Hello, my name is Hannah, and I am the knitter behind Bears Den Essentials. I'm based in a small workshop in the heart of the beautiful Ruby Valley of Southwest Montana. My husband, Mark, a fellow knitter, also supports me in the day-to-day operations of our business.
Like most Montanans, when we first met, we immediately bonded over our shared love of outdoor adventures in rugged, tranquil landscapes.
Bears Den Essentials is a knitwear label that started when we realized that our combined talents and love of the outdoors could turn into something that we share with others. Having knitted since age six and taught Mark how to knit shortly after we started dating, we started hatching our business plan in late 2019. After countless conversations on the trail and by the campfire, we established Bears Den Essentials, a knitwear label for those who love being outside where the wild things are.
We offer a complete collection of handmade-to-order finished knits and modern knitting patterns. We carefully source our materials, and all of our knits are inspired by nature and designed with its untamed beauty in mind.
To create our knitwear line, I use a 1980's domestic punch card knitting machine or bamboo knitting needles. I personally knit, link, sew and pack each individual item.
For our knitting patterns, I offer both hand and machine knitting options to provide accommodations for people with mobility limitations. I also create video tutorials to accompany my patterns to make them more accessible.
We look forward to creating knits and patterns that will bring you as much joy as we have in making them.
SHOPWe strive to bring you the best quality knits- If you need further convincing, Hannah has put together this list of reasons why we're sure you'll love our knitwear and manufacturing services, and how we plan to keep you as a valued customer and member of the Bears Den Essentials community:
1) All of our products are handmade with love by us either in the round on circular knitting needles or on our vintage domestic knitting machines. We select safe, durable, comfortable natural fibers such as alpaca and merino wool or ethically-sourced acrylic yarns to make all of our products.
2) We love crafting, and we work hard to produce exactly what you want from our home studio in Montana. Sometimes this means our knitted garments may take a little longer, but we promise you the finished products will be worth the wait.
3) All of our knit garments are handmade to order, so you will be getting something crafted just for you. We know our customers are original and one-of-a-kind, and so we want you to be able to wear and enjoy something one-of-a-kind as well!
4) All of our knits are warm and soft, no itchiness allowed. Our knits are not only comfortable, but they will be easy to wear and long lasting.
5) Many of our items like knitted beanies, mittens, cowls, and blankets are unisex, but we can also customize them to fit any gender, age, or size. Just message us if you have questions!
6) All of knits are proudly manufactured in Montana in a smoke FREE home, away from pets. Posey may be our Supervisor, but she's not allowed to come in contact with any of our yarns.
7) We are here to make our customers happy. If you don't see something listed, but have a great idea for what you'd like to see made, we are happy to customize a knitted garment to YOUR desires. Contact us at bearsdenessentials@gmail.com to put together an order you will love.
8) We source yarns with as high a wool content as possible, and we prefer to provide small-batch knitwear manufacturing services to ranchers and farmers with yarn that's 100% natural fibers. The benefits of wool and wool-containing yarn are almost infinite. To learn more, read below to learn more about this wonder fiber!
Natural Material - Wool is a natural fiber, something you find on sheep, alpacas, llamas, goats, even bison! You shear it, we can knit it!
Natural Insulator AND Cooler - One of the best things about wool is its ability to keep you warm in winter. However often overlooked is the fact that wool can actually prevent you from overheating as well. Desert nomads have used wool for centuries thanks to its wicking and quick drying properties.
Warm When Wet - Wool holds moisture thanks to its chemical structure. This high absorbency means that it can hold moisture for longer than other fabrics before you start to feel wet. Plus, the fibers generate heat when they are wet, which creates even more warmth. On cold snowy or rainy days, wool hats are a must have in keeping your noggin warm since that is the place where we tend to lose the most heat!
Biodegradable - Wool fibers naturally decompose into the soil and release valuable nutrients back into the earth. We don't recommend tossing your hat into a compost pile though. You'll miss it too much.
Breathable - When wool fibers are packed together, tiny pockets of air form that allow the wool to absorb and release moisture.
Sustainable - As long as there is grass to graze, fiber-producing ruminants will have wool to shear that will eventually become yarn for us to use and transform into a product you'll love. Woollen animals like sheep are shorn once a year by skilled shearers, producing fiber to create the environmentally friendly hat material.
Odor Resistant - The natural profile of wool prevents odor-causing bacteria (e.g., ammonia) the moist environment that it needs to thrive, and it deprives them of the damp environments to reproduce. Since wool is continuously pulling the moisture away from your body, it prevents any sweat molecules from forming and bonding to the surface of your clothing. Aka- no stench!
Durable - Wool fibers are are shaped a lot like a coiled string. This structure allows it to return to its natural shape after being bent, which is why your wool items don't crease or wrinkle as easily. We love them for when we're backpacking or taking long trips, because we can pull out our hats from our stuffed packs, and they bounce back to their beautiful shape quickly.
Mold Resistant - As wool does not collect moisture, so it hardly ever attracts mold or bacteria. Since dust needs moisture to survive, so it tends to repel it as well. This important feature is best for people who have asthma, allergies or other breathing problems because it will not react.
Flame Resistant - Wool is a fabric that does not burn easily. In fact, wool fabric will put out a fire itself when ignited. That is the reason why people from the fire departments use wool in their uniform to protect themselves from the flames.