Zitron's Herbstwind and Silbermond
Atelier Zitron introduces exclusive Tasmanian Wool into the handwork industry and Makers’ Mercantile® is extremely proud to be offering it!
Atelier Zitron has always been on the forefront of producing sustainable, earth and consumer friendly knitting and crochet yarns. Zitron was one of the first yarn companies to apply for and obtain the Oeko-Tex 100 rating for all their yarns. This has not always been important to crafters, until now. Times are changing, and more and more people want to know exactly where their products come from, who is making them, and how they are made. The key seems to be transparency in the process. Zitron has done just that.
Zitron’s newest yarns, Silbermond and Herbstwind, are both created from Tasmanian Merino Wool. What makes this wool so special? To begin with, Tasmania is an island where sheep outnumber people 7 to 1. That’s pretty awesome in itself. But there is so much more! Since the land has always been free of chemicals and toxins, it produces grass that is high in protein, the perfect recipe for a thick, healthy and luxurious fleece. So soft in fact, that the micron count is between 16 and 19 – equivalent to most cashmere!
The sheep are also treated respectfully, raised in a totally natural environment, and only sheared once a year to prevent over exposure to humans. It is also guaranteed that there is absolutely no museling. The Montacute Farm, where the sheep are raised (check them out on google!), is being run by the fifth generation of the Hallet family. They have the experience, the know-how and the pride, of bringing some of the world’s finest Merino to market.
Production starts with the sheep – and it doesn’t end there. Once shorn, the fleeces are sent to Germany, where they are cleaned, spun and dyed, in a sustainable way that leaves a positive imprint, not a negative one. While Germany has the highest ecologically correct requirements in the world, that is not why Klemens Zitron (owner) chose to do so. He is truly concerned with the environment and the impact us humans have had on the world. Zitron invests in having all his yarns tested by Oeko-Tex to verify their high standards. Each yarn has a Oeko-Tex rating of 100. Learn more about Oeko-Tex by visiting their website.
So, if you are looking for a yarn that can make you feel proud to be using it, Herbstwind and Silbermond by Zitron should be at the top of your list!
German Lesson: ‘Herbstwind’ means Fall Wind and ‘Silbermond’ means Silver Moon.
