Amble - Mini skein 25gr

When The Fiber Co. set out to design a sock yarn, we stayed true to our guiding principle of harnessing the beauty that nature provides in a way that's kind to our planet. We waited for a recycled nylon and an alternative to chlorine-treated washable wools to become available. The end result is a soft yet durable yarn made from merino wool and alpaca fibers treated with an eco-friendly Easy-wash anti-shrink treatment. Recycled nylon adds strength and durability. We named this yarn Amble to reflect the kind of slow, relaxed walk we enjoy here in the English Lake District. The shades are borrowed from the successful palette of our Cumbria yarn with cream and all heather using a natural ecru Alpaca Suri while the others use a natural brown Alpaca Suri.

What does Easy-wash mean and why do we use it?
Easy-wash is a brand name that refers to a process used to make Amble's wool and alpaca fibers machine washable without shrinkage. The Easy-wash method is chlorine-free and AOX-free, making it the best environmental choice for the production of machine-washable wool. Wool and alpaca fibers are treated with eco-friendly oxidizers to remove the scales that typically cause wool and alpaca to shrink when machine washed. The oxidants used come from Germany and are certified according to REACH, Oeko-tex and ZDCH (Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemical) standards. This means that the Easy-wash treatment does not create dangerous chemicals, which is not the case with most machine washable wools on the market today.

Most machine washable wool yarns available are made with a chlorine treatment process that produces high levels of toxic absorbable organohalogens, known as AOX. Although the yarns produced in this way are not known to be toxic to the user, the AOX used in the processing ends up in the waste water and has a detrimental impact on the tributaries, fauna and flora.

What is recycled nylon and why do we use it?
Nylon fiber is not readily biodegradable. However, it has strength qualities that give yarns and socks made from it greater durability. The recycled nylon used in our Amble sock yarn comes from the leftover nylon processing industrial waste, diverting waste from landfills and using fewer production resources like water and fossil fuels than virgin nylon.