Noro

Noro was founded by Eisaku Noro in Ichinomiya, in Japan's Aichi Prefecture, after he spent 18 years working for wool-spinning companies. His guiding idea is "The World of Nature." Noro celebrates the natural irregularities of fiber and wants every skein to reflect the animal it came from.

That philosophy shapes how the yarn is made. Impurities are removed by hand without chemicals. The carding machines run with one roller instead of three, and the yarn is spun with a low twist on older machinery that is gentle on the fiber. That process creates Noro's signature thick-and-thin texture. Long color runs flow from one shade to the next, and a single palette can take years to develop.

Noro works with natural fibers like wool, silk and mohair from certified organic farms in Australia, the Falkland Islands and South Africa. Eisaku Noro still personally oversees the farms, the equipment and the dyeing.

At Icon you'll find favorites like Ito, Tsubame, Malvinas and Silk Garden Sock. Noro Magazine and the Noro pattern books will help you put those colors to work.