Here’s the thing about acrylic yarn

Here’s the thing about acrylic yarn: It’s an inexpensive option and it’s easy to work with, but it does contribute to the degradation of our environment in a big way. Acrylic yarn is synthetic, it’s made out of Polyacrylonitrile.

Here’s a blurb about acrylonitrile from enviro-crafting website Sew Green:

Acrylic yarn is made from acrylonitrile, which is considered an environmental pollutant and hazardous to human health. Producing acrylic is a highly chemically-dependent industry and produces pollutants, such as the organic solvents N,N-dimethylmethanamide and sodium thiocyanate, vinyl acetate and methyl acrylate.

And that’s not even bringing into question the human rights issues involved in chemically-dependent production in countries with lax labour laws.

So.. my feelings on acrylic yarn are this:

Do I think you’re cheap for using acrylic? Hell no, we all got bills to pay. (Which is why re-used or recycled yarn from thrift shops are a great option!)

But do I think you’re contributing to the ultimate breakdown of our planet’s various incredible, intricate ecosystems? Yep. I do.