Description
The Mineral Series of merino wool is colored using natural rocks and minerals from the Earth. These earthy dyes are 100% natural, eco-friendly, and used in natural cosmetics, making these yarns perfect for our skin.
This yarn is dyed using pure copper oxide, giving the yarn a natural pink-ish colour. Copper has been used throughout history for its anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties, and is known to improve the appearance of skin. Copper Oxide is finely powdered, mixed with natural resins and used to colour the yarn.
The resulting yarn has a beautiful variegated effect, leaving parts of the wool’s natural background color visible.
Our 100% natural dyeing process compacts and tights the wool fibre, which then blooms once it has been worked with the needles or hook, resulting in an extremely soft and warm finish. The colors are extremely color fast, even is a little excess pigment comes off during knitting/crocheting.
Yarn Weight: Fingering Weight
Blend: 100% Merino Wool
Effect: Mineral-dyed, Copper Oxide
Needles: 3.50mm (US 4) – 5.50mm (US 9)
Hook: 3.00mm (C) – 5.00mm (H)
Yardage: 50 g (1.8 oz) / 162 m (177 yds)
Tension: 30 stitches, 21 rows to 10cm/4″
Care: Hand wash and dry flat
Color fastness: yes, very color fast (hand wash)
Other shades in this series: Lapis-Lazuli, Burnt Umber, Ercolano Orange, Golden Ochre, Graphite, Green Earth, Red Earth, Yellow Ochre
More about Copper Oxide
Copper oxide is anti-fungal and anti-bacterial [1] and improves the appearance of skin [2]. Some skin creams contain copper. Copper is non-toxic, non-sensitising, and non-irritating to the skin. The risk of adverse effects because of copper exposure is extremely low [3, 4].
Copper has been used throughout human history:
- In ancient Egypt (2000 BC), copper was used to sterilize water and wounds
- The ancient Greeks prescribed copper for pulmonary diseases
- During the Roman Empire, copper cooking utensils were used to prevent the spread of disease
- The Aztecs used copper oxide to treat skin conditions
- In the Second World War, Japanese soldiers put pieces of copper in their water bottles to help prevent dysentery [5].
Today copper is used as a water purifier, to protect against bacteria, fungi and viruses [1], and is added to wound dressings and cosmetic products [6, 7, 2].
Socks containing copper oxide particles, such as socks designed to protect the feet of diabetic individuals, are commercially available in many countries. In 2012, copper oxide containing socks helped cure the trapped Chilean miners of skin infections while still trapped 700 meters underground [8].
References and further reading:
1 BORKOW, G. Using copper to fight microorganisms. Curr Chem Biol, 2012, vol. 6, no. 2, p. 93-103.
2 BORKOW, G., GABBAY, J., LYAKHOVITSKY, A. and HUSZAR, M. Improvement of facial skin characteristics using copper oxide containing pillowcases: a double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel, randomized study. Int J Cosmet. Sci. 2009, vol. 31, no. 6, p. 437-443.
3 HOSTYNEK, JJ. and MAIBACH, HI. Copper hypersensitivity: dermatologic aspects – an overview.
Rev. Environ. Health, 2003, vol. 18, no. 3, p. 153-183.
4 GORTER, RW., BUTORAC, M. and COBIAN, EP. Examination of the cutaneous absorption of copper after the use of cop
per-containing ointments. Am J Ther., 2004, vol. 11, no. 6, p. 453-458.
5 DOLLWET, HHA. and SORENSON, JRJ. Historic uses of copper compounds in medicine. Trace Elements in Medicine, 2001, vol. 2, no. p. 80-87.
6 UAUY, R., OLIVARES, M. and GONZALEZ, M. Essentiality of copper in humans. Am. J Clin. Nutr., 1998, vol. 67, no. 5 Suppl., p. 952S-959S.
7 BORKOW, G., GABBAY, J., DARDIK, R., EIDELMAN, AI., LAVIE, Y., GRUNFELD, Y., IKHER, S., HUSZAR, M., ZATCOFF, RC.
and MARIKOVSKY, M. Molecular mechanisms of enhanced wound healing by copper oxide-impregnated dressings.
Wound. Repair Regen., 2010, vol. 18, no. 2, p. 266-275.
8 BORKOW, G. and MELLIBOVSKY, JC. Resolution of skin maladies of the trapped Chilean miners: the unplanned underground
copper-impregnated antifungal socks “trial”. Arch. Dermatol, 2012, vol. 148, no. 1, p. 134-136.
