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BANG FOR THE BITE
If 10,000 Biters buy one 100 g skein of organic wool, we'll help keep 49 acres of sheep-grazing land organic.
COCKTAIL FACT
In April, British knitter Susie Hewer became the first person to knit a scarf while participating in a marathon, which she completed in less than 6 hr.
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home › tip library › Yarn
Is knitting just for eco-archaic old biddies?
The Bite
Knit on your life. New-school yarn purveyors are spinning some rad eco-materials, such as organic wool, so grab a skein and get needlin'.The Benefits
- More sustainable mittens. Nonorganic yarn comes from sheep potentially raised on pesticide-laden pasture and feed; acrylic yarn is made from a petroleum byproduct.
- Fab fibers. Add silky bamboo, soft organic merino, and stylin' recycled fabrics to your list of yarn options.
- Joining the trend. This hobby ain't just for crotchety crocheting relatives anymore.
Personally Speaking
Toshio's mom just knitted him a scarf made from eco-wool that's keeping him cozy on chilly SF nights on the town. Tosh thinks it goes well with his "Born to Shop" tee.Wanna Try?
- NearSea Naturals Merino Wool Yarn - naturally dyed yarn in three neutral colors; made in America ($17/skein).
- Green Mountain Spinnery Maine Organic Yarn - affordable wool yarn in six basic colors; made in the United States ($12/skein).
- Shirts of Bamboo Yarn - incredibly soft, 100% bamboo yarn in seven bright colors - but it's made in China ($9/skein).
- Knit One, Crochet Too, 2nd Time Cotton Yarn - spun from recycled cotton and acrylic fabric; available in blues, purples, and neutral colors ($7/skein).
- No Sheep for You - fun pattern book focused exclusively on nonwool fibers ($16).
- DIY Bite: Get some old wool sweaters in decent condition and start unravelin'.
Oct 26,2007
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All editorial suggestions in this tip are the result of testing and a preference for the tip topic. No advertiser has paid to have its company referenced in the tip. For more information, please read our Editorial Policy.
What Does Ralph Macchio Have to Do with Yarn? Nothing.
Little known fact: Jenifer M - our Senior Editor (and assigner of blog topics) here at the Bite - was my best friend when I was eight years old. She moved away while we were in our early teens (drama, tears, lots of letters), and we lost touch a bit throughout high school and college. Years later, we lived together for a couple of years in our early 20s, clumsily attempting to make a tinderbox San Francisco flat into something livable and charming and (long shot) cool. Because of this early familiarity, we have keen insights into what makes the other person tick.
Some people consider this long-term knowledge to be an asset in the workplace.
Others simply think of it as blackmail fodder.
Instead of using that fact as an excuse to throw Jeni-who-wore-unicorn-tee-shirts-her-entire-childhood under a bus for making me write a blog about yarn, of all things, I'll stick to the topic at hand. When we were about 10, we were both in 4-H, and we took a course on crocheting. I'm sure we made beautiful potholders that matched our hairbands and friendship pins.
But I think that was the last time we probably thought about yarn until we researched this tip. Who knows? Maybe now we will grab an organic skein and make a sweater or two. I'm just not really sure where she's gonna put the unicorn decal.
-Heather... off to do my 25th year of penance for ruining Jeni's Ralph Macchio poster by kissing it with lipgloss on...
Some people consider this long-term knowledge to be an asset in the workplace.
Others simply think of it as blackmail fodder.
Instead of using that fact as an excuse to throw Jeni-who-wore-unicorn-tee-shirts-her-entire-childhood under a bus for making me write a blog about yarn, of all things, I'll stick to the topic at hand. When we were about 10, we were both in 4-H, and we took a course on crocheting. I'm sure we made beautiful potholders that matched our hairbands and friendship pins.
But I think that was the last time we probably thought about yarn until we researched this tip. Who knows? Maybe now we will grab an organic skein and make a sweater or two. I'm just not really sure where she's gonna put the unicorn decal.
-Heather... off to do my 25th year of penance for ruining Jeni's Ralph Macchio poster by kissing it with lipgloss on...
Biter Comments...
I was interested in the pattern book highlighted on your site today; however, I was disappointed to find that the link is to Amazon.com and I no longer support that site. Are you aware that they sell magazines and books on animal fighting, as well as leg hold traps. Any business that puts its bottom line above the suffering of animals should not, in my opinion, be supported in any way.
Ditto on the Bamboo yarn comment above...we should be encouraging local production of products, especially when in China. I am the first to say that there is an issue with all the products made in china that originate elsewhere, but to label a 'suggestion' 'but it is made in China' is just a bit mean and focuses on the wrong thing.
You could have easily turned it into a positive in say, "and this is one thing we realize is best produced in China given it is a natural crop for their country." Just my two cents (of bamboo :) )
As for local organic yarn: right here in Bozeman we have 13 Mile Lamb and Wool. Becky raises the sheep, shears them and processes the raw wool into yarn just 13 miles from downtown Bozeman. How's that for lessening your carbon footprint? 13 Mile yarn is available throughout the country. If you can't find it at your lys, contact Stix, Bozeman's yarn local yarn store, to order the vegetable dyed, predator-friendly, organic yarn- (406)556-5786
I just started knitting and have been looking for affordable eco-yarns so I was super excited to see this tip. I want to make a throw for my brother from hemp yarn - never used it, not finding much of a selection either...anyone have tips? Thanks!
Your article mentions Merino wool. Stay away from Australian Merino wool...not sure if other sheep (in the USA or other countries) suffer the same brutality.
It's a great time to be an eco-friendly knitter. There's a huge variety of wonderful yarns available. I personally can't sing the praises enough of the Blue Sky Alpaca or South West Trading Company's Soysilk and other eco-friendly yarns. There's all kinds of yarn available; organic cotton, wool, alpaca, recycled silk... in less traditional veins, there's also bamboo, soy fibers, banana fibers, seaweed fibers, and dozens of blends and fair trade options. It's a great time to be a knitter or crocheter!
Your ideas are interesting, but like much of the eco community your "target group" seem to be single, affluent, young people. Telling me to get a $9 - $17 ball of yarn is like telling me to fly. If you know of any eco sites for working class families please let me know. You won't help the earth if you only talk to your friends at Starbucks!
Ayesha, leaving aside the fact that readers here probably patronize their locally owned independent coffee store and not a corporate chain like Starbucks, and leaving aside the fact that dishing stereotypes and insults is probably not the best way to elicit helpful advice, here is an economical and eco-friendly tip for knitters on a budget:
Recycle wool from old sweaters. Your local thrift shop or salvation army will likely have plenty of wool and even cashmere sweaters for only a few bucks each. Carefully unravelled, these sweaters (especially the man-sized ones) yield plenty of wool for your new knits and allow you to get new life out of old fiber that (in the case of torn or out-of-fashion sweaters) might otherwise end up in the trash.
By creating demand for organic and fair-trade fibers, single and/or affluent people are helping to expand availability of pesticide- and cruelty-free products and ultimately lower the prices for everyone.
For my part, I will continue to forego other, more ecologically harmful luxuries (such as children) so that I can afford to betake my single, cash-strapped, working-class ass down to the local organic cotton merchant and spend a few bucks on something I believe in.
While I think it is fantastic that environmentally conscious products are becoming available EGAD, who can afford this stuff? $17 for a skein of yarn. When a sweater probably takes several skeins, and then figure the labor to crochet/knit the item ... most of us do not have that much disposable income, and since I can't give my kids back, I would like to teach them how to be ecologically responsible, but not at the expense of having food to eat. Even if I were single and responsible for no one other than myself, couldn't do it. I live simply, so it isn't like I choose to have some gas guzzling, trendy vehicle with payments outside of my income bracket so I can't affort to pay a "few" extra bucks for yarn. The only place left to skimp is our food bill (which is sizabely smaller than most families our size that still manage to have food on the table, anyway)
I would love to see how selling overpriced goods creates a reduction in price for the future? Granted I may occasionally lack vision, but how many lifetimes will it take before this "reduction" happens and how many households will continue to use products that are not conscientious because of this apparent elitist attitude, that makes good choices seemingly out of bounds for any person who thinks on a practical level.
Having items available for a small percentage of people that are environmentally conscious is like moving the ocean with an eyedropper. It is not until change can happen on a massive level will these options have any effect on the footprints we leave this place.
Further, Jo, it is rather arrogant to assume that the readers here only do what you do. We come in all flavors. It is not just a core group of who care about the earth. In fact, I would think that those you seem to have the most contempt for have even greater vested interest in preserving the planet for the future. So step off your high horse and lets work together in a way that can allow all people with an interest to make their contributions as they can.
I hope this newsletter will broaden its scope to fill the cap, as there are dozens and dozens of sites on the net that only cater to the elite. But the beauty of the internet is that behind the type can be anyone from any walk of life. If the creators wish to really make an impact then they can stop preaching to the choir and be of true service to their fellow world citizens.
I'm enjoying the drama and all...but seriously, does anyone know anything about hemp yarn or not?
http://www.lanaknits.com/usaallhemp6.html
(had for 10.50/skein)
The main site is http://www.lanaknits.com
and another
http://www.handknitting.com/Spinning-Supplies/Spinning-Fibers/Hemp-Top-225g
($18+/skein)
For those in the UK
http://www.houseofhemp.co.uk/acatalog/Natural.html
http://www.kpixie.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=35_130_133
(10.50/skein)
That should get you started.
Found another site after I posted the above (wish they had an edit button)
http://www.earthfriendlygoods.com/item_340/100-Hemp-Dyed-Unpolished-Hemp-Twine.htm
5.50/skein (now that's what I'm talkin' about)
Also a few of the above sites have patterns, and kits (just can't remember which)
about today's green-chip showcase company, origins ...i so applaud the "keeping it real" portion of the showcase because ...although i so want to be happy about origins making an organic line, not only does the organic line make up for only a small part of its gross production, with the rest of its products containing chems just like most other brands ...a few days ago i also learned about how they/their parent company estee lauder conducts animal testing, and i am so disappointed. some people don't care about animals, but i do, and that companies do things like this, it is why i have to research like every single product i buy (even non-cosmetic ingredients/components are experimented on animals!) to find out who its parent company is and how ethical and responsible they are, on top of already wanting to make sure that a given item doesn't use animal by-products/cause injury or suffering to animals, and is sustainable (etc.). i'm just majorly, majorly bummed :(
Dee Watts: "No Sheep for You" is available directly from its publisher, Interweave Press.
http://interweave.com/knit/books/No_Sheep/
Better yet, you could probably pick it up at your favorite LYS (local yarn shop). It really is a good book; the patterns are very nice, but the background info may be even better. You'll learn all about the properties of non-wool yarn — how it behaves, how it's made, how it can and should be treated by a knitter, etc.
When buying yarn the most important thing to try and do is try and find the most amount of yarn (per skein or ball) for your money. 200 yards of yarn (or more!) for $10 per skein is more cost-effective than $5 or $6 for 85 yards. The other thing to do is to find your local yarn store and watch for sales. Taking advantage of end-of-season or other sales can allow you to double the worth of your purchases.
You can also check places like ebay or google "discount yarn" to look for shops or sales. I generally find that buying eco-friendly yarn to knit clothes ends up costing about the same as what I'd pay to buy a premade eco-friendly outfit. I might have paid around $30 for the yarn I am using to knit a tanktop, but tell me where I can find an eco-friendly tanktop for $30 and I'll say it's on the cheap side, unfortunately.
But for some environmentally friendly and fair trade yarn try The Hunger Shop: https://shop.thehungersite.com/store/category.do?categoryId=435&link=Store_THS_LeftNav_435&siteId=220
though easily the best deal for your money is this one https://shop.thehungersite.com/store/item.do?itemId=26513&siteId=220&sourceId=647&sourceClass=Category&index=4 as you're getting 1710 yards of yarn for $20.
Another good book for knitting with limited resources is "one skein", "one skein wonders" or "odd-ball knitting" (see a booklisting for ideas at amazon here http://www.amazon.com/s/104-9313405-5487127?ie=UTF8&tag=mozilla-20&index=blended&link_code=qs&field-keywords=one%20skein&sourceid=Mozilla-search ). These books have clever and often awesome projects that just require one skein of yarn -- a much more manageable affair to buy for, don't you think?
Gina: Thank you so much for the book info.
PHOTO ALBUMS
Posted by: marcia | October 26, 2007 at 06:54 AM