How to knit sustainably: Environmentally friendly wool and yarns

Gründl Green Line is a range of Gründl yarns that all have one thing in common: they are sustainable. More precisely, Gründl Green Line yarns either come from controlled organic cultivation, from controlled organic animal husbandry, or consist partly or completely of recycled fibers.

The environment is at the heart of all sustainable Gründl Green Line yarns. Their production process is more resource-efficient and therefore more environmentally friendly than conventional, traditionally produced yarns. To give you an overview of all our sustainable yarns, we have listed every quality here:

Free from animal suffering. Mulesing-free. Wool without animal cruelty. Ecolana, the pure Gründl wool, comes from controlled organic animal husbandry, abbreviated kbT. This means that the sheep from which the wool comes are raised organically. Strict guidelines must be followed, requiring species-appropriate animal husbandry in harmony with nature. Feeding genetically modified plants and the use of fattening aids, for example, are strictly prohibited. Wool from controlled organic animal husbandry is also 100% mulesing-free. But what does mulesing mean? Mulesing is the preventive removal of pieces of skin around the anal and genital area to prevent the accumulation of bacteria and viruses there and thus avoid flystrike. A cruel method that is 100% excluded for our sustainable yarn Ecolana. We promise you that our wool comes from species-appropriate animal husbandry. For the animals. For the environment.

Organic cotton has many advantages compared with conventional cotton. It is not only more sustainable and environmentally friendly, but also lower in harmful substances than regular cotton. From cultivation through finishing, such as dyeing, strict limits, checks, and requirements must be observed. That is exactly why we love our Gründl organic cotton yarn Eco Cotton so much. The organically grown cotton scores not only with pleasant wearing comfort and skin-friendliness thanks to OEKO-TEX® certification - the stitch definition created by Gründl organic cotton will also simply amaze you. The matte look of the yarn breathes a certain connection to nature into every crochet or knitting project. Eco Cotton is especially suitable for DIY fashion in summer, because organic cotton can absorb a lot of moisture and therefore impresses with its cooling effect. Amigurumi and DIY toys for children also turn out wonderfully with this sustainable yarn. Thanks to extensive testing according to toy standard EN 71-3, Eco Cotton is officially suitable for making toys. An environmentally friendly yarn with plenty of potential.

Knotting, knotting, knotting. With sustainable macrame yarn, knotted projects become especially charming. The Gründl Macramé yarn consists largely of recycled cotton. This means you are not only doing something good for yourself and your home, but the environment and nature benefit too. See for yourself and grab your favorite color from the 6 shades in the macrame color palette. You will love the stable, firm spool, which unwinds easily without tangling, just as much as the durability and easy care.

Hard to believe but true: our sustainable yarn Gründl Second Life consists of 86% recycled plastic bottles. And the transformation process of this environmentally friendly wool is truly impressive: unlike the bottles, the yarn convinces with its wool-like and soft feel. And that is not all: this environmentally conscious yarn shines in many bright colors and scores with exceptional durability and longevity. Do you not believe us? Then see for yourself - in the Gründl online shop you can buy sustainable wool online. And at fair prices.

Knitting sustainable socks is also possible with the recycled sock yarn Eco Socks Life. 85% of environmental resources were saved through the use of resource-saving polyamide. Whether as print yarn or solid-color sock yarn, this Made in Italy sock yarn is available in many colorways. Look forward to a hard-wearing recycled sock yarn made from 75% virgin wool and 25% recycled polyamide, which you can wash in the washing machine thanks to its felt-free superwash finish. For sustainable knitting, for warm feet.

Gründl Re-Cotton is a yarn made from 85% recycled cotton. A yarn that saves resources by reusing recycled fibers. The matte, lightly mottled yarn is perfect for knitting and crocheting environmentally friendly decoration projects, and is also ideal for crocheted bags, fruit nets, and pouches. Thanks to its matte surface, it brings a connection to nature into every DIY knitting or crochet piece. You can look forward to a very robust and hard-wearing yarn.

In harmony with nature: unlike conventional viscose production, the production process for Lyocell (TENCEL ™) is significantly optimized. The reason is an environmentally friendly closed-loop system that saves resources such as energy and water. When 50% Lyocell and 50% cotton merge, the result is a silky look and a soft touch. We love this sustainable yarn because it not only scores with unbeatable wearing properties. It is also moisture- and temperature-regulating, supple, and soft. Look forward to an OEKO-TEX® certified yarn that will wrap you around its finger with its incredible softness. It is perfect for soft and skin-friendly DIY fashion such as sweaters, shawls, jackets, and shirts. Try it yourself right away - the color palette will surprise you with all its light, bright tones.

Sustainable yarns are just as versatile as classic wool. Because our Gründl Green Line ranges from sustainable cotton yarns and recycled wool to environmentally friendly sock yarn, there is certainly the perfect sustainable wool for everyone. From fashion and accessories such as hand-knitted sweaters, DIY scarves, hats, and gloves to decoration such as homemade cushion covers, blankets, and knotted artworks - we show you what you can knit, crochet, and knot from sustainable wool. In our patterns you will find many free ideas made from sustainable wool to recreate.

Let’s start with a handicraft classic: hand-knitted socks. Simply grab our sustainable sock yarn and you can start knitting environmentally friendly socks. You have the choice: should it be solid-color sock yarn or patterned sock yarn? Whichever look you choose, both qualities of the sustainable Gründl Eco Socks Life sock yarn consist of one quarter recycled polyamide. This saved 85% of resources during the production process of these special yarns through the use of resource-saving polyamide. Look forward to hard-wearing socks that not only care about the environment, but also warm your feet thanks to the high virgin-wool content. A clear win-win situation.

The wearing comfort of organic cotton is simply fantastic. Especially in summer, you will not want to wear anything other than handmade fashion made from organic cotton. Try it yourself right away with our free knitting and crochet patterns made from Gründl Eco Cotton organic cotton. From knitted tops and crocheted shirts to light DIY summer sweaters, all garments made from organic cotton can absorb plenty of moisture and therefore provide a cooling effect, especially on hot summer days. Organic cotton is also breathable and tear-resistant. And did you know that our Eco Cotton organic cotton is also suitable for allergy sufferers and officially suitable for making toys? OEKO-TEX® certified and tested according to the European toy standard DIN 71-3: the Gründl yarn Eco Cotton is a true all-rounder. Besides clothing, amigurumi and crocheted animals made from it also look enchanting. We would like to introduce you to the crocheted crab, the amigurumi giraffe, our maritime crochet projects, and the DIY penguin music box. Each character won our hearts in no time with its individual charm. And it will surely sneak into your heart too.

Your DIY garments made from Gründl Ecolana become especially soft and incredibly cuddly. With our sustainable outfit made from organic virgin wool, consisting of beanie, scarf, headband, loop scarf, and oversized sweater, you are perfectly equipped for the cold months. Grab your favorite colors of this sustainable wool yarn and your knitting and crochet projects for winter can begin. You can really wrap yourself up and stay warm with them.

For a touch of the Orient in your home. Whether a knotted feather key ring, a macrame plant hanger, a macrame wall hanging, or a knotted dreamcatcher: with Gründl Macramé yarn and the wonderful knotting technique, you can create macrame projects with an incredibly cozy and warm charm. DIY macrame projects are ideal both as decoration for your own home and as gift ideas for loved ones.

Both the recycled yarn Gründl Second Life and the sustainable yarn Gründl Re-Cotton are made for environmentally friendly decoration. Both yarns radiate a love of nature. How about a crocheted plant hanger made from Re-Cotton? Or would you like to decorate your walls with a DIY wall hanging? And for all organization fans: crocheted baskets made from recycled cotton-blend yarn provide the storage space you need. We also find DIY cushions made from recycled yarn enchanting. Although Gründl Second Life is recycled from plastic bottles, the decoration projects impress with an incredibly soft feel. For anyone who wants a little safari vibe on the sofa: how about the cushion cover with zebra pattern or the cushion cover with leopard pattern? Or would you prefer a two-tone cushion cover in brioche and mesh brioche pattern? Have fun choosing, knitting, and of course decorating and feeling good.

1. Make new from old. A clear advantage of recycled wool is that fibers from old yarns or existing material are reused. This not only reduces waste - the manufacturing process also requires less energy thanks to the use of resource-saving materials.
2. Sustainable production methods and materials relieve the environment and the climate. Green Line qualities made from controlled organic cultivation or controlled organic animal husbandry contribute to this.
3. Sustainability also means fair wages. The lives of many people depend especially on the cotton industry. Organic cotton helps ensure fair prices and wages are paid in the sector.
4. Organic yarns promote genetic diversity. Organic cotton prevents the uncontrolled spread of genetically modified seeds and stops pests from developing resistance. This means farmers are not dependent on seed and pesticide manufacturers to buy new seed.
5. Organic yarns are gentler on the skin and healthier for everyone who wears handmade products made from them. Certain pesticides may not be used during cultivation. Likewise, only specific certified dyes may be used when finishing yarns, for example when dyeing; azo dyes, for instance, are excluded. This means organic yarns are neither harmful to health nor to the environment.

Well? Do we need to say more? Were we able to convince you with all the facts and positive qualities of sustainable yarns? Have we managed to make you fall in love with our wonderful knitting and crochet ideas made from sustainable wool, just like we have? If you have not yet ordered sustainable wool, you will find plenty of colors of our environmentally friendly yarns in the Gründl online shop. We offer a wide selection of sustainable yarns at fair prices. Try them out, do something good for the environment, and look forward to a colorful result. Have fun crocheting, knitting, and knotting. ;)