FAQs & General Info

General Questions

What is your turnaround time for "Ready to Ship" items?

The term "ready to ship" simply means that it is already dyed and sitting on our shelves ready to be labeled and sent to you. Since we are a micro-dyery with only 2 employees, we do our best to get Ready to Ship items out within 6-8 business days. We have one dyer and one studio assistant, whose job includes more than just shipping.

**If you need rush shipping, or your order is for a test knit, a gift, etc. Please leave us a note in your order letting us know! We will do our best to get it out quickly!

I got a skein of yarn in the mail and it doesn't look exactly like the photo...

This is the nature of hand-dyed yarn made in small batches.

We try our best to maintain continuity between batches but differences may occur. Additionally, we use stock photos from exemplary batches for most photos on our site, so you are likely not getting the exact skein in the photo unless otherwise noted in the listing (this is true for almost all listings on our site except for sale items that are marked Seconds or OOAK/One of a Kind).

Also, please take into account that color settings differ greatly on phones and computer screens as well.

We do accept returns for unused skeins that are still in skein form with the yarn band in tact. Please see the Returns section below for that information.

I started a project and now need another skein. Can you ensure it will match the skeins I have?

The short answer is: yes, but it will not be identical. We recommend alternating skeins for all colors used in a large area of a project (ie. the body of a sweater, or sleeves, or any area not interrupted by colorwork) so that when it comes time to add a skein, you will introduce it gradually to fade any differences together. The same is true for skeins not in the same batch.

Most people who make garments from hand-dyed yarns have learned to accept the slight variations between skeins and lots to be a feature of the yarn.

The little differences also show your yarn was handmade and not made by a machine.

How do I care for my items made from Junkyarn?

All Junkyarn fibers are superwash unless otherwise stated in the product description, and therefore, can be washed on a gentle cycle in cold/cool water in a regular washing machine, but NEVER put your woolen items in the dryer. 

However, we recommend ONLY hand washing and laying your woolens flat to dry in order to prevent unnecessary pilling and to prolong the life of the garment. We do not recommend ever putting your woolens in the washer or dryer.

We sell SOAKwash for this very thing! You can find it here.

I've started knitting and the yarn color is pooling OR I see a difference between two skeins that will show in my garment. How do I prevent this?

We recommend alternating skeins to all of our customers to limit pooling (if wanted) and to help the colors mesh as you change skeins. We dye in small batches and there will always be small differences between skeins -- this is what hand-dyed yarn is all about! Alternating skeins will help and/or eliminate this issue in your final garment.

I want to make a sweater! What's the yarn best base for garments?

Any of our bases will make lovely garments, but the ones most our customers enjoy most for sweaters are: Smooth Sock, Boss Sock, Junkyarn DK and Junkyarn Worsted.

What's the best yarn for socks?

The common wisdom behind choosing a sock yarn is to knit with something containing a stronger fiber content than just wool. For example: our Smooth Sock has 75% Superwash Merino and 25% Nylon. But we think that nylon content is most important for the toes and heels of your socks, not necessarily for the entire sock. So you could knit socks with any of the fingering or sock bases we offer, then use a Smooth or Boss Sock Mini Skein (which both have nylon) to support the heels and toes!

 

Shipping

We use USPS or UPS for all shipments, and all shipping materials are recyclable and/or made from recycled materials. We package our yarn in recycled paper bags within plastic mailers to keep out the elements while your yarn travels to you.

We no longer include printed invoices with orders to reduce paper waste. If you'd like an additional digital copy of your invoice, please email us at info@junkyarn.com and we can send that to you.

Where do you ship, and what are the charges?

We ship via USPS to both domestic and international addresses. We are happy to provide flat-rate shipping to our US domestic customers (for orders weighing 12oz or under), and also offer priority and international shipping based on location and weight.

What does the "Handling Fee" mean on my order?

We have recently begun phasing out plastic in our shipping materials and substituting them with compostable or fully recyclable alternatives. This is in an effort to help reduce waste and carbon emissions. The handling fee helps us offset these costs.

The handling fee on your order also helps us pay our employees a living wage (please see our Company Ethos page for more information on this).

My package was delivered to an incorrect address by the carrier, what do I do next?

We recommend calling your local USPS or UPS branch and asking them for a refund. If the item was delivered incorrectly (and you put in your correct, current address on the order), they may give you a refund. We can't file a claim on your behalf, but all information you need to file a claim should be on the shipping email.

Unfortunately, we cannot replace items that have traveled through the mail and been delivered. 

Returns & Exchanges

I have just placed an order and would like a refund...

We accept refunds on orders up to 48 hours after purchase. After that time, it is possible that we will have already begun packaging and shipping your item.

If we have packaged and shipped your item, you can send it back to us for a refund on the cost of the item only (the refund will not include shipping and handling). We will not provide you with a return address label for a refund item unless there is an issue with your order.

I received the wrong item and need an exchange...

Mistakes unfortunately happen sometimes! Please email us at junkyarn@gmail.com and we will gladly send you the correct item along with a return address label at no charge to you.

 

Monthly Yarn Club Info

Shipping

We aim to ship our clubs mid-month (between the 15th-20th), but as of 2021, we are also allowing people to buy club colors within the month for preorder beyond the current month. So, if you "subscribe" to the club, you are guaranteed a slot for the month(s) for which you have paid. If you've paid for January through March, for example, you should expect to receive your skeins mid-month. If you paid for February a month ahead in January, you should expect to receive your skeins mid-month. If you paid for February's skein in February, your skein will likely arrive later in the month or in the following month.

If you have questions about which months you've paid for or about any other club-related questions, please email us at junkyarn@gmail.com.