Within a short period of time, Snow and Darn Good Yarn had a passionate following. 'To our customers, it isn't just about high quality fibers,' Snow explains. 'It really is about helping people. That's what separates Darn Good Yarn from the other companies.'

As it turns out, however, helping the women of India and Nepal and their families isn't the only thing Darn Good Yarn has put its sights. Mother Nature is getting support as well.

About a year ago, Snow was being interviewed for a magazine article and an interesting question came up—'How much waste, if any, has Darn Good Yarn saved?' She pulled out a calculator, ran a few numbers, and came to the conclusion that in 2010, they had removed roughly 4,000 pounds of waste from landfills through their recycled yarns—the equivalent of 106,667 water bottles!

'Our recycled yarns have always been extremely popular,' laughs Snow. 'But, in all sincerity, I had never realized exactly how big of an impact the sale of those yarns made! Seeing that impact gave me another goal—in 2012, I wanted to get rid of even more waste.'

A week ago, after running the final numbers, she knew she had reached her goal. In 2011, Darn Good Yarn removed a whopping 6,000 pounds of waste from landfills, or the equivalent of 160,000 water bottles.

This news resonates with Snow's clients. 'I love using 'Darn Good Yarn.' It's beautiful and those who make it can give their families a better life,' explains Stacy Miller. 'The fact that some is made from material that would otherwise be wasted—like the recycled sari silk ribbon I incorporate in hand-woven tapestries and purses—is the cherry on top!'

As for Snow's goals, she is looking to reduce even more waste this year, as well as hire more women in these countries. 'I wake up with a smile every morning because of what Darn Good Yarn is doing. It's truly phenomenal,' she says.

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Darn Good Yarn is an importer, retailer, and wholesaler of high-quality, fair trade yarn. You can learn more about their selection at http://www.DarnGoodYarn.com