When you bring your new baby home from the hospital you want to keep that special little person as safe and protected as you can. For many parents, this includes using organic clothing, toys, and miscellaneous baby supplies. If you’re knitting a baby item for one of these conscientious parents, you may wonder about some of the benefits of using organic knitting yarn.

Many people do not realize that the process of growing cotton involves chemicals–a rather significant amount of them. Since cotton is the fabric of choice for most new mothers, you are already exposing your young infant to toxic chemicals.

Another factor to consider is that sensitive baby skin is often allergic to certain fabrics and/or the chemicals that are used in making them. By choosing organic knitting yarn you can keep the baby more comfortable as well as safe. An added benefit is that making fabrics without chemicals creates a more durable fiber.

Although cotton is the most well-known type of organic fiber, different options are being introduced all the time. Bamboo is becoming more and more popular because it offers the benefits of cotton without some of the drawbacks. It requires no chemicals to produce and comes from a sustainable, renewable source. You can now find many beautiful colors of bamboo baby yarn.

Alpaca fleece is harvested from free-range alpacas that are raised without antibiotics and other toxic chemicals. Yarn made from these fibers is naturally hypoallergenic and makes very soft warm items.

Some other options you may find are organic merino wool, hemp, and hemp/cotton blends. As more and more people become environmentally conscious, you will find new and different types of organic knitting yarn to try. New sustainable organic materials are being used to create fabrics all the time so your best bet is to find and follow some of the organic health websites and newsletters that will let you know when new knitting yarn options are available.