01. Our brands

Hello knitters and cheer up!

Today I would like to tell you about Wolly Roger's favorite brands.

As you probably know, Wolly Roger only brings back quality products from its expeditions that match its ethics: our counters are brands that have added value in social, environmental, or animal dimensions. But of course you want to know more, and you're right, curiosity is what drives a good pirate to always go further!

Read this article and find out why these brands were chosen by Wolly Roger.

ATTALI FARM

Catherine Attali is a woman of a thousand talents. Like an octopus, she has harnessed her intellect and physical abilities to interact with her environment and create wonders!

After taking over the family business, created at the end of the 1970s by her parents Marie-Odile and Charles Attali, in the heart of the Northern Vosges Natural Park, Catherine transformed it into an Eden.
This environmental engineer and passionate knitter manages the family orchards, the herd of around fifty Texel and Scottish Blackface sheep, and even a dozen beehives. Maintaining and planting fruit trees, late mowing, and zero pesticides: at the Attali farm, the focus is above all on autonomy and sustainable development, agriculture that preserves biodiversity above all else!
These forty years of work were notably recognized at the end of February 2020, when Ferme Attali won the 1st Prize for Excellence in the general agricultural competition "Agroecological practices" as well as the Abeille d'Or trophy at the Paris Agricultural Show.
His attachment to his region has encouraged him to set up a partnership with other Alsatian sustainable development stakeholders: from recycled cardboard by the Seng cardboard factory in Bischwiller to illustrations created by the artist Dôriane and the Colmar stamps from the Stempfelfabrik, his box is more Alsatian than sauerkraut!

The wool from its sheep is sent to the Creuse region to be washed (with biodegradable soap) and carded before being transferred to a spinning mill and finally transformed into skeins. The farm is certified Organic Agriculture. The finished product is therefore entirely Made in France and also benefits from the Alsace Brand.  since 2016 as well as the Vosges du Nord Regional Natural Park Values Brand  since 2019. Certified Organic Farming.

 

BC GARN

Founded in 1972 by Bo and Marianna Carstensen on the shores of the Baltic Sea, the Danish company BC Garn is a pioneer in the development of high-end, environmentally friendly yarns. Another family story, just the way we like them at Wolly Roger, because Bo is the son of a weaver and a carpet merchant, and he has the beautiful fiber in his blood. The color palette is mind-blowing!

With the adaptability of a seahorse, this company knows how to reinvent itself and appeal to a diverse audience. Indeed, in 2018, Bo and Marianna decided to pass on their heritage to Britta and Carsten Kremke. She has been knitting in her parents' yarn shop since childhood, and he is a marketing consultant. They formed a dream team to understand the expectations of knitters in the new millennium and meet their needs.

At Wolly Roger we have chosen the cream of the crop, and the choice was hard but we offer you GOTS yarns, thus guaranteeing the well-being of the animals and the animals involved in their production, a peace silk (Eri silk) to enjoy the luxury of silk without animal cruelty and a baby alpaca from one of the oldest spinning mills in Peru certified Peru Fair Trade,  Michell .

 

COWGIRL BLUES

Even Cowgirls Get the Blues  is a novel about a woman with incredibly long thumbs, and for Wolly Roger, Cowgirl Blues society deserves more than just our thumbs-up.

Based in Cape Town, South Africa, Cowgirl Blues primarily stocks mohair and merino yarns sourced from local farms. With vibrant colors and yarns named after our favorite songs, this funky brand would make even parrots jealous!

Initially an international business strategy consultant, Bridget Henderson returned to South Africa suffering from severe burnout. To rediscover her zest for life, she decided to take up knitting again and, without any specific training in the field, enjoyed experimenting with various textures, patterns, and colors. But when she couldn't find a suitable local wool for a particular project, Bridget decided to spin and dye it herself.

Cowgirl Blues was born!

For Bridget, it wasn't about staying alone in her kitchen, but also about helping to erase the inequalities that mark South African society, deeply impacted by apartheid, by recruiting a team composed mainly of black women, the most vulnerable in terms of employment. You can get to know Cynthia, Busiswa, Elmarie and Nomonde on the Cowgirl blues blog .

The South African goats and sheep are raised outdoors and are mulesed -free. The yarns are hand-dyed and the dyes used are certified azo-free (no heavy metals). Much of the water used during the dyeing process is rainwater, and the company is now looking to move towards natural, plant-based dyes.

 

ERIKA KNIGHT

If Erika Knight's name sounds familiar, it's because you've probably seen her on knitting/crochet patterns or books: she's a renowned British designer. There's no need to choose between designer and British: Erika fully embraced both by creating her own yarn brand in 2012.

Erika prides herself on using mostly local materials to make her yarns. The fibers of her Wool Local (from Bluefaced Leicester & Masham sheep) are washed, carded and spun in a textile mill in Yorkshire. Maxi Wool is labeled British Wool .

At Wolly Roger, we also offer a GOTS certified Erika Knight aran yarn.  : the Big Vintage Wool. Enough to make you as laughing as a seagull, in short.

 

FONTY

The Fonty spinning mill is one of the last spinning/dyeing mills still in operation in France, which makes it the sea turtle of manufacturers in terms of longevity! And yes, sailor, this company, founded in 1880 in Creuse, has been certified  Living Heritage Company  by the Minister of Economy.

Combining exceptional expertise and cutting-edge skills, Fonty offers a variety of products, including fibers sourced from local and regional farms. The colors are developed in the dyeing workshop, which is itself backed by an ecological water treatment unit that utilizes the filtration properties of reeds.

Fonty is also behind the "Khangai Mountains Breeders' Cooperative" sector. This is an eco-responsible and fair trade sector set up in Mongolia with the technical support of AVSF (Agronomists and Veterinarians Without Borders). By offering a yarn made mainly from 100% French angora, the Creuse-based company is collaborating with the last traditional angora rabbit breeders in France whose wool is obtained by combing. Find out more about the "Association of French Angora Breeders" Charter .

 

KREMKE SOUL WOOL

Kremke Soul Wool is Wolly Roger's most playful brand. Like a dolphin playing with the waves, Kremke plays with materials and goes above and beyond to offer us increasingly environmentally friendly yarns.

Britta and Carsten Kremke (whom we mentioned earlier) are keen to focus on plant-based products and recycled fibers. Because many of us are concerned about the environment, Kremke Soul Wool has developed yarns that are right in line with the Slow fashion and upcycling trend.

At Wolly Roger we wanted to offer you a tencel  quality in refined colors, recycled cotton in a wide choice of colors but also, something rare on the market, a merino & nylon sock wool, because we were fed up with having itchy socks (yes, you can be a pirate and have sensitive feet ^^⁾.

 

MALABRIGO

Malabrigo is a family-owned company located in Uruguay and Peru, renowned for its wide range of colors and incredibly soft yarns. Their shimmering, moiré hues evoke the mother-of-pearl of seashells.
Like many so-called "indie" wools, the story of this brand began in a kitchen and believe me, the rest of the story is a delight.

Since its inception in 2005, this brand has taken the American market by storm and has quickly won the hearts of knitters in Europe and the rest of the world. The company primarily employs women of varying ages and contributes to job integration.
Malabrigo's workshop recently moved to Peru, but its heart remains Uruguayan: the company has kept the laboratory to experiment and concoct new wonders of color and softness. The dyeing process complies with Oeko-Tex standards.  and is particularly respectful of the environment in terms of natural resources: their manufacturing process is designed upstream to use as little water as possible. The Merino wool used to make the yarns is always mulesing-free .

In fact, Malabrigo now has his own flock of Merino and Corriedale sheep on a ranch near Montevideo.
Learn more about the ethical commitments made by wool producers in Uruguay.

 

This list is subject to change over time and will be updated if any changes are made.

Hopla, bis ball!

Jessica