FAQs/Facts

FAQs

Can I place an order on your website? Only wholesale customers can order on our website.  We do not sell retail to end consumers.  If you are a current wholesale customer (having ordered directly from Westing Bridge LLC in the past) and know your customer account number, you simply need to register on this website in order to log in to access member-only information or our online ordering. If you encounter technical difficulty when submitting an online form, registry or order, please contact us directly at customercare@chiaogoo.com. Retailers who have not ordered directly from us in the past must fill out the Account Application form first and then be approved.

Do you have a catalog? Yes, we have a catalog. If you would like a catalog mailed to you please fill out and submit the Retailer Sample Request form making sure to check the catalog box.

Why do some TWIST™ interchangeable tips have tightening holes and others have little “divots”?  All TWIST tips that have a tightening hole drilled near the threaded end are made of solid stainless steel.  Larger tips are hollow (because they would be too heavy if they were solid) so a hole cannot be drilled.  The divots you see are crimps holding the threaded piece in place.

Can the TWIST, X-Flex and SWIV360 cables kink?  Yes, these interchangeable cables will hold a kink if pinched or compromised.  They are memory-free, meaning they come out of the packaging virtually straight.  They are not kink-free.

Is there nickel in any of your ChiaoGoo tools? Yes, both our fixed bamboo circulars and older SPIN bamboo interchangeable tips have a nickel-plated, copper join at the end of each tip and cable.  The metal joins on our newer SPIN bamboo interchangeable tips are now stainless steel.

Our stainless steel products are made of surgical stainless steel that is hypoallergenic and, in most cases, not reactive to sensitive skin.

What is the difference between the SPIN™ and TWIST™ interchangeables? The SPIN interchangeables have bamboo tips and a clear, nylon cable that allows the tips to “spin” or swivel freely. The TWIST interchangeables have surgical stainless steel, lace tips and come with a memory-free, multi-strand steel cable.

What size tips come with your SPIN™ and TWIST™ interchangeable sets?
Small [S]:  US 2 (2.75 mm) – US 8 (5 mm) – available in both 4″ (10cm) & 5″ (13cm)

Large [L]:  US 9 (5.5 mm) – US 15 (10 mm) – available in 5″ (13cm) only

Complete [S] & [L]:  US 2 (2.75 mm) – US 15 (10 mm) – available in both 4″ (10cm) & 5″ (13cm)

TWIST MINIs™ [M]:
4″ (10cm) tips:  US 000 (1.5mm) – US 1.5 (2.5mm) (7400-M)

5″ (13cm) tips:  US 000 (1.5mm) – US 1.5 (2.5mm) (7500-M)

TWIST 2″/3″ (5cm & 8cm) Shorties™:
Mini [M]:  US 0 (2mm) – US 3 (3.25mm) (7230-M)

Small [S]:  US 4 (3.5mm) – US 8 (5mm) (7230-S)

TWIST 3″ (8cm) Shorties™:

Large [L]:  US 9 (5.5mm) – US 11 (8mm) (7230-L)

Are other tip sizes available for separate purchase? Yes. You can purchase both bamboo and stainless steel tip sizes US2.5 (3 mm), US10.75 (7 mm) and US10.875 (7.5 mm) in both 4” (10 cm) and 5” (13 cm) lengths.

All of our 3″ (8cm), 4″ (10cm) and 5″ (13cm) tips are available for separate purchase in sets of two.

Are TWIST™ & SPIN™ cables available for separate purchase?  Yes, they are available in the following lengths (actual cable length):

TWIST Red Mini [M]: 2″, 5″, 6″, 8″, 14″, 22″, 30″ & 37″  (5cm, 13cm, 15cm, 20cm, 35cm, 55cm, 75cm & 93cm)

TWIST Red Small [S]:  8″, 14″, 22″, 30″, 37″ & 50″ (20cm, 35cm, 55cm, 75cm, 93cm & 125cm)

TWIST Red Large [L]:  8″, 14″, 22″, 30″, 37″ & 50″ (20cm, 35cm, 55cm, 75cm, 93cm & 125cm)

TWIST Blue X-Flex [S]:  2″, 5″, 6″ & 8″ (5cm, 13cm, 15cm & 20cm)

SWIV360 Silver [S]:  2″, 5″, 6″, 8″, 14″, 22″, 30″, 37″ & 50″ (5cm, 13cm, 15cm,20cm, 35cm, 55cm, 75cm, 93cm & 125cm)

SWIV360 Silver [L]:  2″, 5″, 6″, 8″, 14″, 22″, 30″, 37″ & 50″ (5cm, 13cm, 15cm,20cm, 35cm, 55cm, 75cm, 93cm & 125cm)

SPIN Clear Nylon Small [S]:  8″, 14″, 22″, 30″, 37″ & 50″ (20cm, 35cm, 55cm, 75cm, 93cm & 125cm)

SPIN Clear Nylon Large [L]:  8″, 14″, 22″, 30″, 37″ & 50″ (20cm, 35cm, 55cm, 75cm, 93cm & 125cm)

Can I make a 16” (40cm) circular with the SPIN™ or TWIST™ 5” (13cm) tip sets?  No. The 5” (13 cm) tips are too long to make a comfortable 16” (40cm) circular. However, we offer for separate purchase, 4” (10cm) SPIN bamboo and TWIST stainless steel tips and 8” (20cm) nylon, red and blue cables.

Are all parts and pieces available for separate purchase?  All items that come with each set, EXCEPT for the 2″ TWIST Shorties tips, are available for separate purchase.

What “extras” do the ChiaoGoo SPIN™ and TWIST™ interchangeable sets come with? Each SPIN and TWIST set comes with a needle gauge, end stoppers, tightening keys, cable connectors, stitch markers, and a compact, fabric case.  Heart-shaped grippers were not originally included in our 4″ and 5″ S, L & C sets but are now being phased in.

How is the T-shaped tightening key used? The T-shaped tightening key helps you obtain a more secure join when screwing in the tips. Insert the key into the lifeline hole (found on the metal join piece at the end of each cable AND our 2″ (5cm), 3″ (8cm) and 4″ (10cm) MINI tips) and use it for better leverage when screwing in the tip. We recommend using the key every time to secure your tips.  Click here to watch our tightening video.

Why do you have MINI, small [S] and large [L] joins? Because we have such a large range of sizes (US000/1.5mm – US15/10mm) we needed to design three different diameter joins to ensure a smoother yarn feed.  All [S] & [L] tips, cables, end stoppers and cable connectors are laser coded.

How many tips can your interchangeable needle case hold? Up to 28 pairs of tips!

Do you have an accessory pouch available to go with the interchangeable case?  Yes, we have four pouches that can be used for accessories: a black mesh one (item #2576) and three pocket-sized nylon pouches in red (item #2578), blue (item #2579), and yellow (item #2580).

I don’t want to purchase different sized join cables.  Do you have an adapter?  We have two different size adapters!  One to go from a [S] diameter tip to a MINI diameter cable and the other to go from a [L] diameter tip to a [S] diameter cables.  So, technically, if you use both adapters you can go from a size US 15/10mm tip to a MINI diameter cable.

How/why do you use the end stoppers? End stoppers come in handy if you need to use the same tips for another project. For example, if you are making a sweater using the size US6 tips and have found another project you REALLY want to make immediately, you can leave your current project on the cable and replace each tip with end stoppers. Your project will stay safe and sound on the cable. You can also use the end stoppers like an end cap at the end of a cable attached to each tip. You now have two single points.

How do you use the cable connectors? If you need a longer cable for a project you can join two cables together with the cable connector. Make sure you use the T-shaped tightening key when joining the cables to ensure you get a tight connection.

Can the SPIN™ nylon cables be used with the TWIST™ stainless steel tips? Yes!  Just make sure that both have the same join size.

Can the TWIST™ red cables be used with the SPIN™ bamboo tips? Yes!  Just make sure that both have the same join size.

Do either the SPIN™ or TWIST™ interchangeable cables allow the tips to swivel freely? Yes, the SPIN clear nylon cables allow the tips to swivel freely.

Should I clean my cables before using?  You can wipe down your cables and steel tips with rubbing alcohol before using to ensure a smooth yarn feed.  After that, occasionally wiping them down is recommended.

 

Bamboo Facts

1. Bamboo is a grass!  There are more than 1,000 different species of bamboo in the world.  More than half of them grow in China.

2. Moso bamboo is the largest and strongest bamboo.  It is mostly grown in China (6.7 million acres), but can also be found in Japan (1.2 million acres).  ChiaoGoo needles and hooks are made from Chinese Moso bamboo.

3. Bamboo grows very fast!  A new bamboo stem grows to a full length of about 75 feet in only a few months and matures to hardness in about 5 years.  Believe it or not, in the spring you can actually hear the bamboo growing!  It sounds like an army marching through the forest!

4. One mother bamboo plant can create several new stems each year.  A single acre of bamboo forest can be harvested year after year not only for mature bamboo, but also for new bamboo shoots which have a long history of use in the traditional Chinese kitchen.  It is truly a fast, renewable resource!

5. By the way, Moso bamboo is much too big for pandas to eat.  They prefer the much small bamboo species!

ChiaoGoo Needle Facts

1. Using ChiaoGoo bamboo is environmentally friendly as bamboo is a quickly renewable resource.

2. Bamboo needles are approximately 60% lighter than aluminum needles of the same size, making it more comfortable for you, the knitter/crocheter.

3. Bamboo needles are very strong.  Fibers under the bamboo’s skin are extremely elastic and have tensile strength comparable to steel!

4. Knitters can benefit from the warmth and natural feel of the needles.