Gentle cleansing is a necessity for those with sensitive skin.  A simple wash cloth made from a soft, natural fiber like cotton is ideal.

Wash cloths in natural fibers can sometimes be found in health food stores or specialty pharmacies, but if you know how to crochet or knit, you can make one yourself.

(If you don't know how to crochet or knit but would like to learn, or you need a refresher, there are links to video demos at the end of this article.)

Organic Cotton
Cotton is an ideal fiber for a wash cloth because it is soft, absorbent and strong.  Organic cotton is recommended for sensitive skin because it is grown without pesticides and converted into yarn without the use of harsh chemicals.  It has the added bonus of being kinder to the environment.  Look for yarns that make use of the beautiful, natural shades of the original fibers instead of using dyes, because even low impact or natural dyes may affect sensitive skin and do take a toll on the environment.  Less is better.

Organic Certification Labels
100% organic - Herbicides, pesticides, or other chemicals are not applied to the plants. The yarn is not dyed or bleached.

100% organic grown - Herbicides, pesticides, or other chemicals are not applied to the plants.  The yarn is dyed, usually with low-impact or natural dyes.

Durability
Cotton yarn is a sturdy fiber regardless of the cost   But dyes, bleach and/or other chemicals used in processing can weaken the fiber, giving 100% organic yarns an advantage.  Having said that, there are some organic cotton yarns on the market which require more careful washing and handling because they are meant for fine, delicate items like baby clothes.

For this wash cloth project, the organic cotton yarns by Pakucho and Lion Brand are recommended.  They can be found at most local yarn shops or online at:

Compostable Goods
Ecobutterfly
Lion Brand Yarn

Care and Handling
Remember to check the care instructions on the label of your yarn, though in general, items made from cotton yarn can be machine-washed in cool water.  However, they need to be air-dried, preferably re-shaped and laid out flat.  If you must wash them in warm or hot water for sanitary reasons, expect them to shrink.  You may have to sacrifice a test item to find out how the yarn reacts.

Thickness or Weight
Yarn comes in different thicknesses, referred to as "weight".  A thick, chunky yarn certainly will crochet or knit up faster.  But for this project, a worsted weight yarn is recommended and will make for a less bulky wash cloth.

Cost
In general, yarns that are certified organic cost more because the traditional methods of growing, harvesting and processing are more labor-intensive.  For a small item such as a wash cloth, an expensive yarn may be affordable.  If you make larger items like a hand towel or many of the same item, like dish scrubbers, a less expensive cotton yarn may be a better choice.

Lion Organic Cotton is (100% organic) grown and processed in Peru, and comes in 4 naturally-occurring colors.  A skein holds 82 yards or 75 meters (1.75 oz./50 g) of yarn and costs about $6.50 ($0.08 per yard or $0.09 per meter).

Lion Brand Nature's Choice is 100% organically-grown and processed in the U.S. and comes in 14 colors.  The dyes used are certified using the Global Organic Textile Standard by the Institute of Marketecology.  A ball holds 103 yards or 94 meters (3 oz./85 g) and costs about $6.99 ($0.07 per yard/$0.07 per meter).

Projects made from the Lion Brand yarns can be machine-washed in warm or cool water.  It is recommended to use a gentle cycle and to dry the items flat and not in a dryer.  Bleach should not be used.

Pakucho (means "brown yarn" in ancient Incan) is 100% organic.  It is made in Peru from local organically-grown cotton by a fair trade company.  It comes in 14 natural colors.  A skein of worsted weight yarn holds 88 yards or 81 meters (1 3/4 oz/50g) and costs about $9 ($0.10 per yard or $0.11 per meter).

Naturally-occurring colors darken when heated.  So, if you want to intensify the original yarn color, wash your item in hot water and machine dry on high heat, but remember there will be shrinkage.  To preserve the original color, wash your item in cool water.  Biodegradeable soap is recommended.  Lay it flat and avoid too much direct sun which will fade the colors.  Ecobutterfly has a care section for its organic cotton yarn. 
 

WASH CLOTH PATTERNS
Keep it simple.  There are crochet and knitting sites with free patterns for many different projects including simple wash cloths.  Another option, especially for beginners, is to select an easy stitch pattern and repeat it for an entire square or rectangle.

Try a crocheted base of 24 chains using a 4.5 US hook or a cast on of 24 stitches on US#7 knitting needles for about a 6 to 7 inch wide wash cloth.  Just add or decrease based on how loosely or tightly you crochet/knit and the stitch or pattern you select.  Experimentation is encouraged.

Following are 2 basic crochet and 2 basic knit patterns.

CROCHET PATTERNS TO TRY

Abbreviations:
ch - chain
sc - single crochet
dc - double crochet

1. Basic Double Crochet

Chain 24 (loosely) turn
Row 1: ch 2, dc into 3rd stitch.  dc across to end of row.
Repeat Row 1 until desired size is reached

2. Mesh

Chain 31 (loosely) turn
Row 1: dc in 3rd ch from hook, *skip 1 ch, ch1, dc in next ch**, rep from * to ** to end of row, ending with ch 2, turn.
Row 2: *dc in ch sp, ch 1**, repeat from * to ** to end, ending with dc around turning ch, ch2, turn.
Row 3-15: Repeat Row 2 until you have a square shape (approx 15 rows)

KNITTING STITCH PATTERNS TO TRY

1. Garter stitch

Cast on about 24 stitches.
Knit every row until desired size and shape is reached.

2. Mistake Stitch Ribbing

Cast on a multiple of 4 stitches then add 3 stitiches
Row 1: *Knit 2, Purl 2**, repeat * to **, finish with Knit 2, Purl 1
Row 2: Repeat Row 1.

Learning Basic Crochet
Crochet Basics 1 - Slip Stitch, Making A Chain
Crochet Basics 2 - Turning Your Chain
Crochet Basics 3 - Single Crochet
Crochet Basics 4 - Double Crochet


Learning Basic Knitting
Knitting Basics: Casting On - Method 1, The Knit Stitch and Binding Off
Casting On - Method 2 (Knitted Cast On)
The Purl Stitch