Bikini tops and bibs, market bags and beanie hats, washcloths and water bottle holders; if you can dream it, you can crochet it. What started as a trend during the first days of the pandemic seems to be here to stay in the fashion world. Until 2020, crochet was stereotypically reserved for grandmothers. That changed after COVID-19 and the lockdown. At the start of the pandemic, hundreds of thousands of people were left with nothing to do but twiddle their thumbs and wallow in existential dread. What better way to stave off anxiety than to grab a hook and some yarn? As a result, the ship blew up on TikTok. If you happened to miss this era, this article from Mashable describes how crocheters found popularity and solace by showcasing their creations on TikTok.
Crocheted items used to be mostly found on Etsy, made and sold by artists directly. Unfortunately, when something becomes fashionable, cheaper and less ethical knockoffs always follow, and crochet is no exception. Fast fashion sites like SHEIN and big retailers like Target have jumped on the crochet trend, undercutting Etsy sellers by significant margins.
The work is relaxing and rewarding, but as crocheted clothing becomes more popular, it’s essential to understand the work that goes into producing these items. It can be a tough pill to swallow, but most crochet items don’t have to be cheap. Here’s something that might terrify you: Crocheted items are impossible to replicate by machine. While knitting machines exist, the only way to crochet is by hand. Stitches are just too complicated.
That means this $15 crochet top from SHEIN is made by hand. If I were to do this myself, the materials alone would cost $15. After accounting for the cost of labor (say five hours, if you’re super fast and crocheting non-stop), this top should cost at least $60 if the maker is paid $10 an hour for their work. On average, SHEIN workers are paid much less than that. The gleeful reviews raving about the ball take on a deeply disturbing tone once you stop and think about the work that went into it. A real person sweated over that top and likely got paid pennies in return.
By buying the cheapest option, there’s a high chance your dollar is supporting deeply unethical labor practices. Many people aren’t used to spending more than $20 on a shirt, so dropping more than $50 on a crochet top might seem ridiculous. The reality is that if you want to compensate artists fairly for their work, you’re going to have to get used to a higher price. Granny squares are some of the most popular crochet items right now and can be made into anything from bucket hats to blankets. A granny square takes about 30 minutes to make on average, and a top like SHEIN’s would take about 20 granny squares to complete. It’s over 10 hours of work.
These facts are not meant to shame you for your shopping choices; if you are interested in crocheting, this is an opportunity to think more deeply about where your clothes come from. In America, we are often completely alienated from the processes (and people) that create the clothes we wear. It’s all too easy to ignore the fact that there is a real person sewing our clothes together. We drive to the store, look through the shelves of neatly hung items, try on an outfit, take it home and that’s it. Crocheted items are a whole other ball game and should be approached with a completely different, anti-consumer mentality.
If you want to participate in the crochet trend, value quality over quantity. Having a few well-made ethically produced items will pay off in the long run. Buying from a smaller, independent maker means that not only will your item be more unique and guilt-free, but it will also be more sustainable. A fast-fashion crochet piece made with low-quality yarn and poor stitches will fall apart after a few washes, while a more expensive, slowly worked piece will last for years. Over time, you will actually save money. When you wear crochet items from sites like SHEIN, you also have to carry the guilt that comes with knowing your purchase has directly contributed to a deeply harmful and wasteful industry.
You can spend all day researching brands to determine their ethics. Or, you can pick up a hook and teach yourself to crochet. This is the most ethical option of all – you know exactly where the product is coming from and the only person you have to worry about overworking is you.
I’m not going to lie and pretend it’s ridiculously easy. There is a learning curve, especially if you’ve never considered yourself a crafty person. The most important thing to remember is that it’s okay to do something that looks like crap. You will miscount your stitches. You will be disappointed. Your final product will probably be horribly cramped and misshapen, and you may not want it to see the light of day. But that’s how you learn. Even the most talented crocheters had to start somewhere.
Bella Coco’s series on How to Crochet for Absolute Beginners is one of the most popular places for beginners to start, but there is no end to the free resources on how to crochet. Type “crochet beginner” into the YouTube search bar and you’ll find a dizzying array of results. Learn the most basic stitches (single, double, and triple), learn how to change thread colors, and you’ll soon be a certified pro. The best beginner projects are washcloths. Take some cotton thread and make small squares to your heart’s content. After your third square, the edges will stop being fuzzy and start to resemble something close to perfection. Remember: The beauty of handmade items is that they are handmade, Flaws and all.
The ikoxun YouTube channel should be your next stop once you get comfortable with basic stitches. She offers step-by-step visual instructions on how to crochet fashion items like shrugs and square pants, as well as how to modify patterns to fit your body perfectly. It’s incredibly easy to adjust items to fit your body like a glove. SHEIN never could. As your skills develop, you’ll slowly build up a collection of items made to suit your body and your tastes. You will have spent hundreds of hours producing something with your hands, time that could otherwise have been spent aimlessly drifting in doom. It’s free and very rewarding. Creation is a natural human need, and crocheting is just one way to fulfill this void. Once you get the hang of it, you won’t be able to resist knitting, embroidery, stitching and felting, and – you get the picture.
Before you head to Jo-Ann’s, there’s one more thing to consider when talking about sustainability in the context of crochet. Although making your own clothes is much more sustainable than buying fast fashion, it’s not completely guilt-free. The cheapest and most accessible yarn on the market is acrylic. Acrylic yarn is attractive for several reasons: It’s more budget-friendly than most natural fibers, it’s easy to find (large craft store chains like Jo-Ann’s and Michael’s will carry acrylic yarn almost exclusively), and it’s durable. as well as machine wash safe. This consistency comes at a cost. Acrylic yarn is made from petroleum, which means it is not biodegradable. Every little scrap of yarn ends up in a landfill for decades upon decades.
Well, great. What should I do if I can’t afford to buy ethical products but can’t afford to crochet sustainably? The solution is a little more complex, but that’s why sustainable fashion is often called “slow” fashion. It takes longer to get there, but in the end it’s worth it to know that your choices didn’t actively harm the world around you.
Natural fibers are the most sustainable choice. They include threads made from naturally derived materials such as wool, cotton, silk, linen, bamboo or hemp (my favorite). These materials will naturally degrade over time. They also feel better on your body. In an age where we risk consuming up to a credit card worth of microplastics per week, it feels good to know that I’m not intentionally putting more plastic on my skin. Natural fibers are more expensive and sometimes harder to find in stores, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to get them.
First, search for a locally owned craft store near you. Not only do they carry more yarn made from natural fibers, they can also carry yarn spun by local artisans using local materials. There is something so comforting about knowing exactly where your materials come from. If that’s not an option, open thrift stores first. The Facebook marketplace and estate sales are always full of people pledging their threads for cheap. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can buy a sweater or other knitted garment and unravel it, then twist the yarn into a ball.
If you are unable or unwilling to reduce your acrylic yarn usage, just try to be conscious of your scraps when crocheting. When you cut off the edges of a project, save your scraps and keep them in a jar to use as stuffing for projects like pillows and amigurumi. You’ll sleep better at night knowing your waste will never end up in the ocean or a landfill. Additionally, be aware of the tools you choose to use. Invest in metal or wooden hooks rather than plastic – the price difference is small. Instead of buying cheap plastic stitch markers that look like baby teething rings, use safety pins or even old hoop earrings. Your wallet and the planet will thank you in the long run.
Crocheting sustainably is easy, but it’s a practice of patience. You may see other crafters with walls and walls of acrylic yarn displayed in a stunning rainbow, but don’t let the excess trick you into making poor purchases. Make crochet a slow and deliberate hobby. Actively disconnecting from the consumerist propaganda machine that screams “more, more, more” will ease your mind and make you a more fulfilled person. As your skills develop, so will your pride in your new, handmade clothing. Making ethical and sustainable choices doesn’t just benefit the planet; it feeds your soul.