Spincycle Yarns

I have admired Spincycle Handspun Yarns, based in Bellingham, Washington, for quite some time now, but unfortunately, have not had the opportunity to try their yarn out! Spincycle, started in 2005, consists of two "sassy spinsters" who handspin and dye all of their products and then bike to local venues to sell their yarn (hence the cycle in their name – they are car-free). Their mission is to "spin yarn that is both fresh and classic, to inspiring your craft with ever-changing textures and colors, and to advancing the knitting revolution!" 

To add to their environmentally friendly mantra, all of their all-natural raw material comes from local farms, except for one type of fiber that is from the Falkland Islands. The reason that they let this one foreign fiber into their studio is because the farm that breeds the sheep is extremely sustainable, with windmills and no bleaching or harsh chemical treatments on the product. Even the dyes that they use are non-toxic, so it is safe for them, as the makers, the knitters, and for the end-users. They are extremely involved in every part of the creation cycle, from meeting the animals, choosing the fleece, cleaning, dyeing, and spinning the fiber into the final yarn. And although they do sell some of their yarn in stores located in Washington, Oregon, and California, it is mostly available through their online store, so they even know who ends up with the product. Their business model is extremely sustainable (and admirable, in today's economic situation.) 

In fact, their business model provides an interesting comparison to many businesses represented in Network Cultures, especially like those discussed by Nicholas Carr in his article "From the Many to the Few." There are many parallels to be drawn, such as the "few"  involved in the production process, but Spincycle is on such a different scale from the Facebooks and YouTubes of the networked world. Spincycle, since it is managed by just two people, is able to reach its users on a very personal level, allowing the users to feel like they are helping to impact change through environmentally safe products. Users will be more likely to make repeat purchases because of the close interaction of the makers into every stage of the process. This is quite different from the Network, which often takes away the individual experiences that are provided through this type of care put into the production of a good or service. Although, Spincycle is completely networked into society, with a website, online store, Facebook fan page, Ravelry page, Yelp page, Etsy page, etc. However, their success is most likely not due to their being "plugged in" to the network, but due to their sound and friendly practices. (Just to add, I do not know how "successful" they really are as a business, but the fact that they have been around since 2005 is enough indication for me that they are doing something right!)

Grumpy Birds BFL Yarn

Swamp Thing Novelty Yarn

Misanthrope BFL Yarn