Plant Based Yarn

Characteristics Of Plant Fiber Yarn

The characteristic of plant based yarn does vary from yarn to yarn. 100% plant based yarn is generally less elastic than animal yarn which gives a very different knitting experience. It is important to allow the yarn to glide through your hands as you work with it to maintain an even tension. 

Plant yarns are sometimes blended with animal fibres to increase the elasticity and warmth, these yarns tend to handle more like animal fibre yarns so can be used as substitutions for many 100% animal yarns but with a cooler finish.

Benefits of Plant Fiber Yarn

Plant fibre yarn is breathable and cool to the touch so are perfect for summer knits. They also have stunning drape and a crisp feel which gets softer as you wear the garment.  

As well as being vegan yarn, plant yarn is usually more eco-friendly than animal yarn. While these plant based yarns use varying amounts of land and water to be grown their environmental impact is generally less than animal yarns and considerably better than synthetic or plastic alternatives.

Uses of Plant Fiber Yarn

Plant fibre yarns are generally cooler than animal yarns so are perfect for lightweight garments and even shawls. Plant fibre yarns often have stunning drape so relaxed fit t-shirts and jumpers are perfect options.  As the fibres have less stretch they are not as good for knits needing a tighter fit such as sock and beanies. 

Plant based yarns are also great for sensitive skin and are not at all itchy. 100% plant based yarns are also a great alternative for any vegans as they contain no animal products and are biodegradable.

Care of Plant Fiber Yarn

While plant fibres are generally more durable than animal fibres we still recommend hand washing with mild detergent or a wool wash. If you do choose to block your knits, wet blocking is the best option as steam blocking, while not damaging to the yarn, can flatten the stitches especially if your iron touches the finished item. 

Selecting the right yarn

When selecting yarns it's important to be aware all yarns handle differently and will give varied textures and drape. This is why it's important to knit or crochet a gauge swatch. This allows you to both check the feel of the fabric and the needle size to use (again all knitters have a slightly different tension)

For more information about substituting yarns click here.

For more information about gauge swatching click here.

If you need more help finding a yarn for your project feel free to send us a message, and we’ll get back to you with our expert advice or even pop into your local store.

FAQs

Can yarn be made from plants?

Cotton, Linen, Bamboo, Soy, Eucalyptus and many more plants are all used in the creation of yarn. 

What type of yarn is vegan?

100% plant fibre yarn and synthetic/acrylic yarns are vegan. Yarn derived from any animal product including silk is not vegan yarn. 

What are eco-friendly yarns?

Plant yarn is usually more eco-friendly than animal yarn. While these plant based yarns use varying amounts of land and water to be grown their environmental impact is generally less than animal yarns and considerably better than synthetic or plastic alternatives. Also consider using recycled yarn, such as leftover fabric from the fibre industry that has been turned into yarn.