Ethical Yarn Directory
What makes a ‘Real Good Yarn’? This ethical yarn directory has been compiled as a result of conversations with suppliers, recommendations and online research. It details yarn suppliers who take extra steps to care for animals, people and the environment. I don’t audit the suppliers and there’s no standard certification process. I suspect that as I learn more about the ethics of the world of wool and yarn that the listings will change. I certainly hope that a lot more suppliers of ‘real good’ yarn will be added.
I am currently offering a FREE Premium Listing to suppliers who are taking extra steps to care for their animals, the planet and/or the people involved in the production of their yarns. A Premium Listing allows for them to add their ‘real good’ credentials as well as photos to their listings
If you have any specific questions or want to find out more about a particular yarn then please contact the supplier directly. If you know of suppliers that I should add to the directory then please let me know.
I hope you enjoy your exploration of Real Good Yarns.
Eco Stitch
Here at Eco-stitch we have decided to concentrate on one beautiful natural fibre, linen from the flax plant. We source this vegan, eco-friendly yarn from just over the Channel, where flax is grown along the coastal areas between Normandy in France and Amsterdam in Holland. The world's best quality flax comes from this region, where the ideal climate means that it doesn't require any irrigation or herbicide, making it one the the least resource-intensive crops in the world.
From planting to harvest, it only takes 100 days to grow, during which time the rain, groundwater and dew is enough to cover its water requirements. The subsequent processing uses very little energy, since it is mainly mechanical.
We hand-dye our yarn on the Isle of Wight using low-impact, non-toxic dyes. The main base we use is a sport weight which can also be knitted/crocheted as a DK weight. We have recently introduced a new range called LinenNaturals, which is dyed on a natural yarn base, the natural colour of linen being silver-beige.
Linen is a very durable and versatile fibre. It can be used to make accessories and garments alike, which will last for a very long time.