Our Bases

What defines a "sustainable" plant yarn? It's a complex question with almost as many answers as there are Google results! A number of factors contribute to a fiber's planet-friendliness, including (but not limited to) water usage, chemical & pesticide usage, carbon footprint, and longevity in finished makes.

We strive to keep our yarn base selection as sustainable and versatile as possible. That said, we know each person's priorities are different. You may be most concerned about chemical processing, or looking to reduce water usage -- or perhaps local sourcing and traceable supply chains are your top priority.

We want to empower you choose yarns that best suit your own ethics and projects, so below, we have curated sustainability information about each of our bases.

If you have a question about one of our bases that is not answered here, please feel free to get in touch via the contact form at the bottom and we'll do our best to find an answer for you! 

Note: our dyed to order library will be closed until February 1, 2024. Please shop our in-stock yarns in the meantime!

Yarn bases L to R: Chesapeake Fingering, Atlantic Fingering, Potomac Fingering, Severn Fingering, Anacostia Sock, Monocacy Fingering, Deer Creek Fingering

Bases pictured from L to R: Chesapeake Fingering, Atlantic Fingering, Potomac Fingering, Severn Fingering, Anacostia Sock, Monocacy Fingering, and Deer Creek Fingering.

Chesapeake Organic Cotton 

  • Fingering: 437 yds/100g
  • Sport: 164 yds/50g
  • DK: 246 yds/100g
  • Worsted: 164 yds/100g

Price: $25 ($16 for 50g sport skeins)

  • Fiber Content: 100% organic cotton (note: our dye process is not organic.)
  • Origin: Peru
  • Water Use: Cotton is a thirsty crop, although some studies suggest organic cotton may use less water than conventional cotton.
  • Chemical & Pesticide Use: Organic cotton is grown free from synthetic pesticides, chemicals, or GMO seeds.
  • Characteristics: This is not your craft store cotton! Chesapeake is a well-spun, beautifully soft fiber that is comfortable for all skin types. It is ideal for vegan sweaters, baby items, cotton colorwork, and anything summer. It does not have elasticity (will not hold its shape for items like socks, negative-ease garments, or ribbing). 
  • Further Reading from The Pretty Planeteer

Atlantic Pima Cotton

  1. Light Fingering: 437 yds/100g
  2. DK: 218 yds/100g

Price: $27

  • Fiber Content: 100% conventional pima cotton
  • Origin: Peru
  • Water Use: Cotton is a thirsty crop. It is native to Peru, where the growing conditions are suited to the crop; this reduces environmental pressure. 
  • Chemical & Pesticide Use: Conventional cotton is grown with standard pesticides. Pima is typically harvested by hand rather than by machine.
  • Carbon Footprint: Pima is an extra-long staple fiber with noticeably more longevity than other cottons. Projects made with pima cotton resist pilling and last for years, which helps reduce contributions to fabric waste.
  • Characteristics: Atlantic is extremely silky to the touch, with a luxury shine that slightly accentuates the depth of color. Compared to Chesapeake cotton, it has more drape, but also less hold because of its silky texture, so it is a better choice for shawls, lacework, hot-weather garments, or anything where a bit of drape and silkiness will make your project stand out.

Potomac Cotton-Linen (Discontinued)

  • Fingering: 340 yds/100g
  • DK: 246 yds/100g

Price: $27

  • Fiber Content: 75% Virginia-grown conventional cotton, 25% linen
  • Origin: Virginia, USA & Belgium
  • Water Use: Conventional cotton is typically grown using more water than organic cotton. Linen requires much less water than cotton crops and can be grown on poor soil that is not suitable for grazing or other crops.
  • Chemical & Pesticide Use: Conventional cotton is grown with standard pesticides, though this yarn is minimally processed at the mill (look for the little dark bits in the fiber to prove it!)
  • Carbon Footprint: We source Potomac from a Virginia-based mill, so it travels just one state over to reach us for dyeing! 
  • Characteristics: Potomac's linen content improves its drape compared to 100% cotton, and it also holds its shape better over time, making it a wonderful choice for larger projects that tend to sag. (Note: it does not have "elasticity" or spring-back). Its looser twist makes it extra-soft against the skin. You may notice it feels a little "crispy" right out of the wash--that's the linen! It will soften right up within minutes of wear. 

Severn Tencel

  • Light Fingering: 437 yds/100g
  • Light DK/Sport: 246 yds/100g

Price: $26

  • Fiber Content: 100% certified tencel
  • Origin: Italy
  • Water Use: Tencel requires less water to produce than cotton fibers.
  • Chemical & Pesticide Use: Tencel is a regenerated fiber made from wood pulp, a process which does involve chemicals. However, 99% of these chemicals are recovered and recycled in the efficient and eco-friendly circular production process.
  • Carbon Footprint: Tencel may use up to 40% less non-renewable energy to produce than cotton fibers.
  • Characteristics: Severn has dreamy shine and drape! Think silk, but vegan. It is soft and lightweight, perfect for summer tops and shawls. Knitters who have struggled with cotton in past may find Severn more approachable, since it is less drying on the hands. It does not have much hold, so it grows with time and blocking--we wouldn't recommend it for colorwork or similar projects.
  • More about Tencel
  • Further Reading from TreeHugger

 

Anacostia Sock

  • Heavy Fingering: 377 yds/100g

Price: $26

  • Fiber Content: 40% lyocell/tencel, 40% organic cotton, 20% elastic
  • Origin: Taiwan
  • Water Use: Tencel and other lyocells require less water to produce than cotton fibers. Cotton is a thirsty crop, although some studies suggest organic cotton may use less water than conventional cotton.
  • Chemical & Pesticide Use: Tencel is a regenerated fiber made from wood pulp, a process which does involve chemicals. However, 99% of these chemicals are recovered and recycled in the efficient and eco-friendly circular production process. Organic cotton is grown free from synthetic pesticides, chemicals, or GMO seeds.
  • Carbon Footprint: Tencel may use up to 40% less non-renewable energy to produce than cotton fibers.
  • Characteristics: Sock lovers, this one's for you! Anacostia is our only base recommended for socks, hats, and other negative-ease projects. Its elastic content give is the memory, so projects will retain their shape. Anacostia has a bouncy, almost nubby texture that knits up into itch-free next-to-skin pieces with cotton's trademark softness.

 

Monocacy Cotton Boucle

  • Fingering: 440 yds / 100g
  • Worsted: 164 yds / 100g

Price: $24

  • Fiber Content: 100% US-grown cotton
  • Origin: United States
  • Water Use: In general, cotton is a thirsty crop. Conventionally grown cotton typically uses more water than organic cotton, though it has higher yield per acre, which results in more efficient farming.
  • Chemical & Pesticide Use: Conventional cotton is grown using standard pesticides.
  • Carbon Footprint: Monocacy is grown and spun right here in the US, shipped to us from nearby North Carolina!
  • Characteristics: If you want baby-soft cotton, Monocacy is your base! This light and bouncy 2-ply has instant next-to-skin softness and more body than any of our other bases, resulting in an effortlessly cozy fabric. Though loosely-spun yarns are overall more likely to pill, we find that Monocacy holds its own against wool yarns in this regard. Try it out in a simple stitch to let the slightly nubby texture shine.

Deer Creek Organic Cotton-Linen

  • Fingering: 383 yds / 100g

Price: $26

  • Fiber Content: 60% organic cotton, 40% linen
  • Origin: South America
  • Water Use: Cotton is a thirsty crop, though some studies suggest organic cotton requires less water to grow than conventional cotton.  Flax (from which linen is spun) requires much less water than cotton crops and can be grown on poor soil that is not suitable for grazing or other crops.
  • Chemical & Pesticide Use: Organic cotton is grown free from synthetic pesticides, chemicals, or GMO seeds. 
  • Characteristics: Deer Creek comes closest to that classic linen feel--a sturdy and initially crispy-feeling fiber with incredible longevity. Though it takes a little patience on the needles, it will soften into your favorite breathable summer fabric with washing and wear. The linen content helps improve both drape and hold (meaning it will sag less than 100% cotton). The high linen content blended with organic cotton makes it one of our most sustainable fiber options! Since Deer Creek is a lovely natural biscuit color when undyed, we only offer it for our darker colorways, where that undertone adds a rich and moody character to your best-loved shades.
  • More about Linen