What is a good vegan/ cruelty free substitute for silk yarn? - Page 2

kemp · 09-12-2006, 03:50 PM

Oh...somehow I missed the point of the worms being killed.

I'm not sure there is anything that feels quite like silk as we know it. I did have the chance to feel some tussah silk...it's kind of a bumpy slub...I don't know if all tussah silk is like that or not. Soft but certainly not like "regular" silk yarn.

shore--alpaca · 09-12-2006, 09:21 PM

Ah really? pood. :( (bumpy slub) ..... I was HOPING I'd find a good silk sub. lol. I LOOOVE the way it feels but now if I buy it every time I'll use it I'll think of worms being boiled so its not worth it lol. No, I don't have a problem with wool/ alpaca etc. in general. EXCEPT! if you can avoid it (if its labeled) avoid (in knitting or buying clothes) Australian merino wool. They use a very outdated method of shearing they (no razors!) strip the wool of sheep ( just pull it out!) and it really hurts the sheep and injures their skin (obviously) so I try to avoid Australian merino wool. It isn't always labelled as Australian so I just tend to avoid merino wool (I hate the feel of %100 anyway so it doesn't really bother me. lol

...... )

shore--alpaca · 09-12-2006, 09:23 PM

p.s. - Natasha - knitpicks (.com) is a great source for nice, cheap wool.

They're elegance wool is awesome!

slgn · 09-12-2006, 09:24 PM

I haven't used any silk-like materials yet, sorry. I had added the Fake Sheep link above as 1) only an FYI not necessarily in answer to your question 2) and because she might be a good person to ask your question to also.

Good luck

Julie · 09-12-2006, 09:39 PM

I have some tussah roving -- I haven't spun any yet, though, so I can't speak to how the yarn feels -- but the roving is absolutely gorgeous, and very very soft.

kemp · 09-12-2006, 09:45 PM

Originally Posted by Julie

I have some tussah roving -- I haven't spun any yet, though, so I can't speak to how the yarn feels -- but the roving is absolutely gorgeous, and very very soft.

Must depend on the way it's spun then! Good to know. You'll have to share with us after you spin it.

shore--alpaca · 09-13-2006, 07:38 AM

Hmmmm..... I never thought of emailing the fake sheep gal.

Tell me how your roving spins up!

I'd love to create yarn but don't want to invest $$$$ in a wheel and drop spinning looks SO tedious.

kellyjo32 · 09-13-2006, 11:50 AM

Originally Posted by shore--alpaca

EXCEPT! if you can avoid it (if its labeled) avoid (in knitting or buying clothes) Australian merino wool. They use a very outdated method of shearing they (no razors!) strip the wool of sheep ( just pull it out!) and it really hurts the sheep and injures their skin (obviously) so I try to avoid Australian merino wool. It isn't always labelled as Australian so I just tend to avoid merino wool (I hate the feel of %100 anyway so it doesn't really bother me. lol

...... )

I'm not so sure this is true.... My inlaws were in Australian within the last few years, and they watched a demonstration on sheep shearing and it was just like all the demonstrations I've seen here. They use the hand held shearers, basically just larger and more powerful than what barbers use to cut hair. I also met a guy who sheared sheep in Australia for years. He actually competed world-wide and won many shearing competitions. He was an amazingly skilled man, who sheared with the hand held shearers. And after talking to him, he never mentioned "pulling it out".

shore--alpaca · 09-13-2006, 11:34 PM

well, I don't know if ALL Australian wool farmers do it this way (probably? not) but many still do. It is an outdated method, its not "shearing" (as with scissors/ shears etc.) its mulesing (it's awful. They strip wool out with hands!)

Here is a link: (p.s. read the article on this page if you want but CAUTION! going to far into the site, I think? they're are some disturbing pictures.) :

http://www.savethesheep.com/f-AmericanEagle.asp

shore--alpaca · 09-14-2006, 12:37 AM

ooooh thanks mulene!

I'll look for the bamboo silk.