Organic Knits: Plants That Spin into Beautiful, Eco-friendly Yarns
By Erika Gadomski and Kristen Hampshire

Stocked with skeins of brightly-colored wool and balls of baby-soft fiber that beg to be crafted into cozy blankets, for stitch crafters a local yarn shop can be like a candy store. Even if you never have touched knitting needles, you may find yourself tempted by the bounty of “fiber,” i.e., any plant, vegetable, animal or synthetic material that is spun and processed for knitting. However, be sure to read the contents label of the yarn carefully. You may be surprised by what is spun into some of these vibrant, silky-feeling fibers.

A number of yarns available today appeal to eco-knitters who ask the question, “Where does it come from?” While cotton and wool are knitting staples, some of the softest, most appealing yarns on the market now are spun from unlikely suspects. For example, soy fiber is made from tofu manufacturing waste. Corn and bamboo fibers also are used to make some yarns. And a few eco-friendly options have been created from chitin, the material extracted from crab and shrimp shells discarded by the commercial seafood industry. Also known as “alt-fibers,” these yarns look and feel just like their non-organic counterparts and they are available in bright and bold colors, too. In fact, it is the silky soft feel of fibers like soy silk that prompt more knitters/crocheters to request organic yarns. The cradle-to-cradle theory is in full effect here as yarn producers consider the ultimate impact of their products and how industrial byproducts can enjoy a new, useful life.

A Natural Decision
Knitting and crocheting, by nature, is a mindful yet relaxing art. Each stitch is intentional, requiring the careful choreography of needles, hooks, fiber and fingers. The process of creating a row, a sleeve or an entire garment requires full attention to the task at hand. Though you may take comfort in the meditative hum of picking up a familiar project, you must be aware of every move necessary to manipulate that yarn into fabric. Therefore, applying this same conscientiousness to the yarns you purchase only seems to follow.

While knitting and crocheting is intrinsically an “organic” process – turning natural materials into beautiful fabrics by hand – there are practices in farming and processing yarn that involve the use of chemicals. For example, there are topical chemicals that control parasites on sheep, fertilizers and pesticides that promote plant growth and chemical treatments that cleanse and protect yarn. However, there also are ways of farming, raising animals, growing plants and processing yarn that do not involve harmful toxins. Much like an organic banana may not taste different than the conventional one, the “organic” label on yarn is symbolic of what goes on behind the scenes.

Organic farmers and producers have fine-tuned the definition of “organic” as the market for natural products has exploded in recent years. USDA standards for producing organic animal or plant fibers require that animals graze in organic pastures and eat natural feed. Animals do not receive routine antibiotics and farmers cannot apply any chemicals to their coats. Plants are grown without use of pesticides or fertilizers, and the final product is washed with chemical-free cleansers. Yarn is spun using organic spinning oils, not petroleum-based ones. These organic fibers are handled separately from other conventional, non-organic fibers.

Just like any organic product on the market, there are various levels of “organic.” You can purchase yarn that is “made with” organic fiber, which means that the land was organically farmed. One step further, yarn that is “fully organic” also means animals did not graze on land treated with pesticides or fertilizers. “Raised organic” yarn is also hand spun, and “organic fibers” is all this with the addition of natural processing. The ultimate is the “100 percent organic” label, which tops off these eco-friendly practices by fully washing the yarn. Regardless of which label an organic yarn carries, all of these designations promote a healthy agriculture system, clean processes and a celebration of the natural things in life.

Greening a Craft
For some stitchers, the sheer pleasure of working with fiber as touchable as bamboo is reason to choose this particular highly sustainable, plant-based yarn. The fact that it is labeled “organic” is a bonus. For others, the introduction of cotton-wool blends that are not treated with chemicals allows them to knit and enjoy wearing a fiber that in the past had always sparked an allergic reaction. (Many times, we are allergic not to wool, but to the irritating chemicals used during processing.) You can begin to recognize that natural is healthy, and while handling these fibers you can appreciate the world around you in a different light.

As manufacturers continue to explore new ways of converting plants and vegetables into appealing, craftable fibers, you, too, can rediscover a generations-old craft and rejuvenate the art of knitting and crocheting with eco-friendly, appealing yarn options. Knitting and crocheting continue to maintain their relevancy, as the people who celebrate these crafts return to the question, “Where does it come from?” Doing so ensures that stitching is preserved for many generations to come.

Erika Gadomski is owner of River Colors Studio located at 1887 Sloane Avenue in Lakewood. River Colors carries a selection of organic yarns and books that speak to the natural crocheter and knitter. Call the studio at (216) 228-9276 or visit www.rivercolors.com.