At Revolution Wool Company, we are passionate about creating long-lasting, sustainable products, all while having as little impact on the environment as possible. That is why we choose to dye all our wool yarn with natural materials that we can find around the farm instead of harsh chemicals that make up synthetic dyes.
The concept of natural dyes has been around for centuries, but synthetic dyes have become much more popular since they are cheaper and faster, and the colours most often turn out more vibrant. However, using synthetic dyes does not come without risk. They often contain harsh chemicals like mercury, lead, toluene and benzene. Although we can’t always avoid synthetic dyes, we like to put in the extra effort when we can, especially when there are so many natural resources available. When it comes to our wool yarn, here are three reasons why we choose natural resources to dye our wool yarn:
1 - Safer choice for people
People who work with synthetic dyes become incredibly sick from being exposed to these chemicals regularly. That doesn’t happen with natural dyes. Our natural dyes are derived from vegetable peels, fruit skins, trees, and plants that you can often find on the side of the road. There isn’t any chemical exposure in the process when you use natural dyes. It’s safer for those of us who are working with the dye and safer for the people who are wearing the dyed materials afterwards. All around, natural dyes are a safer choice.
2 - Less impact on the environment
Natural dyes leave nearly no impact on the environment. Yes, we pick the plants and flowers we use for natural dyes, but because they come from 100% natural and renewable sources, there is no lasting impact. Did you know that using natural dyes also requires less water? Not only are we using less water than synthetic dyes, but it also doesn’t leave contaminated water behind. A wash bath using natural dyes can be used multiple times and it’s 100% biodegradable!
3 - It offers more protection for your skin
Natural dyes are great for people with sensitive skin. Because no harsh chemicals are used in our dying process, your skin will never come into contact with that chemical residue left behind. Some of our natural dyes even offer antimicrobial and hypoallergenic properties (like indigo and sandalwood, for example).
And if those aren’t enough reasons to transition to natural dyes, here’s one more: studies have shown that natural dyes actually offer better UV protection than synthetic dyes. The darker the dye, the better the UV protection. Grab one of our dark blue skeins that we made using indigo! Your skin will thank you, the environment will thank you, and Revolution Wool Company will thank you!