FIBERS

Merino wool is a type of wool gathered from the coats of Merino sheep. Traditional wool can be itchy while merino wool is one of the softest forms of wool and does not aggravate the skin because the fibers are smaller - thus more flexible and pliable. Merino is prized for being odor-resistant, moisture-wicking, and breathable. Most of the worlds merino wool comes form Australia and New Zealand.

Mohair comes from the hair of the Angora goat. Incredibly durable, warm, moisture-wicking, and resilient, mohair is also notable for its high luster and sheen. One of the oldest fibers in textiles, mohair originated in the mountains of Tibet where the Angora goat originally lived. Mohair is considered a luxury fiber because the production process of mohair is more involved - similar to that of cashmere.

Cotton is a natural fiber derived from cotton plants. There are four types of cotton and the cotton used in Bastian KNTWR is pima cotton. Considered the first type of cotton, pima cotton's fibers are extra soft and long, making is resistant to fading and tearing. It is native to South America and the American Southwest. One of the best features of cotton is its breathability and softness, thus making it the ideal fiber for warmer months.

Lambswool comes from the coat of young sheep. Lambswool is generally softer than that of regular wool and it can be produced from a variety of sheep breeds. It is soft, moisture wicking, hypoallergenic, and breathable. Lambswool is ideal for hand knit sweaters and holds it's shape well.

Cashmere is one of the softest and most luxurious forms of wool. Cashmere wool comes from the coat of cashmere goats and pashmina goats. The fiber is known for its soft and warm insulating feature.

The wool silk blend used by Bastian KNTWR is hand dyed and a blend of merino and silk. This yarn is incredibly soft and warm. It has a luster and sheen when knitted and is good for warm and colder months since the mix of silk helps cools down the wearer.

Alpaca yarn comes from the Alpaca, a smaller llama-like animal. which is native to Peru. The fiber is incredibly soft and warm - making it an ideal material for colder months. Alpaca fiber is naturally water resistant, lightweight, and sturdy.

Acrylic yarn is a man-made fiber often mixed with natural fibers since it is soft, non-scratchy, lightweight, and durable. Bastian uses a small amount of acrylic yarn for this reason to make a sweater not as heavy or give it a softer touch.

Space dyed yarn is a term defining the dyeing process of any type of yarn or fiber. Different colors are applied to specific or random parts of yarn. By doing this striping or patterning my show up in a knitted piece by using only one type of yarn. This type of dyeing process is used by Bastian KNTWR in many of our sweaters.