In my latest newsletter, I talked a little bit about the new criteria I have for future fabric + fiber purchases. This criteria slowly developed from many desires, all stemming from sustainability at it's core and a want to purchase items that are not only the least damaging for the environment, but could actually be returned to the environment at the end of it's lifecycle.
For me, the current criteria I am setting out to meet before I purchase any new raw materials for my sewing/ knitting include:
- Composed of Natural Fibers
- Organically/ Naturally Grown (without the use of pesticides/ herbicides/ fungicides)
- Fair Trade (Every person paid fairly along the supply chain)
- Naturally dyed or Undyed (This way the fibers are compostable at the end of their life cycle)
- Locally produced (preferably within 200 miles to keep carbon footprint as low as possible, but will accept items that have been grown, milled, dyed within the US)
I know that meeting all of these criteria might be difficult, if not totally impossible at this current point in time. But I have found some companies that check off quite a bit of this list (and some even manage to check 100% of it which is awesome!). My hope is that in time, I will be able to add even more to this list as companies begin to shift their focus more towards sustainably-centered business practices. So please feel free to check back every so often to see if I have added more resources to this list!
*Please note that I am currently located in Georgia, USA, so all shops mentioned will be following the above criteria based upon my current location. Feel free to add any shops that meet the above criteria based on your location in the comments section!
YARN/ ROVING