Using sustainable yarn is the most impactful and practical way you can make your crochet more sustainable. When you use sustainable yarn, you know it was produced in a way that puts the people and the planet first. And don’t be fooled by the thought that using sustainable yarn will price you right out of your fiber art. Because it won’t! Here are my top 10 under $10 sustainable yarns.
This post contains affiliate links at no extra cost to you. If you purchase materials through these links I earn a small commission which helps support my small business and allows me to continue to create free patterns for you! So, thank you from the bottom of my heart for your support!
What is sustainable yarn?
Sustainable yarn means:
Natural, not synthetic – natural fibers are from plants and animals and include organic cotton (versus conventional cotton), wool, hemp, alpaca, camel, cashmere, llama, mink, mohair, silk, wool, yak, linen, bamboo, eucalyptus and banana. Natural fibers are renewable (plants, wool and hair grow back) and biodegradable. Avoid synthetic yarn including acrylic, polyester, nylon polyamide, elastic, microfiber, modal, rayon and spandex. Synthetic yarn are fossil-fuel fibers produced using coal-based and petroleum chemicals. They are toxic and do not biodegrade.
Recycled yarn of any fiber (natural or synthetic)
No superwash wool – superwash is a process that uses toxic chemicals and strips wool of all of it’s beautiful natural properties. It coats the wool is plastic resulting in a non-biodegradable fiber.
There are SO MANY beautiful, high quality sustainable yarns out there that it was actually harder than I thought to pare it down to JUST my top 10 under $10 sustainable yarns.
Let’s start things off right. Coming in at #1 is Hoooked Soft Cotton DK. This super soft DK (Light Worsted) weight yarn is made of 100% recycled materials – 80% recycled cotton + 20% recycled other materials. There is absolutely no additional dye or toxic substances. These little soft balls come in an impressive 32 different colors.
Why I love it:
Extremely soft: For how soft this yarn is you would never know it was made completely of recycled material. I have never worked with any other recycled material that is this soft. You would seriously think this yarn was 100% organic cotton.
SO. MANY. COLORS: Amigurumi is my jam and I’m really picky about color. I love that there are 32 different VIVID colors to choose from. Often, organic cotton has only really soft colors to choose from and that doesn’t always fit the bill for the colors I need.
Affordable: Hoooked sells this on their website for $1.76 USD, but they are located in Portugal, so shipping is about $20. Fortunately, there is one US based Etsy seller Eco Friendly Crafts LLC that brings in the yarn and ships it from Georgia for free with orders over $35. They sell the yarn for $2.00 per ball.
Lion Brand is finally getting on board with sustainable yarns! Yay! One of them is their RE-UP recycled cotton worsted. It is made with 100% recycled cotton. It isn’t available in many colors yet, so hopefully they’ll start putting out more options soon.
Why I love it:
Texture: This is one of the softer recycled worsted weight yarns I’ve found so far.
Affordable: At $2.50 for 115 yards, this one fits nicely into any yarn budget.
Another really amazing DK weight cotton yarn is Stylecraft’s Naturals 100% Organic Cotton. You can find it on Lovecrafts.com which is one of my favorite places to buy sustainable yarn because the variety is so great. If my local yarn shops sold more organic and sustainable yarn I’d buy more locally. But when I can’t, my go-to is Lovecrafts.com.
Why I love it:
Texture: Buttery soft. I LOVE working with this ultra-soft yarn. It makes lovely soft toys and drapey lightweight garments.
Colors: 38 color choices! The color pallet for this line is beautiful – bright and soft colors alike.
Oh, how I do love a good macrame cord to crochet with. These cotton cords accentuate so vividly the beautiful crochet stitches. The yarn makes beautiful wall tapestries! BONUS SHOUT-OUT: Hoooked Spesso Chunky Cotton is another macrame cord that I love which is yard-for-yard even a little less expensive than Lion Brand’s and the roll comes with twice as much yarn for larger projects. Both are 100% recycled fibers.
Why I love it:
Fiber: I’ve used many macrame yarns over time; and all of them 100% cotton. But this one is 100% recycled!
Cascade Yarns has a lot of different wool options. I like this one because it is 100% Peruvian wool with no superwashing and no mulesing. It is available in 108 colors. Yes, you read that right – 108.
Why I love it:
Texture: This 100% Peruvian wool is appropriately soft for a wide range of projects & garments. I’ve found 100% wool products to be SO unpredictable on texture. And when buying online, this can be especially troubling. This one is wear-ably soft.
Another one for Lion Brand! I’m just so excited that one of the most well-known and accessible yarn suppliers is rapidly putting out new sustainable options. Have you ever made anything from 100% recycled plastic bottles? I hadn’t either until I made my Misty Peaks Throw Blanket with this yarn. It’s so soft and SO warm.
Why I love it:
Fiber: I’ve used a lot of recycled cotton, but this one intrigues me because it’s a recycled synthetic yarn – polyester.
Weight: You get a lot of yarn in this huge ball which is more uncommon with really chunky yarn.
I don’t mean to break the “under $10” rule, but for 478 yards!? This one totally counts. It’s a huge value for a huge ball of yarn. And this one is super special because it’s totally undyed! I love it for baskets and bags.
Why I love it:
UndyedColors: This 100% Peruvian wool is the color it was on the sheep itself! I love that. And there’s lots of different colors of sheep – it comes in an impressive 13 shades! They’re all beautiful neutrals and browns.
Value: For 478 yards, it just didn’t fit black and white into the “10 under $10” requirement. It comes in at just under $.06 per yard.
Last but not least on the list of my top 10 under $10 sustainable yarns is Lana Grossa Per Fortuna. This is a fun textured yarn that is super soft and great for accessories. It’s available in several bright colors and is fun to work with!
Why I love it:
Texture: I don’t do a lot with textured yarn, but this one still allows you to see the stitches so it makes it easier to work with than other textured yarns I’ve used.
Recycled& Organic: Made from organic and recycled fiber!
I might be considering putting out my second top 10 under $10 sustainable yarns list because there are so many. Let me know in the comments if you want more sustainable yarn recommendations and I’ll do it!
Wrap up
This article concludes my 6-part series Your Guide to Sustainable Crochet. I sincerely hope you’ve been inspired and have found that sustainable crochet is indeed do-able!
Please continue the discussion here in the comments and among your other crochet communities. Happy making!
So let’s get practical. Practical is practically my middle name. We’ve spent the last 4 parts of this 6-part series talking up, down and all around every angle of sustainable crochet. So how do we take all that important information and turn it into something that can be done about it? Here are 10 tips for sustainable crochet. Take one or take all; just take them and consider what you can do about your crochet to make your craft more sustainable.
As we talked about in part 2 and part 3 of this series, an important part of sustainable crochet is using sustainable yarn. The NUMBER ONE of my 10 tips for sustainable crochet is use sustainable yarn. Sustainable yarn means:
Natural, not synthetic – natural fibers are from plants and animals and include organic cotton (versus conventional cotton), wool, hemp, alpaca, camel, cashmere, llama, mink, mohair, silk, wool, yak, linen, bamboo, eucalyptus and banana. Natural fibers are renewable (plants, wool and hair grow back) and biodegradable. Avoid synthetic yarn including acrylic, polyester, nylon polyamide, elastic, microfiber, modal, rayon and spandex. Synthetic yarn are fossil-fuel fibers produced using coal-based and petroleum chemicals. They are toxic and do not biodegrade.
Recycled yarn of any fiber (natural or synthetic)
No superwash wool – superwash is a process that uses toxic chemicals and strips wool of all of it’s beautiful natural properties. It coats the wool is plastic resulting in a non-biodegradable fiber.
I’m not talking about yarn scraps that are left over from a working ball of yarn after a project is made (see number 3 for that!). I’m talking about the minuscule yarn snippets. Whether it’s snipping ends, or the last couple feet of a yarn ball that isn’t enough to make anything, save it! Put them in a jar and let them pile up. When you have enough, use them to stuff something like an amigurumi project or a pillow.
3. Use all yarn leftovers
Isn’t it so satisfying when you finish a project and you’ve gone through ALMOST the entire skein of yarn? It can be tempting to toss out that final yard or two, but use them up with one of these quick ideas instead:
Granny Square Collection – Make them all the same pattern, or mix it up. Use your leftovers to make a granny square. But do it straight away, right after you finish your project otherwise you may never do it! Collect the squares overtime and put together a blanket, a cardigan or a pillow case cover.
Jewelry – With a couple yards of yarn, you’ll have plenty to make a bracelet or necklace
Pom Poms – Hand-made pom poms add a special touch to gift-wrapping. They’re also great to add to bags, blankets or amigurumi embellishments. Check out my video in the free resource library for how to make a pom pom.
Embroidery – It doesn’t take much to add a some beautiful embroidery to a sweater, a pair of mittens or a hat.
Tassles, fringe, coasters, & more!
4. Make re-usable versions of everyday disposables
Think of things that you use and throw away in your everyday life. Can you crochet re-usable versions of these? Here are some ideas to get you thinking:
Re-usable Face Scrubbies/Make-up Removers – Made of 100% organic cotton, these can be washed and re-used over and over again. Plus, they gently exfoliate while they work.
Cup Cozy – You may not even think about it, but every person who orders a hot drink to-go ends up throwing away the cardboard cozy they give you. Make your own and bring it with you to the coffee shop.
Napkins & Hand Towels – Use crochet versus paper + they’re WAY cooler
Soap Saver – Instead of throwing out all the ends and broken bits of soap, keep them in a soap saver and you’ll have a bags worth of soap in no time.
5. Cut old fiber into strips for stuffing
It isn’t like how it used to be when it comes to thrift stores. When I was younger, many clothes in thrift stores had holes, paint and stains. Today if you try to donate those clothes the thrift store will throw them away. If your clothing doesn’t pass the donate test (which is: if you’d be too embarrassed to give it to a friend then don’t donate it), cut up the materials and use it for stuffing amigurumi, pillows or anything else that needs stuffed!
6. Frog old projects & re-use the yarn
If you’re like the rest of us, we have WIPs* and UFOs** floating around our house at all times. Just accept it… some of them will never be done. Frog them and give them a real life with a fresh project idea. They deserve it. *Work In Progress | **UnFinished Objects
7. Shop your stash first
There may be times when you have skeins of yarn without a purpose yet (see #9 to rectify this). Maybe one skein or maybe just a half; but instead of going out and buying more, use up what you have first. Make a fun color-block sweater, a colorful striped blanket or any kind of amigurumi.
Other ideas for using your up your stash are: granny squares, doll clothes, small baskets, and any one of the re-usable item suggestions from #4 above.
8. Make with intention
Probably a lesser thought about but just as important one in the line-up of my 10 tips for sustainable crochet is: make with intention. When you choose a crochet project be sure it actually has a purpose. Functional crochet is rewarding in and of itself. Something you’re going to use over and over again allows you to feel the pride and love behind it every time you pull it out.
One way to imagine your intention as you choose your projects is to visualize it’s entire lifecycle from fiber source to end-of-life. Is the fiber sustainably sourced? How long is its usable life? How often will it even get used? If you’re making a gift, is it something you know will even be used and appreciated by the recipient? At the end, will it biodegrade if it gets thrown away? Or, can it be recycled in the future? Avoid projects that have low life-expectancy and little function or use.
9. Plan projects and buy only for them
I know. You’re probably hovering your mouse over the “x” even now as you’re reading it. But think about it. What is the point of having bins and closets full of yarn that isn’t being used? Resist the urge to buy at every bargain yarn sale. You’ll end up buying yarn that you don’t actually love. You just love that it’s cheap. Instead, intentionally choose your project first and then go for the yarn that will make it perfect.
When I started buying yarn this way I found myself taking the purchase way more seriously. I choose my yarn more carefully and found myself being more picky and only choosing yarns that I truly loved. I always have several projects planned out ahead of time so I keep my eye out for the sales and buy the yarn for my planned projects before I need it immediately. I keep it in a mesh bag with a note on what it is for and be sure that I make it within a couple of months.
Furthermore, I keep the receipt with the yarn in case I change my mind about the project or change my mind about the yarn I want to use for that project. If the yarn no longer as an identified purpose, it gets returned.
10. Learn
Last but not least: LEARN. I cannot leave this one out. Being educated on sustainability and the impact we can have with the choices we make is so empowering. Understand what it means to be sustainable with your crochet and keep your eye out for fun new sustainable yarns to try! More and more textile companies are putting a stronger emphasis on sustainability (yay!) and we’re starting to see even major yarn brands start to put out recycled and other sustainable yarns. Which leads me to our final topic of the series…my top 10 under $10 sustainable yarns!
I’d love to hear your ideas in the comments! I’m always looking for more ways to make my crochet business more sustainable as well.
Emerging from the myriad of inspirational “slow movements” so purposefully making a statement these days, comes the slow yarn movement. And of course I’m a huge fan (surprise!). I’m a fan of all of them really – slow food, slow fashion, slow life, slow textiles. I’ve often thought I was always meant to have lived in the 1800’s. Maybe in a previous life I did.
The slow yarn movement is such an important step towards a more sustainable way of doing fiber arts – including crochet. After spending the first 3 parts of this series exploring all the challenges facing sustainable crochet, we’ll finally round the bend and spend the last 3 talking about the encouraging, fun and approachable ways to make our crochet more eco-friendly and sustainable.
What we’ll talk about in this article – part 4 of 6:
Craftivism
Craftsmanship
The 4 concepts behind the slow yarn movement (my interpretation)
Your empowerment
Craftivism
Creatively combining the spheres of craft and activism, comes craftivism. The term was coined by writer Besty Greer who gave it it’s definition which is, “craftivism is a way of looking at life where voicing opinions through creativity makes your voice stronger, your compassion deeper & your quest for justice more infinite.”
I love that so much.
We’ve talked a lot about the challenges surrounding sustainable crochet in the first 3 parts of this series. And as consumers we can feel like we can’t do anything about these daunting issues. We can feel helpless. But incredibly, you’re not helpless AT ALL. The ideals behind the slow yarn movement introduce a deep and rich way of looking at your craft in an intentional and meaningful way.
Every time we purchase something we make a vote. I vote for companies that respect their employees and treat them fairly. I vote for farmers that respect the earth and the marvelous natural resources it provides for us. I vote for suppliers who source fibers made from happy animals who are well cared for and treated with gratitude for the wool and hair they’re giving us. I vote for sustainable yarn.
Will you join me?
Let’s go on a joint quest to slow down and consider with intention, the importance of our craft. “Slow down and enjoy life. It’s not only the scenery you miss by going too fast – you also miss the sense of where you are going and why.” – Eddie Cantor
This is our evolution from crafters to craftivists.
Craftsmanship [krafts-mun-ship] noun
1) the art or skill of a craftsperson 2) the quality of being well-crafted or well-built 3) the product or result of skilled labor or craft
You are a craftsman
Crochet isn’t just a hobby, it’s a skill used by a craftsperson. You.
And if you asked me (which you sort of are because you’re reading this), it’s so much more than that. You’re investing your intrinsic resources into your craft: time + money + emotional energy. These things are extremely valuable. So put a pin in this one and keep the concept of craftsmanship front and center as we move forward in this conversation.
Fast Fashion
How many times have you purchased a $29 dollar sweater from a big-box department store and held it lovingly in your hands and thought, “wow, this sweater is so well crafted.”
Yea, me neither. Because it’s not.
That sweater was made by massive machines working at top speed, using the cheapest fabric, in a factory emitting massive amounts of pollutants, being manned by workers who are being exploited and shipped across the seas for us to buy for “40% off”.
And all for what? So we can buy cheap, trendy clothing and look cute for the next 6-12 months until the next trend comes out and then we’re at it again. And the last outfit ultimately ends up in the landfill. It’s kind of embarrassing really. And most of us didn’t even stop to think about it until 2013 when the Rana Plaza clothing factory in Bangladesh collapsed and killed over 1,100 workers and injured thousands more. It gave us a sobering reality check about what is really behind all of these cheap new clothes.
I could go on about fast fashion because there’s SO MUCH to understand about it including how it started and it’s devastating implications. But this isn’t an article about fast fashion, it’s an article about slow yarn. I just wanted to set the stage so you can understand the heart of the slow yarn movement.
The Slow Yarn Movement
But you. You are a crafter. You are a craftsman. You spend hours performing a skilled labor to make something special and beautiful for you or someone you care about. As a crocheter, you’re already geared towards much of the emphasis behind slow yarn because you take the time to hand-make rather than buy new, which in and of itself forces you to physically slow down and be intentional about something.
“Slow yarn” is the antithesis of fast fashion. It is about the journey, not the destination. The emphasis of the slow yarn movement is that it’s the process that matters just as much as the actual product.
Here is my personal take on the slow yarn movement because, why not? Nobody owns the definition of it, right?
Mindful sourcing of sustainable, eco-friendly materials
Intentional making; only choosing high quality projects you love
Embracing the imperfect adventure of it
Connecting with others through your craft
1. Mindful sourcing of sustainable, eco-friendly materials
Knowing the story behind the yarn you’re using will allow you to connect with your project in a more meaningful way. Think about the process your yarn has gone through to get where it is today, in your hands. First it was grown by an animal or plant. Then, those raw materials were gathered by someone. Next, the fiber was spun and dyed. And now you, turning it into fabric.
Your craft has deep roots – literally and historically. The project you’re making is rooted in the history of crochet and rooted in the raw materials you’re pulling through your fingers. The history of our craft, the fiber you are using, and now you, are all connected in this way.
2. Intentional making
How many hours does it take you, on average, to complete a project? I know the answer is elusive because every project is different, but my point is – a lot of hours. And you spent your money on the materials to make it. AND, you’re going to be experiencing happiness, frustration <probably>, love, and maybe a little nostalgia while you make it.
And this is probably “extra” time you could be spending doing countless other things.
The idea behind ‘intentional making’ is to keep all this in mind while you choose your projects. Choosing projects that will be fun and enjoyable to you is super important even if you’re making it as a gift. Also, being intentional about choosing quality yarn and crafting in a way that will ensure the end product will last for years.
The toys I’ve made my kids have lasted being played with by my son, his precious little BFF neighbor friends who are at our house almost every day, and now, my one year old daughter. And not one of them has fallen apart. NOT ONE. I certainly can’t say the same for many of his other store-bought toys. And I’ve loved making every one of them because he and I spent time together choosing fibers and colors that make us both happy and excited about how it’s going to turn out. Every one of them was made with intention.
So, don’t let bore, obligation, stress or deadlines zap you from the enjoyment you experience while you are crocheting. If you didn’t love crochet, you wouldn’t do it, right? So make every project meaningful whether it’s for you or someone else.
3. Embracing the imperfect adventure of it
Allow yourself to be completely absorbed into your crochet. Whether you’re following a pattern or designing something from scratch, you are giving life to something that is going to serve a purpose for someone. It’s taking on a life of its own with unique fibers, the specific tension of your stitches and the intention you are putting into it. Embrace the uniqueness of your project and learn to admire the odd stitch that seems out of place 20 rows back.
You may be learning new techniques as you go along. If you’re not, then try a project that will challenge you and teach you something new! Don’t be afraid to go out of your comfort zone and try something totally different. I used to have a major phobia about making clothes. I was so worried that I would spend all this time, money and energy on something that wouldn’t fit, wouldn’t last, wouldn’t be awesome. I was great at making toys, so I stuck with that full stop.
Finally I got frustrated about my fear and decided to go for it. And you know what? The second piece of clothing I ever made/designed is now one of my best selling patterns. What a reward! I love that other people are now getting to find enjoyment in it too…all because I decided to go out of my comfort zone and try something I didn’t think I would like or be good at.
4. Connecting with others through your craft
Crocheting in community is a rich part of our craft. Everyone has a thoughtful story about how they learned (from your grandma?). Everyone has something different they love making – baskets, blankets, body parts! So many different ages, stories, beliefs, life perspectives. I love it so much. It’s one of those hobbies where sometimes we have literally nothing in common with a fellow hooker except our love of crochet – and that is what brings us together. Otherwise, we may never have met. And that is a beautiful thing.
These days we have the benefit of the internet to connect with others that enjoy crochet. You can find facebook groups to engage with and follow crochet related pages on instagram. Facebook groups can even be used to find people locally who are looking to connect with people in person to crochet together.
You can take a class at many local hobby stores or simply walk into a yarn store and get to know your local yarn suppliers. There are so many different ways to connect with other crocheters, knitters and fiber artists.
We even connect with those to whom we gift our projects. It is an expression of love. No one ever took the time to crochet a gift for someone they didn’t like. “I hate you. Here’s a handmade blanket,” said no crocheter ever. I’ve been the recipient of several hand-made gifts by people I don’t even know that well. It instantly connected me with them because I understand what they put into that gift for me.
Slowing down is a power move
The slow yarn movement is an ideal that encourages us to use our craft as a way of challenging the typical fast-paced way that so easily draws us in. As craftsmen and craftswomen, we are thoughtfully appreciating every aspect of our skill and what it produces.
Slow down and be conscientious about the votes you are making when you purchase your materials. Slow down and enjoy the relaxing benefits of making. Slow down the impacts being made by the textile industry by choosing sustainable, high quality materials that will last for years to come.
Use your voice to speak through your creativity, deepen your compassion and slow down in order to appreciate yourself and others. Never underestimate the power of these simple, but impactful choices. Now, you are a craftivist.
You could spend DAYS researching the highly controversial topic of cotton. And believe me, I HAVE. How it’s grown. How much water it requires. How much processing it requires. How much pesticides are used. How the farmers are treated. And pickers are treated. And all of these things are important topics when choosing your cotton. I know this because at least 75% of my projects use 100% cotton. So I am VERY careful about the cotton I choose. So let’s explore the cotton conundrum: organic vs conventional cotton.
What we’ll talk about in this article – part 3 of 6:
Conventional cotton is fraught with issues. In this article, we examine those issues and talk about alternative cotton yarn options.
Overview of the 5 major challenges involving the production of conventional cotton
What makes organic cotton more sustainable
Yarn certifications and what they stand for
Organic isn’t the only alternative…
Untangling the proverbial cotton knot
Cotton certainly has a dubious past. The cotton industry was built on the backs of almost 2 million slaves that were forced to work the American cotton fields in the 19th century. Today, cotton is the most abundantly produced natural textile. It is grown in over 80 countries and makes up 30% of global textile production. Much has been done to clean-up cotton’s reputation over the last 150 years. And after more than 30 years since the infamous jingle came out, cotton is still “the fabric of our lives.”
And it’s true – cotton certainly is an absolutely amazing fiber. It’s affordable, it’s versatile, it’s super tough, it’s natural, soft and non-irritating. Cotton is biodegradable and completely renewable in and of itself. It can be recycled and even made into paper. It is clearly understandable why cotton is so important. And way back when, organic vs conventional cotton wasn’t even on the radar.
But as with most things that make a huge amount of money, it has come at a cost. Let’s consider those costs.
After the amount of time I’ve spent reading about the topic of cotton production, I’ve run across a lot of material where I struggle with probable bias coming from the source or author. I referenced the cottonupguide.org for a lot of information I’m going to present to you. I highly recommend checking them out if you’re interested in digging deeper into the topic of cotton! They present straight forward information and are all about helping the conventional cotton industry become more sustainable.
Win-Win.
Here are 5 major challenges involving the production of conventional cotton
When mismanaged, cotton can use and pollute huge amounts of water
When not grown sustainably, cotton can use a significant amount of pesticides and petroleum based fertilizers which contribute to water pollution, decreased soil fertility, contribute to greenhouse gas emissions, and have harmful effects on human health
Over 60% of cotton is grown by smallholder cotton farmers in developing countries who are stuck in the cycle of poverty due to low pay and high debt; debt caused by several market factors including high input costs for seeds, pesticides and fertilizers
Child and forced labor is still used on cotton farms in 18 countries including several of the top producer nations. Fortunately, the USA bans the import of cotton from known countries
When mismanaged, cotton farming can lead to land clearing, soil erosion, contamination and loss of soil biodiversity
Fortunately, all of these challenges have viable solutions! There are many sustainability programs that are working towards addressing these issues and raising the standards for cotton production.
Is organic cotton the only answer?
In short, no. But it is probably the most straight forward answer to the cotton conundrum. Why? Because when you choose organic cotton you automatically know that it was grown without harmful pesticides and fertilizers which in turn leave the soil, air, water and workers free from contaminates that cause them harm. It also produces less CO2 than conventional cotton and uses far less water to grow because organic cotton farmers use more rain than irrigation. Also, organic is always non-GMO.
Although organic certainly isn’t synonymous with fair trade, trade justice and environmental justice are very intertwined. Over half of all Fair Trade Certified products imported into the USA are also organic. So buying organic vs conventional cotton means there’s a much higher chance that you’re buying something that was made by a worker that was treated fairly. Here’s a great resource from Fairtrade America that talks about how fairtrade and organic farming go hand-in-hand.
Certifications
I spoke about the following certifications in part 2 of our series – the nemesis of sustainable crochet: yarn. But we’re still talking about yarn and it definitely applies to the cotton conundrum, so I’m going to talk about them again here in case you missed it before. Finding cotton yarns with any of these certifications is one powerful way to ensure you’re buying sustainable cotton.
GOTS certified yarn
Look for yarn that is GOTS certified. The Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) is the worldwide leading textile processing standard for organic fibers. I highly respect this certification because it’s requirements are extensive – beginning with the harvesting of the raw materials, and continuing through the processing, manufacturing, packaging, labeling, trading and distribution of the textiles. You can read the entire 33 page standard manual here.
Personally, I sort of consider the GOTS certification the golden ticket to choosing sustainable cotton yarn. It basically takes all the issues with conventional cotton and solves them. Well, I guess it doesn’t SOLVE them, but it assures you that the cotton yarn you’re about to buy wasn’t a culprit in any of the major challenges above.
OEKO-TEX certified yarn
OEKO-TEX consists of 17 independent research and test institutes in Europe and Japan who work together to develop test methods for the textile and leather industry. Their goal is to create trust in textiles through increased product safety, sustainable production and transparency. They have several different certifications that a textile can achieve.
Their most well known certification is their OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100 which means that the textile has been tested for harmful substances and is harmless for human health. In my opinion, that’s a start, but certainly doesn’t hit the mark for me when it comes to choosing a fully sustainable cotton yarn.
I’m more impressed by their OEKO-TEX MADE IN GREEN certification which not only assures that the textile is made of materials that have been tested for harmful substances, but also assures that the yarn has been manufactured in environmentally friendly facilities under safe and socially responsible working conditions. Also, that the supply chain is traceable and transparent. Check, check and check.
Fair Trade Certified
The principles surrounding fair trade ensure that the people and the planet are put first. The Fair Trade certification means the yarn supplier meets standards regarding safe working conditions, environmental protection, and sustainable livelihoods.
Unfortunately, you’ll be hard-pressed to find easily accessible sustainable yarn suppliers that are registered as Fair Trade certified. They are out there, but I’m not going to lie – for me, it just isn’t practical. And practical crochet is my thing. I want to provide you with options that are sustainable AND accessible.
Fair trade in its own right, however, is a model that can be followed even without the official certification process. And you can definitely find sustainable yarn suppliers that are committed to the principles surrounding fair trade.
Recycled Cotton Yarn
Recycled cotton is another impressive option for sustainable and eco-friendly yarn. It is made of post-industrial or post-consumer cotton waste. Cotton recycling uses an eco-conscious production process as well. It conserves resources, saves water, doesn’t involve harmful substances and reduces carbon dioxide emissions. Recycled cotton is usually made out of textile articles that were bound for the landfill so it also reduces waste!
Put a little elbow grease into it…
You can also research the companies themselves. Many sustainable yarn companies place a high emphasis on where they source their yarn, how workers are treated and how the yarn is processed, but may not officially hold certifications.
Think about walking down the aisles of your local farmers market. Most of the home-grown products don’t have tags or fancy certifications, but are excellent in every regard. Send emails, ask questions, get to know the companies that you are “voting” for with your dollar. Brand trust.
The moral of the yarn story is…
Know where it’s coming from and how it was produced. Sustainable yarns include yarns that are natural, biodegradable, non-toxic and sourced ethically. If you’re willing to do the research, you can easily find companies that are producing eco-friendly and sustainable yarn. Don’t worry if you don’t have time – I will serve you up several of them in part 6 of this series when I give you my top 10 under $10 sustainable yarns (hint: several of them are cotton!).
I have agonized over the moment of finding THE PERFECT color I need for a project and faced with the fact that it isn’t an eco-friendly or sustainable yarn. I have clicked the “add to cart” button. But then I think about the people and I think about the land. No yarn is perfect enough to disregard the worker, the animal or the land that was used to produce it. Not one.
Whew! We’re half way through the series and we’ve just wrapped up the final battle scene starring conventional vs organic cotton! Now, we get to turn a corner and spend the next 3 articles talking about encouraging, fun, thought-provoking, accessible ways to sustainable crochet forever!
Coming up in part 4 of this series: “from crafter to craftivist: an overview of the slow yarn movement”.
Did you know that in America alone, over 40 million people knit or crochet? That’s a lot of yarn. Unfortunately, the nemesis of sustainable crochet is yarn. There is a huge amount of controversy around almost every angle surrounding sustainable yarn, but there are a few undeniable issues that we need to talk about, so we will stick to those in this article.
What we’ll talk about in this article – part 2 of 6:
The top 5 challenges and solutions involving yarn and it’s production processes:
Challenge #1: Synthetic vs. natural yarn
Challenge #2: How yarn is enhanced – dye & superwash
Challenge #3: How the people are treated – the ethics
Challenge #4: How the animals are treated – the ethics
Challenge #5: How the earth is treated – the ethics
The challenges
I used to work for a major corporate bank. Rather than referring to things as “problems”, they used the term “opportunities”. I actually love that. It’s such a mind-shift way of looking at something that would otherwise seem futile. By looking at a challenging situation as an opportunity makes solutions to the problems seem achievable. It takes a lot of the power out of it when you simply refer to it using a term that implies positivity.
That’s how I look at this situation with yarn. There are many challenges that face the reality of fully sustainable crochet… all of them opportunities to do it better. And all of them have achievable solutions or accessible alternatives. I will address the five biggest challenges and offer solutions to each.
Let’s dive in.
Challenge #1: Synthetic vs. Natural Yarn
By far, the biggest issue surrounding crochet and all fiber arts, is the fiber. Yarn type is segmented between natural (cotton, wool, hemp, etc) and artificial/synthetic/man-made (acrylic, polyester, nylon, etc).
The most common yarn you find in craft stores is acrylic which is an artificial fossil-fuel fiber produced using coal-based and petroleum chemicals. It is cheap, low-quality and toxic to the people who make it. Other synthetic yarns include nylon, polyester, polyamide, elastic, microfiber, modal, rayon, and spandex. Synthetic yarn is not eco-friendly or sustainable because it is made from man-made fibers using resources that cannot be sustained forever and are not biodegradable. The processing of these fibers is often highly hazardous to the workers who produce it and to the earth by pollution.
So what kind of sustainable yarn should we use instead?
NaturalYarn: There is a huge assortment of natural yarn. Animal fibers include but are not limited to: alpaca, camel, cashmere, llama, mink, mohair, silk, wool and yak. Plant fibers include but are not limited to: cotton, hemp, linen, bamboo, eucalyptus, and banana.
Natural yarn made of plants is sustainable because plants grow back constantly. Natural yarn made of animal hair is sustainable because they continue to re-grow their hair. Natural fibers are biodegradable, meaning they will break down easily into the earth and do not leave behind toxic waste.
With natural fiber, however, we definitely need to take into consideration whether or not the plants or animals were grown and treated in a respectable way and how the yarn is processed. We’ll talk about that next.
Recycled yarn: In addition to natural yarn, there is another exciting kind of sustainable yarn – recycled. Recycled yarn (also called upcycled) may (or may not) be made from synthetic materials, but keeps those materials out of landfills and oceans and gives them a second life. There are recycled yarns in almost every fiber you can think of – both natural and synthetic.
The only time you’ll find me using a synthetic yarn or stuffing is if it is recycled. I don’t love that it had to be made in the first place, but I love that I’m re-using it instead of it going to the waste pile!
And guess what…there is a certification for that! Recycled Claim Standard (RCS) and The Global Recycled Standard (GRS) are voluntary standards that are available for yarn sourcing companies to participate in. In order to be considered GRS, a company must use verified recycled materials (pre-consumer or post-consumer), meet responsible production criteria including social and environmental processing requirements and chemical restrictions, as well as other requirements.
It is important to know that there are many recycled yarns out there that don’t hold the official certification. I personally believe that is 100% okay. One of my favorite yarn brands – Hoooked – whose entire ethos surrounds recycled and plant-based yarns, doesn’t hold the GRS certification but I still trust the brand entirely.
GOTS certified yarn: Look for yarn that is GOTS certified. The Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) is the worldwide leading textile processing standard for organic fibers. I highly respect this certification because it’s requirements are extensive – beginning with the harvesting of the raw materials, and continuing through the processing, manufacturing, packaging, labeling, trading and distribution of the textiles. You can read the entire 33 page standard manual here.
Personally, I sort of consider the GOTS certification the golden ticket to choosing sustainable yarn. It basically takes all the issues we talk about in this article and solves them. Well, I guess it doesn’t SOLVE them, but it assures you that the yarn you’re about to buy wasn’t a culprit in any of the challenges we talk about here.
Challenge #2: How yarn is enhanced – dye & superwash
Dye
Many dyes (both synthetic and natural) require an additive – also called a mordant – in order for the dye to bind to the yarn. Many mordants contain toxic heavy metals which can be highly carcinogenic. Honestly, the only 100% eco-friendly choice regarding dye is to choose non-dyed yarn.
GASP. I know, it just isn’t realistic.
There are two approachable solutions to the yarn dye challenge:
1) Choose yarns that are OEKO-TEX certified
OEKO-TEX consists of 17 independent research and test institutes in Europe and Japan who work together to develop test methods for the textile and leather industry. Their goal is to create trust in textiles through increased product safety, sustainable production and transparency. They have several different certifications that a textile can achieve.
Their most well known certification is their OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100 which means that the textile has been tested for harmful substances and is harmless for human health. In my opinion, that’s a start, but certainly doesn’t hit the mark for me when it comes to choosing a sustainable yarn.
I’m more impressed by their OEKO-TEX MADE IN GREEN certification which not only assures that the textile is made of materials that have been tested for harmful substances, but also assures that the product has been manufactured in environmentally friendly facilities under safe and socially responsible working conditions. Also, that the supply chain is traceable and transparent. Love it.
2) Choose recycled yarns
Recycled yarns carry with them the color of the previously dyed fabric they are made from. Most recycled yarns are made with sustainability in mind, so they aren’t dyed again.
Superwash
Why did it have to happen that we took a beautifully sustainable and eco-friendly yarn (WOOL) and totally ruin it? Superwash wool yarns are not sustainable. Period. We took something that was totally biodegradable and coated it in plastic.
Why did they do it? Because wool shrinks and that’s not very convenient now, is it? It shrinks because it felts. Wool has tiny scales that grab onto each other when they are rubbed together. The scales on wool are THE things that make wool so magic! The benefits of wool that we’ve all come to know and love include but are not limited to: warmth, moisture wicking, fire resistant, odor resistant, stain resistant, UV resistant.
And most of these benefits are achieved by the presence of the magic scales. But these awesome little scales do not behave well when we want to wash and dry the fabric in the machine because, again, when they are rubbed together (which happens vigorously in the washer and dryer), they grab onto each other which shrinks the fabric – felting.
Felting is a fun fiber art in and of itself, but felting is trouble when it comes to yarn if we want something to be machine-washable and shrink-resistant. So, the powers that be decided to come up with a process to deal with these clever little scales, so the wool would become machine washable and dry-able. Unfortunately, when this process is done, we also say bye-bye to all the above said natural benefits of the fiber AND make it non-sustainable in the process.
Enter: SUPERWASH.
To achieve a washable wool that doesn’t felt, you can either get rid of the scales or coat them in something which prevents them from grabbing onto each other. Most superwash techniques do both via the Chlorine-Hercosett process. During this process the fiber is chlorinated with chlorine gas or a chlorine acid bath, followed by the application of a polymer plastic resin (usually Hercosett 125) to coat the fibers. This process uses far more water and energy than traditionally processed wools and the hazardous chemicals create toxic waste. Also, now, every time that great machine-washable wool garment is washed, it sheds some of that toxic coating into our water supply.
You can read all about the chemical process of superwash wool, but the point is that it alters the fiber, masking all its beautifully natural characteristics making it non-sustainable, all while polluting the earth. Boo.
We love superwash because it “enhances” the wool in 3 main ways: makes it machine washable and dryable, makes it take dye beautifully because those pesky waxy scales are not trying to repel it, and it makes the wool softer because those scales are flattened and coated.
But is it really worth it?
So much of the reason why we crochet beautiful garments with wool is because we inherently know how amazing the fabric is. But when you buy superwash wool, all of these things go out the window with the toxic superwash muck.
So how do we address the superwash challenge?
1) Avoid buying superwash wool
When you buy wool, pass up the ones that involve “superwash”. You’re probably investing hours into making that gorgeous wool garment – isn’t it worth it to spend 10 minutes hand-washing it and laying it out to dry in order keep the beautiful properties of it’s wool fabric? Probably.
2) There are some newer alternative superwash processes
If you insist on buying superwash, there are some positive advancements being made to introduce more eco-friendly and sustainable ways of doing it. I’m still not the biggest fan of it either way since no matter what it requires extra processing which equals extra energy and resources. AND, no matter what it still ruins the super special properties of natural wool.
BUT, if you insist, here are 2 more sustainable superwash processes to keep your eye out for:
EXP Process: “EXP” stands for EX-Pollution. Instead of chlorine, this process uses natural salts as the oxidizing agent to remove the scales, and then adds polymer patches on the surface of the yarn to make it machine washable. The “ecological” polymer is still suspect, but it’s supposedly more eco-friendly than the traditional ones used in the Chlorine-Hercosett process. EXP is also the first wool finishing process to meet the GOTS standards which is encouraging.
Naturetexx Plasma Process: Designed for merino wool, this technology uses only air and plasma to modify the wool. Powered by renewable energy, this process sounds totally and sublimely sci-fi. On their website they describe the process as follows,
“A plasma field is generated by discharging a voltage between two electrodes in a special machine. Carefully prepared wool passes through the plasma field where electrons and ions in the plasma interact with the wool fibre. They alter the friction profile of the fibre surface, removing the normal felting effect of untreated wool.”
Cool, huh? This Naturetexx Plasma process is both GOTS certified and OEKO-TEX certified!
Unfortunately there’s no clear labeling when one of these alternative processes are used. But, if the title involves “superwash” AND the yarn is labeled GOTS certified, you can be sure it was processed using an alternative, more sustainable superwash method.
Challenge #3: How the people are treated – the ethics
The textile industry is one of the largest economic markets in the world, generating $450 billion and employing over 25 million people around the world. Fair labor is a massive social justice issue that is rampant in many industries – and the textile industry is no exception. Shockingly, only $3 billion of that $450 billion in revenue is considered fair trade or environmentally stable.
At a more micro-level, the textile yarn market is valued at $12 billion. It is very intertwined with the general textile industry, where there is a huge focus on the actual creation of garments versus the making of the yarn. The issues surrounding the textile industry are largely due to fast fashion and the increasing demand of cheaply made, and constantly evolving trendy apparel. More on slow fashion and the slow yarn movement later in series part 4.
In the massive textile industry, sweatshops are still rampant. Workers are obligated to work 10-18 hours per day for very low pay. They work in unhealthy conditions where they are exposed to toxic materials in unventilated areas. They also endure debilitating overuse injuries because of poor ergonomics and eye strain. The exploitation is devastating.
And don’t even get me started on the topic of women in the textile industry where they are paid even less and are victim to more extreme physical and verbal abuse than men. Many of them receive no grace for maternity needs.
And although much of this isn’t technically forced labor, employees stay in these horrific conditions because opportunity is scarce in developing countries and they need to keep any job that will provide for their families.
In the US we are fortunate enough to have strict labor laws, and several other countries do as well. Many countries have labor laws but little accountability for enforcement. And still in most countries, there are no regulations and certainly no enforcement of fair labor.
So, what is there to be done about it?
Yarn + Fair Trade
In short, fair trade is an approach to trading where there is a partnership between producers + traders and businesses + consumers. The principles surrounding fair trade ensure that the people and the planet are put first. There is a Fair Trade certification that can be earned, but you’ll be hard-pressed to find easily accessible sustainable crochet yarn suppliers that are registered as Fair Trade certified. They are out there, but I’m not going to lie – for me, it just isn’t practical. And practical crochet is my thing. I want to provide you with options that are sustainable AND accessible.
Fair trade in its own right, however, is a model that can be followed even without the official certification process. And you can definitely find sustainable yarn suppliers that are committed to the principles surrounding fair trade (as seen in the colorful image above). The Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) certification which we talked about earlier, is more readily found in the yarn world (organic yarn) and has clear criteria around fair treatment of workers in order to earn their certification. This is probably the most black and white way of ensuring the yarn you’re buying was produced with respect for the workers who made it.
You can also research the companies themselves. Many sustainable yarn companies place a high emphasis on where they source their yarn, how workers are treated and how the yarn is processed, but may not officially hold certifications in these areas. For example, Rowan is a company I use for sourcing some of my 100% cotton DK. And although they aren’t certified fair trade or even certified organic, I know they only source their fibers from companies that place a high importance on the ethics surrounding how the people, animals and land are treated, so I feel good about using the yarn I buy from them.
Challenge #4: How the animals are treated – the ethics
Wool is the most popular yarn made from animal fiber. Although wool is an amazing and sustainable fiber, there are important ethical considerations to be made when you choose what wool sustainable yarn you will use.
Most of the world’s wool comes from Australia where, unfortunately, a process called “mulesing” hasn’t been legally prohibited. The most commonly raised sheep in Australia are merinos who have been bred to have wrinkly skin so that they produce more wool; more skin = more wool. This wrinkly skin collects urine, dung, and moisture which attracts flies who lay their eggs in these folds of skin. The eggs hatch into maggots who then eat the sheep’s skin, often leading to death. This infestation is called “flystrike”.
In order to prevent flystrike, the ranchers perform a horrific procedure – often without painkillers – where they restrain a sheep upside down and carve large chunks of skin away from the sheep’s rear-end with metal shears when they are lambs between 2-10 weeks old. This procedure is called mulesing and is an incredibly painful mutiliation. Mulesing is an attempt to make the sheep’s skin smoother and not grow wool around the hind end in order to lessen the threat of flystrike. But even so, many sheep still become infested with maggots and die.
Because of the issues with flystrike, some veterinary associations in Australia recognize the benefits of mulesing to the welfare of the sheep, but doing it without the use of painkillers is simply unacceptable. There are alternative ways of dealing with flystrike that don’t involve mutilating the animal. The most profound of them being to choose to farm more flystrike resistant, plain bodied sheep without skin wrinkles versus sheep that have been purposefully bred for unnaturally wrinkly skin in order to increase wool yield.
Another option is dagging (aka crutching) where the wool around the tail and between the legs of the sheep is sheared more often to prevent it from getting mucked up with urine and poo which is what attracts the flies. Also, they can be spray washed to keep them cleaner.
When you buy wool, ensure it is non-mulesed. Australia is the only country in the world where mulesing is practiced but there are definitely merino farmers in Australia that produce non-mulesed wool – so just make sure you know before you buy! If you see on the label that the wool was sourced from Australia but doesn’t specify it is from non-mulesed sheep, they are likely to have undergone this barbaric procedure.
And again, if the the wool is GOTS certified, you know its non-mulesed and good to go.
Challenge #5: How the earth is treated – the ethics
Second to oil, the textile industry is one of the largest contributors to harmful environmental effects. Mass produced synthetic yarns like acrylic and polyester use chemicals, oil and energy to a degree that is not ecologically sustainable. These yarns are also not biodegradable, giving them a big strikethrough on the list of sustainable crochet yarns.
Conventional cotton, when not managed well, is also suspect on the list of sustainable yarn due to its effect on the land. Even though it is natural and fully biodegradable, the amount of water, pesticides and insecticides used to grow conventional cotton can contaminate the earth and kill massive amounts of biodiversity in the soil. The topic of cotton is so important that I’ve dedicated the entire next post in this series to it so I will leave it at that for now.
Now that you know all about the ethical issues with how sheep are treated, you should also know about the impacts sheep farming has on the planet. Raising sheep for wool has contributed to an unhealthy amount of land clearing – cutting down trees to make room for grazing, which causes erosion and a decrease in biodiversity.
Also, sheep – like cows – release significant amounts of methane gas into the atmosphere. In Australia and New Zealand, where huge flocks of sheep are raised, the amount of manure generated by them has significantly contributed to greenhouse gases over the past 250 years.
As you can see, even natural fibers create challenges in the sustainable yarn world.
So, where do we go from here?
I feel like I need to look at you and say, “take heart.”
Because right now we’re at that point in the movie where everything is coming to a climax and the outlook seems grim. At this point are you thinking, “so is there even one sustainable yarn that is going to make the cut?” The answer is an enthusiastic, “YES!”
I know there’s a lot to learn. I commend you for doing the work to become educated. And I don’t mean that in an arrogant way, whatsoever. I certainly didn’t know all this stuff when I started to crochet – and I’m constantly learning more all the time.
“Education is for improving the lives of others and for leaving your community and world better than you found it.”
Marian Wright Edelman
This seems like a fitting truth for our topic. Being educated and knowing about the challenges surrounding sustainable yarn is the first step to being empowered to make better choices when it comes to selecting our materials. And this leads me directly into our next topic – and I promise, it’s the last battle scene before the hero enters the picture!
Coming up in part 3 of this series: “the cotton conundrum: organic vs. conventional cotton”.
By now, you’ve probably heard the term “handmade is better” or “handmade is best.” I agree! But handmade used to be a way of life – everyone’s way of life. It wasn’t “better”, it was “if you want pants, you’re wearing what I make you.” Well that’s not the case any longer. Gone are the days of hand-making everything from clothes to curtains. Nowadays, if you hand-make, you’re doing it by choice, not out of necessity. And with that choice, you also have the luxury of being able to make the INTENTIONAL choice to be more eco-friendly and sustainable. Want to know why and how? Consider this your guide to eco-friendly & sustainable crochet.
It might sound daunting, but I’ve decided to break this topic up into a 6-part series.
What we’ll talk about in this article (part 1 of 6):
What is sustainability?
What is sustainable crochet?
Why go sustainable?
What is sustainability?
So let’s define what we’re talking about here since understanding exactly what our definition of sustainability is builds the foundation of this entire 6-part series on sustainable crochet.
Sustainable: able to be maintained indefinitely Eco-friendly: not harmful to the environment Eco-conscious: environmentally aware; sensitive to environmental impact Crochet: a handicraft in which yarn is made up into a patterned fabric by looping yarn with a hooked needle
Eco-friendly and eco-conscious refer specifically to the direct effects of something on our planet and the environment. The ethos of sustainability is much more broad and is all about meeting our needs now without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs; which fully encompasses the ideas of eco-friendly and eco-conscious. Given this, moving forward, I will use varying forms of the term “sustainable”, with the understanding that eco-friendly & eco-conscious are therein implicit.
What is sustainable crochet?
By now you might be thinking, “duh, I know what sustainability is… but what does crochet have to do with it?”
Chances are, if you’re reading this article, you are a crafter. And in it’s own way, crafting is a form of being more eco-conscious by hand-making versus buying new. But there’s more to the story. Crochet. Yarn. Environmental resources maintained indefinitely…
Can you see where we’re going with this?
The textile yarn market is a subgroup of the global textile market which is fraught – and I mean FRAUGHT – with horrific problems, all of which directly threaten the reality of sustainability. I talk a lot more about this in part 2 of this series.
Aside from understanding the sad realities and statistics regarding the global textile industry, we have the power to make conscious decisions surrounding how we make our crochet and what we make it with. The materials we choose are CENTRAL to this discussion but it moves even further than that. We will also be talking about how to use our craft to make things that help us and those around us live a more sustainable lifestyle.
It’s important for me to help you understand that going sustainable in your crochet hobby or business choices is 100% do-able. I do not want to ignore the fact that there is this mindset that many people would be priced-out of the art of crochet if they didn’t buy dirt cheap acrylic and synthetic yarns. I challenge that head-on. And I would love the opportunity to show you that it can be done. It not only can be done, it should be done.
Why go sustainable?
Sustainability. Eco-friendly. Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past decade, you’ve heard about the importance of these things. The point is, not all of the resources we use on a daily basis are sustainable and over-using them is about to make things suck for us here on earth.
The cold hard truth is that the decisions we are making today will affect those in the future. And like I said before, this is the ethos of sustainability. We have to face it. We as humans are causing problems. Big problems. So, believe it or not, we as humans are the only ones who are going to be able to do anything about it. Why go sustainable? Because that’s your way of doing something about it. I think that’s all we need to say about that.
So if you take anything from this article, know this: going sustainable in our crochet is critical and achievable. And if you stick with me for this entire 6 part series, I’ll be shocked if at the end of it you disagree.
Please join the discussion and let me know what you think in the comments! This is such an important topic and I’m open to ALL perspectives. I’d love to have a welcoming and peaceful conversation with ya’ll about it, so chime in!
