My absolute favorite material to crochet with has and always will be Merino wool yarn. If given the option by a customer, I will default to Merino wool, the sole exception being if I feel like the desired color palette cannot be achieved with Merino wool. Merino wool tends to be the plushiest, softest on my hands, and stretchiest so no (or absolute minimum) holes or stuffing can be seen. Cotton is stiffer, much less stretchy, allowing for fantastic sculpting, but is harder on my hands and the stitches can seem much bulkier.

Now, veganism is a lifestyle, it is not just a diet, but an entire way of living. As such, in addition to not eating animal products or by-products, I do not wear or use animal skins or furs. Wool, of course, is an animal-based material, the biggest difference between leather goods and wool products is that sheep need to have their coats shorn. If we, as humans, are going to keep sheep for manmade purposes, their welfare is important. I have taken it upon myself to get only the best Merino wool yarn, sourced from Uruguay, where welfare standards are the highest in the world. Mulesing is a barbaric and unnecessary process commonplace elsewhere, but not in Uruguay. The sheep that produce the wool I use are free-range fed and are not subjected to mulesing. The yarn is also dyed in accordance with best environmental practices in Peru, with special attention to energy usage.

Cotton is a plant-based fiber. It cannot be dyed in the same way that protein-based fibers can, so is often single color. Because it’s plant-based, it is automatically more environmentally sustainable than wool, but I have done my due diligence and short of raising my own sheep, I stand by my choices. If you would prefer to have only cotton yarn used, please just make a note in the customization form! I am happy to abide by whatever environmental standards you wish.