Yarn Corner: Ekos
The most eco friendly yarn in the world!
NEW YARN ALERT! This has been one of our most popular yarns in October, and has been worth the (very long) wait from our Spanish supplier, Katia. A delayed delivery had us feeling quite impatient as we are so excited to be stocking this range, and at last it came! This week in Yarn Corner I’ll be introducing the lovely Ekos by Katia Yarns, a brand new recycled range that has been dubbed the most eco conscious yarn on the planet. With stunning shades and patterns for modern makes, there’s a lot to love about Ekos.
This yarn is taking front and centre in our wool shop this month, and has caught the eyes of many keen crafters. As a business, we feel it’s important to commit to quality recycled yarns when they come around. Repurposing what would’ve been dumped into the ocean or dirt for long-lasting garments and accessories is one of the best ways to slow down our consumption cycle.
In fact, by making your own clothing, you are creating a garment that can last far longer than cheap, poorly made clothes with ethically concerning manufacturing practices that have become commonplace for us all.
You can think of it like this: your £5 t-shirt bought from a chain high street store is fast fashion, your denim jacket bought a few years ago that still looks brand new is slow fashion, and upcycled yarn like Ekos that totally transforms £5 t-shirts and plastic from PET bottles into shiny new reels is sustainable fashion.
Using recycled yarn to make new things creates huge benefits in reducing carbon emissions, but Ekos is more than just your standard recycled yarn. Katia picked it up from Recover, a textile mill in Spain that started specializing in eco-friendly yarns in 2015. Recover claims to operate its mill by 50% solar energy, and doesn’t use any chemical dye or water to colour its yarn into the beautiful shades you see below.
Want to learn more about this exciting new kind of yarn? Click here to visit Recover's website
That’s enough about how it’s made. Let’s take a look at what you can do with it!
Ekos is 50g per ball, 55m long, and usually requires a 5.5mm hook. It’s beautifully shaded (without dye), and Babes in the Wool currently stocks the 8 colours you see above at £3 each.
Katia released Ekos earlier this year with 12 signature patterns split into 4 collections. These are all accessory and homeware patterns, so stuff you could really use in your every day lives. Each one costs just £1.50. I think the best thing about these patterns is that they are all modern and unique designs that really elevate the Ekos colours and make them pop. But what’s maybe most important is all patterns come with a full start to finish video demonstration with purchase. The physical pattern leaflets include QR codes you can scan to instantly watch while you craft.
Also, don’t forget you have access to an exclusive discount. Subscribers have a 15% off discount for every ball of Ekos (expires by next edition). Normally priced at £3, that brings you down to £2.55, which is an amazing price for a real recycled yarn of Ekos's quality.
Check inside newsletter Edition #32 for your subscriber discount code!
Patterns
Let's start with the Shopping bags.
These definitely have a fun vibe for daily use carrier bags. Available in 3 fruity designs—Watermelon, Pear, and Kiwi—the Ekos Shopping Bag collection is a must try.
The Watermelon style comes with trendy slit triangle handles that look quite comfy to carry around. Those kiwis are just the right level of 8-bit that give off the perfect cuteness. If you look closely at the Pear bag, you can see a subtle motif worked into its front. I love all of these designs, and I’m trying to find time to add them to my list of projects to make.
Each of these bags really do pop, and your savings for a whole project come out to about £3-£4. Give the next generation of crafting a try and pick up your materials today!
Zero Waste Watermelon Market Bag
Here we have another level of fancy. I never thought I’d be the type of person to go the extra mile for a bread box, but the Ekos bread collection has me thinking twice. The Baguette Holder only takes 4 balls and a button, and the full boxes have such a nice second colour lining.
Each pattern comes with a tapestry crochet lesson for the motifs that becomes a lot easier when you watch the attached video. The wheat designs do look cute, and they really seem to go with any type of kitchen. I can just picture myself relaxing in Spain with warm weather and freshly baked bread in a beautiful handmade basket… Maybe not quite Spain, but these patterns will definitely add a flair to any kitchen!
If you choose your favourite colour of Ekos to match your kitchen, these bread boxes will lift it to a new level. Make use of your 15% off In the Wool subscriber discount now to get a full Ekos project!
Zero Waste Foldable Bread Basket
Zero Waste Rectangular Bread Box
Next we have a gorgeous and practical DIY picnic set. This collection is made for people who like to eat lunch outside on their work or school break. It could even double as the perfect Christmas Day doggie bag for later this year, especially if any of your loved ones are isolating over the holidays. Keep the germs out and the crumbs manageable while you carry your most precious cargo—that's right, food—to the park bench or the Café.
If you’re still on the fence about the world’s most eco-friendly yarn, the Cutlery Cover Pattern is a great project for trying Ekos out and seeing if you like it. This make requires just two balls of any colour, plus a 5.5mm crochet hook if you don’t already have one.
With your subscriber discount, the materials are only £6.60! Minus the silverware, of course. Browse the patterns below:
If you need to add some colour to your kitchen, this thin-striped towel, dishcloth, potholder, and tupperware cover collection is perfect for you. These are the kind of finished products you have in your house for years, if not decades.
These towels are sleek and striking, not to mention made of old dish towels and plastic bottles. You can crochet both together for just under £25 in total with your In the Wool subscriber discount.
Zero Waste Hand and Dish Towels
Zero Waste Food and Bowl Covers
For more information about Ekos and recycled yarn as a whole, click through to In the Wool Edition #32's next article, A Guide to Recycled Yarn.