As part of our Sustainability Commitment, we prioritize eco-friendly materials in our product designs and try our best to stay as close to plastic-free as possible. Many of our products are made with PLA - so we thought we should tell you what it is and why we love it!
PLA stands for Polylactic Acid - a bioplastic made from fermented plant starch such as, corn, beets, and sugar cane. There are a few different forms of PLA; the type we use contains no petroleum, and is 100% plant-based and biodegradable.
PLA is one of our favorite materials to design with because it is a great eco-friendly alternative to petroleum-based plastic. Like petroleum plastic, PLA is low cost, durable, smooth, and can be manufactured in multiple colors with techniques like injection molding and 3D printing. Rather than using harmful fossil fuels, PLA is made from renewable resources and is biodegradable.
Our first product made with PLA was the travel size Needle Gauge, and we loved it so much that we just kept designing with it!
While PLA is biodegradable, it cannot be composted in a typical at-home garden setting. It requires commercial processing with controlled conditions like high temperatures and specific microorganisms.
PLA has good balance of low density and rigidity, but it is not quite as durable as petroleum plastic - meaning it is more likely to break at thin stress points.
We have learned a lot since we started working with PLA in 2018. Here are some anecdotes of our journey:
We are committed to finding new ways to improve the quality and sustainability of our products by using eco-friendly materials and creating more original designs. As a small business, we don’t always get things 100% the first time around. Working with this relatively new-to-us PLA material comes with a learning curve, and we are always eager to experiment and expand our knowledge!
Learn more about our Sustainability Commitment.
You can browse all of our PLA tools here.
Our PLA Tape Measure comes in six colors; Clay, Linen, Storm, Sea Glass, Mustard Seed, and Wild Rose. The metal tape inside measures 78" (2 m) long. The absence of a locking mechanism keeps our Tape Measure 100% petroleum plastic free and reduces the likelihood of breakage. Each tape measure is packaged in a reusable linen drawstring bag to minimize packaging waste.
Designed to be compact and travel-friendly, our PLA Needle Gauge is a rainbow stack of connected discs that identifies knitting needle sizes US 0-15 / 2-10 mm. The discs swivel out and click back together with tiny magnets.
These little clips hold seams closed, both during seaming and while awaiting seaming, to keep the knitting from stretching out. This is especially helpful for collars and underarms in top-down, seamless sweater knitting. If you knit in pieces, our Claw Clips keep your seams on-track and perfectly matched.
Keep your garments looking fresh and pill-free with this gentle steel comb, which efficiently removes fiber fuzz buildup. Compact and perfect for travel, both designs are made entirely of PLA with a removable and replaceable steel Comb Refill.
Designed to be used with our Maker’s Board, the handy Ruler and Gauge are also useful on their own. Magnets are embedded (without glue) in the back of each tool so they attach to any metal surface. In addition to measuring and checking knitting needle sizes, these tools can be used as straight edges to help keep track in patterns and charts.
Our Maker's Board includes 9 magnets, 4 of which are embedded (without glue) in a disc of 100% PLA. You can also buy a separate set of 6 colorful magnets. The magnets can hold patterns, charts, or recipes on the Maker's Board (or any metal surface), and are strong enough to work from both the front and back.
Hajilou, N., Mostafayi, S. S., Yarin, A. L., & Shokuhfar, T. (2025). A Comparative Review on Biodegradation of Poly(Lactic Acid) in Soil, Compost, Water, and Wastewater Environments: Incorporating Mathematical Modeling Perspectives. AppliedChem, 5(1), 1. https://doi.org/10.3390/appliedchem5010001
Wu, Y., Gao, X., Wu, J., Zhou, T., Nguyen, T. T., & Wang, Y. (2023). Biodegradable Polylactic Acid and Its Composites: Characteristics, Processing, and Sustainable Applications in Sports. Polymers, 15(14), 3096. https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15143096
Ali, W., Ali, H., Gillani, S., Zinck, P., & Souissi, S. (2023). Polylactic acid synthesis, biodegradability, conversion to microplastics and toxicity: A review. Environmental Chemistry Letters, 21(3), 1761–1786. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10311-023-01564-8
Swetha, T. A., Bora, A., Mohanrasu, K., Balaji, P., Raja, R., Ponnuchamy, K., Muthusamy, G., & Arun, A. P. (2023). A comprehensive review on polylactic acid (PLA) – Synthesis, processing and application in food packaging. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 234, Article 123715. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.123715
Leave a Comment