Gilliatt: Ethical Yarn

Today I have just a short post about another new yarn we have at YAK. Staying with the theme of natural wool and being able to trace a yarn’s steps like last week I’d like to introduce, Gilliatt.

French company De Rerum Natura are passionate about the process of creating their yarns. At the forefront of their philosophy is to keep the environmental impact at all stages of processing the yarn to a minimum. The fleeces they use are from sheep who have been raised with attention for healthy development and fleece regrowth. The French merino comes from flocks in the Alps of Haute-Provence which is blended with black European merino from Portugal. The history of the French merino is something in itself. Pioneered by Emmanuel Granger in the late 2000’s the “Maco Merino” wool is Europe’s answer to the rivalling the softness of Australian and New Zealand merino. Granger’s sheep are in fact descended from New Zealand sheep and their softness lives on. The fleece is carded and milled in the traditional way in Rougnat,France. You can read more about the history of French Merino on the De Rerem Natura website (in French).

Gilliatt is woollen spun which means it is extremely light and lofty. It is a worsted weight but because it’s so light it’s a generous 250 meters per 100g. In my mind this yarn has the perfect combination of rustic charm and cosy softness. Use this yarn for everyday jumpers, cardigans, shawls and accessories. Perfect for kids.

They have a brilliant range of natural colours, going from pure white, several salt and pepper shades to natural brown. The over dyed colours are just as nice and are a great compliment to the naturals.

There are a plethora of pattern which use Gilliatt over on Ravelry. Solenn Couix-Loarer, De Rerum Natura owner, has designed some gorgeous children’s patterns. It will also work with most worsted and some aran pattern, but always check your gauge.