After about 18 months of plotting and planning, Ministry of Yarn is happy to present our newest yarn - Cotton Love. It's made using fair trade principles, GOTS certified organic, plant or low-impact dyed, incredibly soft and available in ten beautiful colours.
First of all, the Tanguis cotton is grown in
the highlands of Peru, using certified organic farming methods. The ability of farmers to grow very useful crops like cotton reduces the temptation for farmers to potentially end up growing more illicit crops, in order to care for their families. Workers are paid a fair and living wage. The cotton is then hand picked, and taken for dyeing.
After the cotton is spun into yarn, it is hand dyed using either traditional Peruvian plant recipes, or low impact Oeko-Tex 100 certified dyes. The dyes are then set out to dry, using on the wind and sun, in an effort to minimise the environmental impact of their production.
Many of the artisans involved with dyeing and finishing the yarns, are women from impoverished areas of Peru, who are able to support their families with the wages that they earn, creating beautiful yarns. Beyond that, the work is also distributed out to rural areas, allowing these women to work close to home, saving them up to a five hour round trip travelling time for work, and giving them the freedom to be physically available to better care for their families.
Here are the technical specifications of Cotton Love yarn:
- 100g skeins
- 145 metres approximately
- Weight 8 ply / DK
- Knitting gauge for 10 cm square: 14-21 stitches / 18-26 rows
- 4mm knitting needle or crochet hook recommended
- Hand wash only
- Dry flat in the shade
Lastly, and certainly not least, Cotton Love is a beautifully soft and squishy yarn, in it's own right. The long staple Tanguis cotton is loosely spun into two single plies (S-plied), which gives it a beautiful loft. It's non-mercerised and will make up into wonderfully soft, low allergenic clothing and accessories. I'm currently working on a twisted infinity scarf piece and pattern, and it feels beautiful in my hands. It also has an excellent drape.
It's love the for environment, using organic farming methods. It's love for the people who grow and process it and their families, by paying them fair wages and giving them access to work that is close to home. It's love for us, and our families, by the beautiful quality of the yarn, and the things that we will make with it. It's just Cotton Love.
