Some Thoughts on Vegan Knitting
Okay, so what does it mean to be a vegan knitter? Well, it's tough to nail down. Let's start with what being a vegan means to me. I am constantly re-evaluating my veganism, and I've never been one to analyze every cryptic ingredient for some trace of animal product. Taking it to that level, for me, makes it too much of a chore. I don't want my veganism to be a rigid quest for purity. I want it to be about compassion, but I also want it fun and do-able. If that means occasionally eating a donut because I'm having a crazy craving, so be it.
Now for the knitting. (You may be asking yourself why this is even an issue. If so, I refer you to Fake Sheep. This blog explains it all very eloquently.) The obvious animal-free yarn choice, widely available at your local Crafts-R-Us big box store, is acrylic. I use some acrylics, but I don't like that they're petroleum products, and I really don't like many of the big corporations that produce them, so I try to limit how much I buy.
No, I much prefer natural fibers. I'm really excited to see the proliferation of plant fiber yarns of late. Cotton is, of course, widely available, but I can't ignore the environmental impact of cotton farming. Behind every conventional cotton T-shirt lies up to a third of a pound of pesticides, herbicides, defoliants, etc. Organic cotton is lovely to work with, though, and can be found in beautiful naturally-occurring colors. The only issue here is price. The stuff is none too cheap. When the project calls for it, there are great yarns available in linen, hemp, bamboo, soy and corn, too.
But here's the thing: I love wool. There, I've said it. I really struggle with this, but I just love it. For years I didn't wear wool, not even the beautiful Aran hand-me down from my stepdad. But then I got a wool sweater as a gift that I really liked and I wore it a couple of times. It was warm. It was light. I wasn't cold, and I'm always cold.
As a knitter and a new spinner I love it too. It's springy and grippy and all the things you want it to be when you knit or spin. So, I've made some decisions about my relationship to wool that feel comfortable to me.
My favorite way of obtaining wool is at the thrift store. I love to peruse the racks for sweaters I can unravel and re-knit. I like that I'm recycling and not directly contributing to the wool industry, not to mention saving a bundle of cash. For a good primer on thrifting, check out the Recycled Yarn Tutorial.
I have also made a personal decision to use wool from certain sources I feel okay with. I seek out local farms or other places that place a strong emphasis on caring for their animals. If I can't identify the source or talk to someone who knows the sheep personally, I won't buy it. One great place I've found, especially now that I've started spinning, is Homestead Wool. They aren't local, but I love their philosophy.
For me, it's not only about avoiding animal products, it's about making choices that are good for everybody. Sometimes that choice means buying wool from a pampered sheep who lives five miles away instead of a mass-produced ball of chemicals that was shipped from halfway around the globe.
I'll say it one more time: these are personal choices. Many vegans would disagree with my decision to use wool, and I totally respect that. These are the lines I draw today, but who knows where they'll be tomorrow.
Now for the knitting. (You may be asking yourself why this is even an issue. If so, I refer you to Fake Sheep. This blog explains it all very eloquently.) The obvious animal-free yarn choice, widely available at your local Crafts-R-Us big box store, is acrylic. I use some acrylics, but I don't like that they're petroleum products, and I really don't like many of the big corporations that produce them, so I try to limit how much I buy.
No, I much prefer natural fibers. I'm really excited to see the proliferation of plant fiber yarns of late. Cotton is, of course, widely available, but I can't ignore the environmental impact of cotton farming. Behind every conventional cotton T-shirt lies up to a third of a pound of pesticides, herbicides, defoliants, etc. Organic cotton is lovely to work with, though, and can be found in beautiful naturally-occurring colors. The only issue here is price. The stuff is none too cheap. When the project calls for it, there are great yarns available in linen, hemp, bamboo, soy and corn, too.
But here's the thing: I love wool. There, I've said it. I really struggle with this, but I just love it. For years I didn't wear wool, not even the beautiful Aran hand-me down from my stepdad. But then I got a wool sweater as a gift that I really liked and I wore it a couple of times. It was warm. It was light. I wasn't cold, and I'm always cold.
As a knitter and a new spinner I love it too. It's springy and grippy and all the things you want it to be when you knit or spin. So, I've made some decisions about my relationship to wool that feel comfortable to me.
My favorite way of obtaining wool is at the thrift store. I love to peruse the racks for sweaters I can unravel and re-knit. I like that I'm recycling and not directly contributing to the wool industry, not to mention saving a bundle of cash. For a good primer on thrifting, check out the Recycled Yarn Tutorial.
I have also made a personal decision to use wool from certain sources I feel okay with. I seek out local farms or other places that place a strong emphasis on caring for their animals. If I can't identify the source or talk to someone who knows the sheep personally, I won't buy it. One great place I've found, especially now that I've started spinning, is Homestead Wool. They aren't local, but I love their philosophy.
For me, it's not only about avoiding animal products, it's about making choices that are good for everybody. Sometimes that choice means buying wool from a pampered sheep who lives five miles away instead of a mass-produced ball of chemicals that was shipped from halfway around the globe.
I'll say it one more time: these are personal choices. Many vegans would disagree with my decision to use wool, and I totally respect that. These are the lines I draw today, but who knows where they'll be tomorrow.
posted by Elena at 2:17 PM
2 Comments:
My husband is vegan - and his views on wool are similar to yours. We are planning on having a very small number of sheep, in 3-5 years, to assure the source of our wool. I LOVE wool - and am learning to spin.
This way he will know the wool we use comes from well-cared-for *err..babied* sheep that live happy lives. We do NOT plan on using the sheep for meat in any way, or having lambs that we do not keep for their fiber use.
We have had some experience with a pet goat. Hopefully our sheep experience will be similar! ;o)
Hi Elena - I just found your blog via your comment over at PocketFarm.
I like your attitude towards this. There are always trade-offs. The other thought I had while reading your explanation is that if you are wearing wool during the winter, you won't require to keep the temperature in your house as high, thus saving energy that way. It's just a little drop in the bucket - but every drop counts.
Though not a vegan or even a purposeful vegetarian (it just happens because I don't like the taste of most meat and all of the environmental issues) I try to get my yarn and wool from local/thoughtful producers.
So glad I found your blog!
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