Manos del Uruguay

Manos was founded way back in 1968 to give women jobs that would allow them to provide for their families, be independent and self-develop while staying in their home villages and keeping their roots and traditional skills.

40 years on, Manos has grown to be a very special non-profit organisation, owned by the women themselves, focused on a product that is sustainable, ethical and beautiful. This was acknowledged by the World Fair Trade Organisation (WFTO) by welcoming Manos as members in 2009.

Manos are almost unique for a commercial brand in that they still spin their yarns by hand.

The secret to their incredible colours lies in the artisanal process of patient kettle dyeing in small pots using precise colour recipes and time honoured techniques, combined with 40 years of research and experimentation. This process creates the subtle nuances in their striated colours as well as the fantastical shading in space-dyed yarns. They dye the same skein up to 6 times to achieve the complexity of a true piece of art. After dying, yarns are sun-dried.

No two skeins are exactly the same and every skein carries the signature of the craftswoman who made it, together with the name of the locality and the cooperative where it was made.

The main content in their yarns is wool from their local sheep farmers. Sheep in Uruguay graze freely on natural grass pastures and are mulling free.

Knitting with Manos is a unique experience for the senses and the soul.