Since the organic movement began in the 1930s, manufacturers have taken advantage of the words "organic" and "natural" in an effort to sell their products to an ever growing health oriented public. The use of these words on product labels is not regulated, so they may appear on items such as synthetic yarns which have been produced using petrochemicals derived from organic substances. True organic yarns, grown and processed in the environmentally friendly sense of the word, will carry a certified organic logo, which guarantees the authenticity of their organic nature.

Certified organic yarn is grown on farms which have undergone stringent testing, and are run according to regulations set out by the certifying body in order to carry their logo. This requires the farm to operate without the use of any synthetic chemical fertilisers, pesticides, herbicides, growth hormones or antibiotics. Soil is enriched with organic material and natural methods of pest and weed control are employed. Animal husbandry is cruelty free, and livestock are allowed to roam and graze on open pastures with adequate protection from the elements. Organic farmers even cater to local wildlife by creating natural habitat on unused areas of their farms.

Organic yarn comes from a variety of sources. Animal fibers from sheep, alpacas and angora goats can all carry the certified organic logo as can plant fibers such as cotton, bamboo and hemp. Many of these will be cleaned, processed and left natural to show the variances in colour between one batch and the next. These natural coloured organic yarns are becoming very popular in the clothing industry, as they convey a strong sense of environmental concern.

Not all organic yarns come in neutral tones, in fact they are available in almost as many colours as synthetic yarns. Vegetable and mineral dyes are popular colouring agents, and every stage in the processing and colouring is carried out under the same strict guidelines set out by the organic certifier.

As awareness of environmental issues and organic solutions to those issues increases, organic yarns and other products increase in popularity. Most good yarn stores now stock a wide range of organic yarns, and they can also be found in dedicated organic stores and market stalls.

Choosing certified organic yarns for your craft projects is just one of the many ways to ensure you are doing your part in protecting our environment and the life it supports. Conventional cotton growers use 25% of all chemical insecticides used worldwide. Organic cotton and other organic plant fibres are of equal if not better quality with zero detrimental impact on the environment. Organic animal fibre grows on the backs of happy, contented animals who share their environment with native wildlife rather than stealing it from them.

The price of organic yarns is naturally higher than that of other types of yarn, but compared to the cost of those others on our environment, organic is worth paying the little extra.

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