Corozo is derived from the nut of the Tagua Palm which grows in the equatorial rainforests of central America. Otherwise known as 'vegetable ivory', it takes a tagua palm 15 years to reach maturity, and then goes on to produce it's valuable tagua nuts for a century or more. Each year, a tagua palm tree produces 15 large, spiny balls called ‘mococha’ which each contain around 20 small compartments in which some 6 nuts can be found - that’s 1,800 nuts per year in total. Given that these, in turn, vary in size, each tree, therefore, yields sufficient nuts for thousands of Corozo buttons each and every year. As the ‘mococha’ fall to earth quite naturally when they are ripe, it means that there is no human harvesting or cutting of any part of the tree. Corozo is such a valuable crop, that in contrast to many rainforests around the world, which are being cut down legally as well as illegally, those in Ecuador are being largely maintained to protect the tagua palm tree’s economic and sustainability.

PET plastic is a plastic that has been made from other plastics such as drinks bottles, which helps to divert waste from landfill and extend the useful life of plastics.

Organic cotton is grown without the use of pesticides, herbicides and chemical fertilisers, which means it is better for people and planet.

Natural rubber is an existing resource that helps fuel local economies and prevent deforestation, without the need for synthetic polymers.

Cellophane is derived from vegetation, eg wood. However, cellophane can't be recycled, but it is biodegradable, so it can be composted or sent to a landfill in the regular rubbish.

Some products available on in the Repatch Crafts online shop are produced by on-demand suppliers. Each order is made specifically for the purchaser which avoids overproduction and textile waste.

A design is printed directly onto the item. This method is typically used for products with high cotton fabric content, like t-shirts, hoodies, tote bags, etc. The ink is first sprayed directly onto the garment, and soaks into the fabric. The printers generate almost zero wastewater and use less energy than standard industry printers, which lowers the carbon footprint.

The inks used are Oeko-Tex™ certified, vegan, water-based, and free of harmful chemicals, and any left-over ink is properly disposed according to the supplier guidelines.

The products themselves are at least 70% organic or recycled materials, or a mix of these materials.

Products will come directly from the producer and the packaging may vary but, where possible, products are packed n post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic mailers with at least 50% PCR on the outside and at least 30% for the inside. PCR packaging is made from everyday items, like used plastic bags and bottles. This material protects the order just as well as regular plastic bags, however, choosing PCR over first-use plastics reduces the environmental impact plastic has on our planet.

Yarn and wool are similar in that they are both materials used for textile crafts, but they are not the same thing.

Wool refers to the fibres that come from the coats of sheep and other animals, such as Alpaca, Cashmere, Llama, and Angora goats. It is a natural, renewable resource that is known for its warmth, softness, and moisture-wicking properties.

Yarn, on the other hand, refers to a collection of fibres that are twisted or spun together to create a continuous strand. This strand can be made of various materials, including wool, but also synthetic or plant-based fibres like cotton, bamboo, or nylon. Yarn can be used for knitting, crocheting, and weaving, it can also come in different thicknesses, textures, and colour variations.

In short, wool is the raw material, and yarn is the finished product made by spinning the fibres together. While wool can be used to make yarn, yarn can also be made from other materials.

Thread weight refers to the thickness of a thread, which is measured in denier or tex. The higher the denier or tex number, the thicker the thread. Different weights of thread are used for different sewing projects and fabrics.

• Lighter weight threads, such as those in the 30-40 denier or 50-60 tex range, are typically used for delicate fabrics like chiffon, organza, and sheer cotton.

• Medium weight threads, such as those in the 50-70 denier or 80-100 tex range, are suitable for most fabrics, including cotton, linen, and silk.

• Heavy weight threads, such as those in the 100+ denier or 150+ tex range, are used for heavy fabrics like denim, canvas, and upholstery.

It's also worth noting that thread weight can also be categorised as 'light', 'medium' or 'heavy' weight.

A thread weight will often have a slash then a second number following it, eg 30/2. The second number indicates the number of strands, or plies, that have been twisted together to create the thread.