O O O - Organic !

I've been longing to knit up something with the new O-wool Balance from the fabulous Vermont Organic Fiber Company and I decided to knit up Monica from Knitty.com Spring '07. It is an adorable little dress / tank top in several different sizes. After much perplexing, I decided to do the body in Natural and the ruffle in Periodot, a very soft green. Finished the front - over halfway done with the back.

O-Wool's Balance yarn is 50% organic wool, 50% organic cotton, all certified of course. For those of you who have never knit with organic, let me share some facts with you - directly from the *sheeps* mouth, Vermont Organic Fiber Company...

Certified Organic Wool Production Requirements

*Livestock must be fed 100% organically grown feed and forage

*Synthetic hormones and vaccinations are prohibited

*Synthetic pesticides on livestock and pastures are prohibited

*Genetic engineering is prohibited

Healthy livestock is promoted through good management

Certified Organic Cotton Production Requirements

*Pesticides, fungicides and herbicides are prohibited

*Synthetic fertilizers are prohibited

*Toxic chemicals for defoliation are prohibited

*Genetically modified organisms are prohibited

*Healthy soil is promoted through crop rotation and nutrients

Organic Fiber Processing Requirements

*Organic fiber must be handled separately from non-organic

*Detergents for wool scouring shall be readily biodegradable

*Must practice appropriate treatment of waste water

*Oils used in spinning shall be of vegetable or animal origin

*All dyes must be free of heavy metals and aromatic amines

*Recyclable or readily biodegradable finishing materials are used

*Carbonizing fibers using acid baths is prohibited

*Organic facilities must practice structural pest management

Rest assured O-Wool(tm) Knitters are directly increasing acreage cared for under organic management and effectively contributing to a truly sustainable environment. On average, for every pound of organic wool produced, two acres of land are sustained under organic management. Feels good, doesn't it!

Why do I love O-Wool so much? Well .... see above. For all of our friends in the UnderCover Club, this is why we chose O-Wool Classic for your *cover*...