Candide is made from the wool of Arles merinos raised in organic farming in Provence and from cotton recycled on the spot by the spinning mill thanks to a patented technique that preserves the length of the fibres.
To create this palette, part of the wool is dyed with natural plant extracts (indigo, chestnut, reseda, madder and cochineal) selected for their shade and strength. The dyed and unbleached yarns are then mixed to create the color range according to the chosen blends and then woolen spun.
The range includes two undyed colours: the unbleached "sucre glace" color and the "nougat" color which is a blend of 60% unbleached Arles merino / 10% black French merino and 30% recycled cotton.
This yarn was dyed and spun in France in the Tarn region by companies with the "living heritage company" label.
Candide is named after the hero of Voltaire's philosophical tale "Candide ou l'optimisme" who invites us to "cultivate our garden" to try to find our happiness in an imperfect world.
- Sport weight
- 70% Arles merino / 30% recycled cotton
- 50 g / 202 yds / 185 m
- Naturally dyed
- Made in France
Yarn Characteristics
- Traditional 2-ply structure
- The presence of cotton gives it a little more softness, a fresher feel and more compactness than its pure wool brother, Ulysse.
- Great for textured stitches knit at a fingering or sport weight gauge
- Ideal for mid-season projects that will benefit from the lightness of wool and the coolness of cotton.
Natural dyes are more "living" and fragile than synthetic dyes. These colors are likely to change over time as they soften slightly. De Rerum Natura have selected the most resistant plants and natural extracts but advise you to avoid exposing your balls or knitted garments for a long time to direct sunlight.
The color "grand bleu" (big blue), which contains a high concentration of indigo, may bleed slightly when knitted. Indigo pigments are non-toxic and even have beneficial anti-bacterial properties. This excess dye is easily washed off with soapy water.
This yarn is not superwash treated. It is advisable to wash your knitted fabric in lukewarm water with a suitable soap or detergent and leave it to dry flat away from direct sunlight, avoiding rubbing or stretching. If you wish to test the cold wool programm of your washing machine, we advise you to do so first with your sample.
Each dye lot is unique. Please purchase enough yarn to complete your project.
We try hard to capture the essence of each colorway, but please keep in mind that colors may vary from monitor to monitor.