Daily BrewKnitted poppies should be a benefit, not a threat to Canadian Legion
Don't let the wool fool you, this is not your grandparent's poppy.
A group of knitters in Fredericton, N.B., has been mass-producing knitted poppies for a week and can't keep up with demand ahead of Remembrance Day.
They are getting requests from as far away as southwestern United States for the home-made marvels. The knitted poppies are available for a $5 donation, which the knitters say they plan to donate to the local Legion.
Sounds great, right?
CTV News reports that the campaign has received a cool welcome from the Royal Canadian Legion, which holds the copyright for the poppy and could consider it trademark infringement.
[ Related: McDonald's workers can now wear Remembrance Day poppies ]
With apologies to the moustache, the poppy is the most noble and notable fundraising totem anywhere in the world.
It was the pink ribbon before the pink ribbon. It is the Livestrong bracelet minus the disgraced spokesman.
It's appearance, be it knitted, plastic or drawn in crayon, brings to mind sacrifice and remembrance.
The poppy goes beyond the Legion, but the Legion relies on its annual campaign as a major source of funding. And it rightfully needs to protect its brand.
Last year, The Legion was been forced to take legal action against a biker group using the poppy as part of its patch, and against anti-war groups that used white poppies in muted opposition.
The noble knitted poppy is also making a splash overseas, with various groups of British yarnbombers in Grimsby, Kent, and Cornwall joining the red poppy craze ahead of Remembrance Day.
In each case, the knitting brain trust says the money they collect will go to veteran's aid groups.
[ More: Five things you should know about the iconic poppy ]
Knitting shops in Scotland are running out of red yarn because of the craze, the Daily Record reports.
The head of Poppyscotland, which you may guess by the name holds a stake in this conversation, told the newspaper that the knitting craze could make them rethink their annual campaign.
Colin Flinn told the Record:
We are very grateful to the knitting and crochet groups for their unique way of raising funds for our cause. We focus on driving donations through traditional red paper poppies as they are part of our history and core values, being handmade by disabled ex-servicemen.
While we would not move away from the traditional poppy as our main fundraising tool, we are keen to explore ways for people to support the appeal. There is clearly a growing market for crochet and knitted poppies and, after the 2012 appeal, we will look at how to take this idea forward.
While the Royal Canadian Legion may not embrace the knitted poppy trend, it is unlikely they will send their bloodhound lawyers to attack the lil' knitters in court.
And it is even more doubtful they'll turn away the donations brought in by the knitted poppy campaign.
