1. Do you spin all the yarns yourself?
No. Spinning is an art form in and of itself requiring master craftsmanship, expertise and equipment. We trust in yarn manufacturers which have produced quality yarns that last in use. We are constantly co-operating with yarn manufacturers produce high-quality yarns and develop new base yarns.
2. From where do the yarns originate?
Louhitar II, Kaino and Kytöläinen and Kytöläinen II yarns are entirely Finnish. Other yarns are spun in Germany, (sock yarns, Kokko and Pohjan Akka), and in England (merino wool and silk yarns and the spinning fibers). Some of our yarns are manufactured in India.
The merino wool in all of our yarns is South African mulesing free merino wool.
3. Are the yarns dyed with natural dyes?
Every yarn is dyed with effective synthetic dyes. We do not use the natural dyes at all in our dyeing process. All the chemicals we use are constantly monitored and we use only dyestuff that are safe to the environment and to people. Using plant dyes is not possible due to legislation and the availability of the dyes. Furthermore some of the intensive colors would not be possible to achieve with the plant colors.
4. Is there any other yarns than wool in the selection?
Louhittaren Luola yarns are mainly wool or wool mix, (merino-silk or wool-nylon for example). We also have 100 % silk yarn. Our line of yarns also includes a merino-bamboo yarn, Kuutar. One of the newest additions to our line of yarns is a 100 % yak fiber yarn, Viimatar.
We do not dye plant fibers like cotton or linen. The dyestuff we use does not attach to plant fibers which is why we do not have 100% plant fiber yarns in our selection, (excluding merino wool and bamboo mix Kuutar).
5. What a dye lot means?
The yarns are dyed in batches of 10 skeins at most. We mix the dyestuff in small batches and there can be some varying between the dye lots even though we try to make sure that the colors will stay similar.
Due to the yarns being dyed in small individual batches, every yarn is labeled with a dye lot number. When we ship yarns sold via our webshop, we try to ensure every skein is from the same dye lot. If you wish to purchase a sweater-quantity of yarn, we recommend you to order it separately to make sure that they are dyed as an individual batch for you.
We recommend striping for every hand-dyed yarn but especially for yarns from two different dye lots. Please note that all hand-dyed yarns, even from the same lot, may be different in their color saturation and color variation.
6. Why the yarn I got looks different in the webshop's photo?
We aim to photograph all the yarns so that the colors in the webshop are corresponding to the real colors. However, only one of the skeins that are dyed in one dye lot is photographed and the skein you get may not be the one in the photo. Every batch is hand dyed and every lot takes color distinctively which is why your skein may have darker or lighter spots than in the yarn in the photo. Furthermore the skein in the photo is showing only one side and especially the yarns that are multicolored might differ from the photo.
Yarns are photographed so that they represent the yarn and it's color as accurately as possible. Colors and their shades may vary on different displays. There are also differences in shades between the dye lots.
7. Can I order a special color that you don't have in the color chart?
Louhittaren Luola's color chart is extensive but even that will not cover all possible colors. We have dyed custom color shades for our customers for years and many of those colors have been added to our selection.
If you wish to purchase a shade which we currently don't have in our color chart, please choose a custom shade.We will contact you after receiving your order to make sure you we can produce the shade you wish as accurately as possible. It would be best if you could send us a sample to compare the shade, (for example a piece of clothing or a fabric sample). Even a photo of the desired color helps!
Every custom order is dyed individually. Producing the exact same shade on a new lot might prove tricky so order the amount you need with perhaps a little extra. Custom orders are always special lots and we add them a 10% fee.
8. Do you dye garments?
Yes, we do also dye finished garments. Any information regarding the material or the yarn used for the garment is vital, because plant fibers, viscose (linen, cotton, hemp, bamboo etc.) and most of the synthetic fibers (excluding polyamide/nylon) won't take up dye with the dyestuff we use. Garments made of these materials may end spotted or blotchy.
Please note that the color of the finished garment will be vivid and semi-solid and the final result is often a little spotted. In the dyeing process the dyestuff travels through the garment unevenly which is why it's almost impossible to make the color to be totally even. Furthermore the buttons, zippers, seams and stitching won't be likely to absorb dye the same way as the garment.
The cardigan in the photo is made of Icelandic wool and it has been in use for years. This natural white garment was stained beyond help. It was dyed to color way Valaan laulu and the cardigan got a new life.
Please contact us for more details.
9. Is it possible to visit the dye studio outside the scheduled knit nights?
Yes, of course! Our little factory shop is open upon request. We focus on dyeing, please contact us via email or phone (at +358-400-594915) to book your visit in advance. Then we can ensure that we are not elbow-deep in dyeing process at the time of your visit. You are most welcome to visit the dye studio and our little factory shop!
Our dye studio is located in central Haukipudas. The address is Välitie 4.
You can find driving directions and the map to our dye studio from Google Maps.
