Here at Fairlight Fibers, we have been working on our COVID-19 response for at least two weeks. We're located in the Seattle area, the center of the outbreak of this disease in the US, so we've been following the news about this virus closely since the first case was isolated right here in our hometown hospital. We care very deeply about our customers, and we know that many of you are in high-risk groups or are the loved ones of folks in those groups. Your safety is paramount to us.

Fairlight Fibers is a home-based business, run mostly by me (Jess) out of a shop in my backyard. Fortunately, that makes it easy for us to limit our exposure to folks outside our family, while also sending out your packages as we normally do. We are all stocked up and ready to spend the next month or so in near-complete isolation. We don't want to get sick any more than you do!

All your packages go directly from our house to our local postal carrier, and then into the distribution system. We wash our hands before handling your packages, and at this point, no one in our household is ill. If we do get sick, we'll suspend shipping packages until we're cleared, so don't worry: if we're shipping to you, we're operating at the lowest-transmission risk we possibly can.

So how can you keep yourself safe when receiving mail?

First of all, there is no evidence that COVID-19 can infect you through mail you receive. In fact, the CDC can't confirm surface transmission at all! At most, the virus appears to live just 72 hours on laboratory-type surfaces in ideal conditions, so you can see why it probably hasn't been doing very well on mail, which is shipping in non-laboratory conditions and encounters sunlight, wind, handling, etc.

But if you're worried, we ship in plastic envelopes (working on more and more recycled content on those!) that can be wiped down with a disinfectant wipe before you open them. Since our mail is picked up the day after we pack it, almost all our packages will arrive to you more than 72 hours after we last touched the contents inside the envelope.

If you're really concerned about someone within your household, you can isolate packages on your porch or in your garage or an unused room until the 72 hours have passed. 

In the meantime, please follow the CDC's information closely and stay safe! Yarn is an ideal way to pass the time. 

We know that folks are going to be struggling economically, so please keep in mind that our newsletter folks get great coupons and monthly sales on our already low prices. Enjoy! Stay Safe! Knit and Crochet on!

Thanks,
Jess