Allergic to Red Heart Yarn?

[Krystal16]

OK, I've had the STRANGEST thing happen to me lately. I buy Red Heart Super Saver ALL the time. Most recently I bought RHSS from TWO different stores, in colors of black, grey heather, and red. Within MINUTES of starting to use any of these - didn't matter which skeins - I start sneezing uncontrollably! Normally the only thing that makes me sneeze that badly is cats, so this is INSANE!

 

I washed and dried the skeins. (Yes, I did that AGAIN!) Still, I sneezed a bit, but not too badly. Now I've had to resort to SOAKING the skeins for 12 hours (just happened to be that long) then washing and drying them.

 

Now, I really like working with washed yarn - it's very soft and pliable - but I was wondering if anyone else has noticed a change in the yarns lately? I noticed they were very stiff before washing, perhaps it's a new sizing they're using? Or is it just these darker colors?

 

I haven't tried another brand of yarn since early spring, but this is JUST WEIRD!

 

I cannot be allergic to yarn!

[Natasha]

perhaps it's a new sizing they're using? Or is it just these darker colors?

 

Why don't you write to Red Heart and ask them? Maybe they changed something about the processing. I hope you get this figured out.

[chichiwawa]

I've noticed that they seem to be stiffer lately. Maybe your allergies were due to what they were packed in for shipping. Or maybe they were stored against something in the back of the store. The thought of being allergic to yarn makes me cringe.

[Krystal16]

Well, I *did* call Coats & Clark. I expected to be laughed off the planet, but the lady was VERY nice. She said that there *is* no sizing on the yarn, plus they aren't dyed, they are made from fibers that are already colored (when they're dyed, I don't know), but that at one point they did have a problem similar when a storage area had been sprayed for bugs. Makes me think about the one member here who was using acrylic because it was LESS harmful...but, I digress...

 

So, they are sending me an envelope to mail an unwashed skein, then they are going to have it tested in a lab. How interesting! I don't know if they'll share the results with me, but I sure hope they do, as I would like to know if there's something more out there that I'm allergic to!

[Yearnin' for Yarn]

Good for you Krystal!! Also, good for the company for actually caring.

 

Nicole

[losingmymind2]

Weird. I was in Walmart today, handled a lot of Red Heart and other yarns; and then noticed I was itching like mad on my right hand. Had to buy some Benedryl when I was checking out so I didn't rip my skin to shreds. Now I wonder if it was the yarn.

[Daisy]

Krystal........I am very interested in your post about yarn and allergies. I have really bad allergies and lately, my eyes have been really itching, runny, scratchy, sore and irritated. I just wonder if it was from the yarn that I was working with too????? I have a variety of different yarns, but I've been handling the Red Heart SS and Bernat Super Value.....and some Caron SS. If you get a response from the Red Heart people, after they test it, can I ask if you would be willing to share the results with us/me.....so we can at least be knowedgeable about the possibilites of having allergies to these yarns? I sure would appreciate it! Thank you. It's awful having to think of our beloved yarn being a health issue.

[scc51055]

haven t jad any allergy symptoms from the yarn but agree there is something different about it.....it is stiff and a bit scratchy....

[Krystal16]

From what I understand, and what the lady says, it wouldn't actually be THE YARN that is causing my symptoms, but rather something the yarn would have been exposed to.... like a spray or mold or something like that. My skeins looked perfectly intact, and what sort of convinced ME that it was the yarn was that I had bought it at two completely different stores (ACMoore and Michaels). The black and the grey heather got to me, but I can't say for sure about the burgundy because I washed it before handling it - I had already learned my lesson!

 

I will, of course, share whatever I happen to learn with you.

[smg55039]

I've noticed the same thing about the scratchy yarn. It's actually quite noticable and quite the turnoff. Who wants to work with scratchy, stiff yarn.

 

The allergy thing has me puzzled. RH Super Saver is made from acrylic - which is a man-made fiber (like polyester and nylon), ergo its non-allergic and colorfast (the stuff isn't dyed. The color is part of the actual fiber - think natural hair color). So I'm thinking it's not the YARN but the environment the yarn is stored in. In other words, it picked something up. Since RH makes skeins by the millions, a one time quirk at a warehouse could possibly be all over (I once found my dye lot in a store 6 states away). Maybe it's just exotic pollen imported in from the production line?!

 

Whatever the reason, best of luck. If they would like more unwashed yarn, drop me a PM. It's been used, but not washed.

[Gran]

Hadn't thought about pesticides used in a warehouse getting into the yarn. I had thought the itching and skin irritations was due to acrylic being a petroleum derivative or the chemicals used in manufacturing or the dye processes. Hmmmm.

 

There are organic, natural fiber yarns to be had. Much to think about.

[zeropixie]

Weird. I was in Walmart today, handled a lot of Red Heart and other yarns; and then noticed I was itching like mad on my right hand. Had to buy some Benedryl when I was checking out so I didn't rip my skin to shreds. Now I wonder if it was the yarn.

 

I have had the samething happen to me more than once. Since I used to work at WM I can say that they probably sprayed for bugs recently, they use an enviromentaly safe product but it can still cause some skin irritation.

Maybe it's me but has anyone noticed the RH WW yarns that are darker in color are more scratchy and denser ? Because of this I have switched to the Wal Mart brand which I have found gets softer the more it's washed.

[Krystal16]

It is DEFINITELY denser and scratchier, but having washed them (before I used them), it goes away completely after being washed. I thought there was a sizing added, and that's why it softened up, but the RH lady said there is no sizing applied.....hmmmmm.....

[Gran]

I also found that Walmart's Mainstays was icky and scratchy until after it was washed.

[LadyBeBop]

Now I'm worried.

 

Started my first afghan for sale last week...using (you guessed it) Red Heart Super Saver Yarn.

 

I was going to advertise it being made with RHSS...now will it give a reaction to my first buyer?

[LadyBeBop]

Now I'm worried.

 

Started my first afghan for sale last week...using (you guessed it) Red Heart Super Saver Yarn.

 

I was going to advertise it being made with RHSS...now will it give a reaction to my first buyer?

[richsgirl]

I bought some white RH 4 ply yarn a few weeks ago and it was the strangest thing. When I squeezed the skein of yarn it was actually squeaky. You know what I mean? I didn't enjoy working with it, it felt weird. I made my best friend feel it and she agreed that it had a squeaky feel to it. Has anyone ever had this happen?

[Krystal16]

I know the feeling -that squeaky feeling goes away after being washed. As for selling the project, I don't know about you but I always wash my afghans before selling/packaging them, just to be sure. I have a short-haired dog that has low-allergy potential, but just in case I wash and dry it and package it up right away...

[TamKing]

Okay, good.....it isn't just me! I had a very similar problem using RH and I thought maybe it was something else. Now, I wonder. Two thumbs up for the company caring enough to try to figure this out.

[angelfire]

I bought two skeins a couple weeks ago...one was thicker and harsher than the other and the other was thinner and I was really frustrated working with them. I looked at the packaging and they were made in two different countries.

[yarnbunny]

I've had all of the same experiences you all have had with the RH yarn. I truely did think it was just me. Since all of us are having the same problems, maybe the company should know that it is more than one person.

I had stopped buying RH yarn because of the itchy-scratchy feeling and the squeaky noises it made on my hook. Also, all I ever did was sneeze when I worked with it and my throat would get all dry and itchy like I was getting a sore throat.

I freaked our too. "I can't possible be allergic to yarn!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!":lol :lol How unfair is that.

Anyway, glad to know its not just me.

[zeropixie]

I bought some white RH 4 ply yarn a few weeks ago and it was the strangest thing. When I squeezed the skein of yarn it was actually squeaky.quote]

 

I know what you mean but it was happening when I was crocheting. The first time this happend I also got this strange smell like it was burning made me think "could I really be crocheting that fast ?"

[Krystal16]

I think all of you that have had the sneeezing reaction to the RH yarn should call their customer number. If you have any of that particular yarn you were working with, set it aside and they might want to test that as well.

 

As for RH being made in 2 different companies, the lady at RH said it was ALL made in USA, and ALL stored in Georgia. Which yarn did you have that was from a different country?

[CyM]

I Googled "allergic red heart yarn" and found this thread. I have never had a problem with Red Heart, but I am making my mom a blanket and the deadline crept up much sooner than I expected, so I've been crocheting for hours straight some of the last several days. Well, a week or so ago, I noticed purple-ish welts on my arm and it just got worse until I had itchy welts literally from head to toe, even on my face. My parents suggested it was the yarn, and of course, I said no way. It took several days for it to go away completely. Today I have been crocheting like crazy again (five and a half hours straight - not a good idea), and I noticed very faint welts on the same place on my arm. The weirdest thing is that there are no welts on my hands - they're on the top of my arm that hasn't even touched the yarn, but it definitely seems to be yarn-related. Needless to say, the blanket may be a little late, since I'm stopping for now. I sure don't want it to get any worse. This has never happened before, but then I usually just crochet at a leisurely pace with plenty of breaks. I have a blanket from Red Heart that has been washed, and that's never bothered me, so I had been wondering if they put sizing in it also. I think I will email them, too. Definitely strange (and frustrating).

[ladytoysdream]

I have not noticed a problem with red heart yarn, but I will remember this for in the future when I go to buy yarn for any new projects.

 

Not sure what would be on the yarn but it got me thinking. Years ago, I worked for a lady's underwear factory. We did mainly bras, and panties. My job was to put the price tickets on the garments. Which was piecework, so I handled quite a few pieces.

There was about 30 of us in my department who done this same job.

I can remember this smell from handling the garments. I thinks it builds up in one's system, so you can still smell it after you left the factory. I am not sure what product they used on the clothing but it was something that helped preserve the fabric, and to help keep insects away from it. Whatever it was, it was nasty.

I am wondering if this yarn company is using something similiar.............