5 Vegan And Eco-Friendly Yarns For Your Next Project

Bamboo knitwear, anyone? We’ve gathered together a selection of vegan & eco-friendly yarn types for you to try

As caring consumers, we already know that ethical shopping is an essential part of living kindly – but with so many options available and no standardised labels for clothing, the high street can be tough to navigate. Luckily, this is one area where we knitters can lead the way – simply by making our own clothes. To help you on your way, we’ve gathered together five planet-friendly types of yarn for your makes – they’re touchably soft, cruelty-free and easy on the environment too!

Organic cotton

stoffstil.co.uk

We love cotton just as much for its eco-credentials as for its beautifully soft texture – so why not step it up a level and go organic? Renewable, biodegradable and free from pesticides and synthetic chemicals, organic cotton yarn ticks all our boxes!

Flax

sewandso.co.uk

If you haven't heard of flax, you'll definitely be familiar with linen, which is made from the fibres of the flax plant. Creating this durable yarn has very little impact on the environment, and there are so many uses for flax that no part of the plant is thrown away. Linen yarn can be used to make everything from clothing to blankets, and when you have finished with your garments you can still feel good about your yarn choice; flax is both recyclable and biodegradable.

Hemp

nobleknits.com

A coarse, tough material made from the fibres of the cannabis plant, hemp has been hailed as a 'super fibre', and we can't sing its praises enough. Hemp requires no pesticides to grow, leaves the soil in top condition and can even be grown in marginal land, so it doesn't interfere with other crops. But what does it look like when it's made up? Depending on the blend of the fabric, hemp usually has the look of linen and the feel of flannel. It's great for hot weather as it's absorbent and resists mildew, it's hypoallergenic, and although it's eight times stronger than cotton, it will soften after each wash so your favourite makes will only improve with age.

Lyocell

woolandthegang.com

Manufactured from wood pulp, this fibre is a form of rayon and can be found in everything from tunics to trousers, often appearing in denim. Creating Lyocell yarn does require chemicals, but as there are no harmful solvents involved, this friendly fibre still makes it onto our list. For guaranteed peace of mind, look for Tencel, which is a sustainability certified form of Lyocell.

Bamboo

hobbii.co.uk

The term 'bamboo' applies to any cloth, yarn, or clothing made from bamboo fibres, but while true bamboo is a stiff, durable textile, its softer, more popular counterpart has been chemically altered to form rayon. For this reason, it's important to make sure your bamboo garment has been mechanically crushed rather than chemically made, but as bamboo is quick, easy and ethical to grow it still makes our top five. Plus, there are many different ways to incorporate bamboo into your makes – this yarn combines it with tencel for a soft, yet sustainable choice.

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