Garthenor Organic is an independent, family-run designer and manufacturer of ethical, Certified Organic yarns. Their products are as enduring as their reputation; it's quite simply all they do.
Recently, Garthenor invited us to join their select group of stockists, and we could not be more excited to introduce their yarns to our community. The biggest challenge has been deciding which yarns to order first!
Snowdonia Sock is used in the recent edition of Making Stories for the new sock design, Sea Forest, by Isabel Ale. A high twist, worsted-spun Romney and Hebridean blend, designed as a durable, straightforward base, Snowdonia makes a superb sock yarn. The stunning undyed gradient is achieved by mill-blending the buttery smooth tops.
Everything about Snowdonia Sock is deliberate: the fiber is chosen for its strong, smooth characteristics, the twist has been carefully measured to keep the gorgeous integrity of these two breeds, while achieving the necessary long-lasting ruggedness of a good, honest sock yarn.
100% Organic Breed-Specific Wool
Sourced, scoured, and spun in the UK
200m / 219 yds, approx. 50g skein
Note: A basic woman's sock uses approximately 400 yards for an average-sized foot.
We carry 16 colors in a broad selection of undyed solids, undyed marls, and dyed shades that compliment the undyed gradient. (If we don't have the color you want, we can add it to our next order!)
Source: Hebridean from the Scottish Highlands and South Wales; Romney from South West England
Scoured in Yorkshire, UK
Spun in Yorkshire, UK
Plied and wound at Garthenor Farm in West Wales
Sometimes, when the things you want aren't made by anyone else, you've just got to do it yourself. That's how Garthenor Organic started back in 1999, with a small flock of organic sheep and a local mill. At a time when no organic standards existed for wool yarns, they worked with the Soil Association and helped to write the first-ever organic standards for woolen yarns. In 2003, they became the first company in the world to produce fully certified organic wool yarns. Since then, they've been obsessed with traceable, ethical yarns. Everything they do is certified to Global Organic Textile Standards (GOTS).
All Garthenor Organic yarns are climate positive - they offset about twice the carbon dioxide released in the entire lifecycle of each skein, from growing through processing and into washing, wearing and disposing.
Images courtesy of Garthenor Organic.
