. There will be 14 colors available:



Top Row: sumac, rust, saffron, willow
2nd Row: slate, cornflower, sky, robin's egg
3rd Row: tea rose, thistle, mulberry, chocolate
bottom: coal, natural

The best part? It is 100% certified organic and processed in accordance with the Global Organic Textile Standard.

Now, if you are anything like me you are thinking-what makes wool organic? The food the sheep eat? The way it is processed? The lack of chemical pest control?

Yup. Here are the bullet points:

* The sheep are fed 100% organically grown feed
* No synthetic hormones or vaccinations
* No synthetic pesticides on animals or pasture lands
* No genetic engineering
* Healthy livestock is promoted through good management-happy, stress free animals are healthy animals.
* Organic fiber is handled separately from non-organic
* Detergents must be biodegradable
* Waste water must be handled responsibly
* No synthetic oils used in spinning
* Dyes must be free of heavy metals and aromatic amines
* Recyclable or biodegradable finishing materials are used
* No carbonizing fibers using acid baths
* Organic facilities must practice structural pest management.

For every pound of organic wool produced, 2 acres of land are sustained under organic management.

Yay organic! I am so pleased and excited and I hope you guys are, too!