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What is Organic Wool?

Everlea Yarn’s Everlea Fingering, Everlea Sport and Everlea Worsted yarn bases have been processed in accordance with the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS). The two main principles for maintaining the organic standard in textiles are:

1. Social / fair trade. This principle guarantees correct social and labour practices, ensuring respect for the conditions from grower/harvester/manufacturer/production chain to end-user.
2. Environmental. During the growing of the fibre, no chemicals harmful to the land or animals like heavy metals, formaldehydes, and fluorocarbons, chemical fertilizers or pesticides may be used from the farm to downstream processing.

All processors in the chain are certified by recognized independent institutes, where the principle of ‘Best Business Practice’ shows an on-going commitment to always use the most environmentally friendly products currently available.

It is not in keeping with these standards to follow some of the principles but not others. As such, even if the conditions of the sheep and workers are humane, the wool cannot still be considered organic if it is then chemically bleached and/or misted with plastic, as per most superwash wool processes.

Additionally, all processors in the production chain must be certified by an International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) accredited or internationally recognized (according to ISO Guide 65) certifier and must meet the trade waste requirements of the local environmental control authority.

Everlea Yarn's production processes have not been GOTS certified, and so even though the yarn base we receive is certified organic and GOTS certified, it loses that status when it enters my dye-production facilities. Rest assure, Everlea Yarn follows 'best business practices' in our processes. It is only because I have access to GOTS certified yarn that I launched Everlea Yarn in 2018. So, please know I am dedicated to environmentally friendly practices in all aspects of my business. ie. I do not use single-use plastic in my dye processes, I recycle water when possible, and my packaging is plastic-free when possible (the usual exception is with plastic tape).