SUstainable

At one point in my life, I lived in Peru. My father had been transferred there for two years. Peru is known for many things, one of them being sugar cane! (And of course they produce some of the world’s finest wools!) This annual crop of sugar cane is good for more than the production of sugar but is also a very sustainable source of pulp for the production of paper. Every year there is a huge crop of pulp left over from the sugar production. And the sugar cane was what surrounded the house near the chemical plant my father was there to oversee! What a treat it was to be asked to go on a tour of both the sugar and paper mills when out-of-town guests came to town!

When sourcing materials for SUFibers I came across a natural, unbleached paper….from Peru, made from sugar cane! That brought back visions of sugar cane fields! And was an easy choice for my paper wrapper and business needs.

As for shipping materials, I sought out materials that would protect the precious wool yet also NOT add to the vast number of plastics already out there! The bags I found were touted as breaking down in months rather than years, which also appealed to me, bags that could be reused and recycled as well as being more biodegradable. That was my initial approach, however, it became apparent that the mailing bags did not have the strength needed to endure the trip to different parts of the country! In stepped cardboard boxes and stronger bags! The shipping bags I sometimes use are not as biodegradeable as I’d like, however, the bags inside any shipping containers ARE biodegradeable as well as REUSABLE! I hope everyone receiving a shipment from SUFibers will consider reusing that lightweight interior bag, protecting the yarn should the outer packaging get wet, for your own kitchen waste and trash.

IF your order arrives in a plastic bag, consider opening carefully. Please note there is sometimes a second adhesive surface. If you open the bags carefully, you could potentially use them again for your own shipping purposes! Or just reseal with some tape at home. I tend to reuse these types of shipping bags when cleaning out the cat litter boxes! ;)

I also work to partner with wool spinneries that use and promote sustainable practices in their wool production.  So, from the beginning - the harvesting of the wool from the sheep to the time the yarn reaches your door -I have tried to be as thoughtful as possible regarding the overall imprint this business, and others, makes on the Earth.

Thanks for shopping at SUFibers!