What Makes Yarn Organic?

Question: What Makes Yarn Organic?

It seems everywhere you look these days there are yarn companies offering organic yarn. From organic cotton to organic wool, bamboo and more, this eco-friendly label is showing up on all sorts of products. But what does it really mean, and what are the benefits of using organic yarn?

Answer:

Organic yarn means that the fiber the yarn is made from was produced without the use of man-made chemicals such as herbicides, pesticides or chemical fertilizer.

When the fiber comes from an animal, the animal must be fed organic feed and raised under organic standards.

Yarn, much like food, goes through a certification process in order for the company to be able to call its yarn organic, according to Cathleen Campbell of O-Wool. She says their wool is certified in accordance with the USDA National Organic Program Livestock Production Standard by accredited third party certifiers. In addition, their spinning process is certified to the Global Organic Textile Standard by Oregon Tilth, another third-party certification body.

Organic yarns are often left in their natural state rather than being dyed, but there are also companies that dye their organic yarn. Non-toxic, organic dyes are much more expensive than conventional dyes, so organically dyed yarns can cost a premium.

Why use organic yarn? Producing cotton in particular is very pesticide intensive, and choosing methods that are kinder to the earth is a great way to be a more responsible crafter.

If you're really interested in using the most eco-friendly yarns available, contact the manufacturer and ask questions about who certifies them, what kind of dyes they use, even how the animals are treated. Any company that's truly interested in the ecological considerations should be happy to answer such questions for you (and if they're not, let me know!).