Yearn Worthy Yarn: Banana Silk Yarn
While banana fabric might be hard to find, banana yarn is not. In fact we’ve talked about All Eco Banana Silk, a yarn whose fibers are hand crushed to get the material to spin.
- » See also: Yearn Worthy Yarn: Spiritual Trail Fibers
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Banana silk yarn starts as bark from the banana tree. The bark is then soaked until the cellulose fibers are all that remains. It is then extruded into pulp and then spun into yarn. And Shangri-la Craft’s banana yarn is also hand dyed by a women’s group in Nepal.
Modern manufacturing produces a rayon like fiber from the banana fibers. Other Banana silk yarns are spun from recycled remnants from the clothing industry, such as those skeins from the Wool Peddler.
Banana silk yarn is very similar to recycled silk sari in that it is a bit fuzzy, but it is a soft and shiny yarn perfect for bulky yarn projects.
I also hand dye banana yarn (it’s spun by a women’s coop in Nepal, dyed by me) and I collected a few free knitting patterns that work great with the yarn.
You can find them here (with a bit of info about the unique qualities of banana yarn)
Another informative article to share with our customers. What will the textile industry come up with next?
[...] are obsessed with food-based fibers around here! From banana yarn to pineapple cloth, I’m starting to wonder if we’re feeling more hungry than [...]
[...] are obsessed with food-based fibers around here! From banana yarn to pineapple cloth, I’m starting to wonder if we’re feeling more hungry than [...]
[...] are obsessed with food-based fibers around here! From banana yarn to pineapple cloth, I’m starting to wonder if we’re feeling more hungry than [...]