Many of us today are trying to find ways to lessen our ecological footprint here on Earth. Crocheters are joining the ranks, in the yarns we use, the tools we buy and the places that we order our supplies from. In an effort to reduce, reuse, and recycle we make conscience green decisions daily.

There are many different green yarns available today. There are certified organic yarns, there are 100% natural yarns, vegan yarns and there are recycled yarns. They come in all different shades and all different textures. You can find them online and even at some of the local department stores. Local yarn shops carry several different brands and if they do not I am sure that if requested many dealers would love to help you find them.

There are many different brands that carry these wonderful low footprint yarns. Lorna’s Laces has a beautiful line of 100% Organic Merino Wool, Green Line DK. O-Wool has many beautiful weights and different fibers that are 100% organic. Plymouth has a 100% natural EARTH collection. Lion Brand Yarn has an organic cotton yarn, four naturally occurring shades that are just beautiful. Lion Brand Yarn also has a recycled cotton yarn. While it is not 100% natural it does help reduce to use recycled yarn. You of course, can find sweaters at garage sales, thrift stores, and consignment shops and recycle the yarn for yourself. Also there are many shops on etsy that sell recycled yarn if you do not have the patience to do it yourself.

When you are looking for a new and interesting item to crochet think outside of the box. There are so many things we can use to crochet with. You can crochet using recycled bags, fabric, cassette tapes, VHS tapes and twine. Your imagination and the size of your hook are the only limitations.

When we buy our different tools for crochet we need to think waste management. Our tools should last us years and years. There are so many different materials that are used for our needles, counters, and notions. Remember to buy not only for functionality but also for their lasting qualities. For example, if you have to buy a new counter every year because the other has worn out then perhaps you should try a different brand.

When you are buying your yarns and other supplies, also look at the packaging. If your favorite supplies come in wasteful packaging let the supplier know you do not appreciate it. If your online store wastefully ships your order or ships them separately let them know how you feel.

The desires of many of the crochet community to become more earth friendly have brought us even more beautiful yarns to choose from. We have more suppliers being more waste conscientious and more choices in the tools we use for crocheting. We are the consumers of these products and it is up to the consumers to let manufacturers know what we want in our supplies. We can all make a difference in what is being manufactured for our consumption.

I would love to hear about your favorite green yarn or tools. Please visit us on our forum and let us know where you get your supplies.