As a sustainable crochet and yarn brand, our New Year isn't about reinventing ourselves; instead, it's a time to reassess what we do and why it's so important. Sustainability wasn't something we adopted because it was popular or marketable — it's the reason LOOSENDS exists in the first place. From the very beginning, founder Bennett believed that making something by hand meant making it with care: care for the materials, care for the people, and care for the environment. As we move into 2026, we're recommitting to sustainability as the foundation of LOOSENDS.

By March 2024, Bennett was in love with the idea of being able to fuse both worlds of crochet and sustainability. He made his first purchase of t-shirt yarn from a small shop in Mission, BC. Flash forward a couple of years, and LOOSENDS now has our own line of that exact same reclaimed t-shirt yarn that Bennett fell in love with. Evidently, careful material choices and slow production have been at the core of our journey from our early days.

We continue to prioritize using reclaimed T-Shirt fabric yarn while keeping our production slow and intentional.

Now, a team of 2 crocheters, Bennett and Ilana, can be seen in studio crocheting up a storm of bags to keep up with orders and develop new patterns too!

Image via LOOSENDS

While we're proud of what we do, we're not the only ones, and a huge part of our inspiration comes from other creatives who are committed to sustainable production. Brands like Nena Hansen, one of our favourite upcycled clothing labels, work exclusively with secondhand and deadstock textiles to give existing materials a new life.

Che the Label approaches sustainability with the same creativity, crafting one-of-a-kind clothing from upcycled materials.

Image via Nena Hansen

Image via @che.thelabel

We're also continually inspired by local Montreal brands like Charlie Huilin, whose functional, design-forward bags are made from recycled textile waste. Seeing brands like these stay true to eco-conscious production while still crafting beautiful, unique pieces reminds us that sustainability isn't limiting; in fact, it opens more opportunities for creativity.

Image via @charlie.hulin

For LOOSENDS, growth has meant becoming even more intentional. As our production scale increases, so does our responsibility to ask harder questions:

How can we reduce our waste as demand grows?

We've focused on finding creative solutions that make use of every material we already have, like turning yarn scraps into bag charms and scrap bags instead of letting them go to waste.

How do we maintain quality without rushing to fulfill more orders?

We've learned that by building a trustworthy, dedicated team, we're able to delegate thoughtfully, protect the integrity and quality of the brand and foster a healthy, positive production environment.

What does ethical production look like as we grow?

For us, it means giving ourselves time. We allow space to slow down during design development and rely on crochet pattern sales to support the business while we work at a sustainable pace that prioritizes people and quality over speed.

We have learned that remaining true to our mission: Making Crochet as Sustainable as Possible, means committing to a series of ongoing decisions, reassessments and improvements, always striving to be as transparent and as accountable as possible.

Photos by Liam John

So, while new year's resolutions often change year to year, we are recommitting to the same goals as always:

1. Sustainable Materials First

   We prioritize reclaimed T-Shirt yarn and low-impact materials, helping to reduce waste while creating pieces that are intentional and unique.

2. Slow, Conscious Production

   We don't rush to overproduce or generate profit. Our production timelines and output are guided by our capacity as a small team, sustainability and ensuring high-quality craftsmanship.

3. Designing for Longevity

   Every piece is made to last, structurally and stylistically, so it can live in your closet for years, not just seasons.

We firmly believe that sustainability isn't just a brand responsibility but a collective one! Individual choices add up more than we realize. Small shifts generate measurable impact, such as shopping secondhand, which can significantly reduce the amount of clothing sent to landfills. A 2022 report by The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WARP) found that second-hand clothing production emits 82% less CO2 compared to new clothing! Even one small action like using a reusable water bottle makes a big difference and helps prevent hundreds of single-use water bottles from entering landfills every year.

Photo by Liam John