Plant-Based Knitting Yarns: What to Choose, and Where to Buy
Plant-based yarn means yarn made from plant fibres, not animal fibres. So, no wool, alpaca, cashmere, mohair, silk, or yak. You’ll usually see cotton, linen, hemp, bamboo, or blends that mix plant fibres together.
People look for plant-based knitting yarns for simple reasons. Some have allergies. Some prefer vegan materials. Others knit in warm homes or hot climates, where wool can feel like a thick jumper in August.
Despite the image often given, keep balls of wool away from cats and kittens, as they are choking and tangling hazards.
Which plant based yarn is right for your project?
Plant fibres knit differently from wool. The big thing is bounce. Wool stretches and springs back, so it can forgive uneven tension. Most plant-based yarns don’t. They hang, they drape, and they show your stitches more clearly.
That’s not bad. It just means you pick fibre based on the job. Cotton holds shape and handles heat. Linen keeps you cool and gets softer over time. Bamboo can feel silky but may split. Blends are common because they balance the weak spots.
One more quiet truth: ‘vegan’ doesn’t always mean low impact. Some plant fibres are processed heavily, and dyes can vary. If impact matters to you, check the label for fibre percentage, where it’s made, and whether it uses viscose or lyocell-style processing for bamboo.
Recycled cotton yarn and recycled cotton blends
Recycled cotton yarn uses leftover cotton fibres from production, sometimes mixed with other recycled fibres. You’ll also see names like ‘upcycled cotton’ or cotton waste blend’. The feel is usually matte, soft, and a bit dry in the hand.
It’s a friendly choice for simple knits because it tends to be easy to wash, and it often costs less than premium fibres. It’s also great when you want a fabric that sits flat and behaves.
However, recycled cotton can knit up heavier than you expect. It also has low elasticity, so ribbing won’t snap back like wool ribbing. Bags, dishcloths, cushion covers, market totes, and relaxed tees suit it well.
Linen, hemp, ramie, and bamboo yarn
Linen, hemp, and ramie can feel crisp on the needles, then soften with washing and wear. If you like the idea of a yarn that ‘breaks in’ like denim, this is that.
They shine in summer tops, light cardigans, home textiles, and bags that need strength. And don’t cling to heat, so good for people who run warm.
Bamboo yarn usually means bamboo viscose, bamboo rayon, or bamboo lyocell (all processed forms). It’s smooth, often shiny, and very drapey. The main downside is splitting, especially with loosely spun yarns and blunt needle tips.
Soy yarn and Seacell yarns
Soy yarn, sometimes sold as ‘tofu yarn’ is generally made from soy protein by-products. It often feels silky and soft, and it can give a gentle sheen without feeling slippery like some synthetics.
Seacell is a cellulose fibre that includes seaweed. You’ll often find it blended with cotton or wool alternatives. It tends to feel smooth and cool, with a tidy stitch look.
Where to buy plant based knitting yarns
Buying plant-based knitting yarn is easier when you shop with a plan. First, search by fibre name, not just ‘vegan yarn’. Many listings use the word loosely, and you don’t want a surprise silk blend turning up.
Next, compare value in a way that feels fair. A 50 g ball and a 100 g ball can make prices look odd. I like to compare price per 100 g, and then check the metreage (metres per 100 g) if I’m matching a pattern.
Local yarn shops can be good for plant-based options, even if the windows are full of wool. Staff can save time by pointing out the right blends.
If you feel awkward asking, keep it simple. You can say: “Do you have cotton, linen, hemp, bamboo, or recycled options with no wool or silk?” That one sentence covers most of what you need.
Some shops stock cotton and linen on cones for weaving, but they knit well too. Clearance shelves can hide plant fibres that didn’t sell in winter. Before you buy several balls, check return policy and whether they match dye lots.
The Orry Mill sells plant-based knitting yarns and kits.
Bamboo knitting needles: why to choose them
Bamboo knitting needles have a slight grip. That helps when yarn feels slippery, like bamboo viscose, soy, or smooth cotton. They also feel warm in the hands, and they’re quieter than metal, which some people love for evening knitting.
On the other hand, bamboo needles can slow you down if you knit tightly. Tips can wear over time, and very splitty yarn may snag.
A simple rule works: try bamboo for beginners and slippery yarns, then try metal when you want speed or sharper tips for crisp stitches.
How to knit with cotton, linen, and hemp
Start with a swatch, and wash it the way you’ll wash the final item. That’s the moment when linen often softens, and cotton often relaxes.
If the fabric feels stiff, size up your needles. If your hands ache, loosen your grip and slow down for a few rows. Simple stitches help too, because plant fibres show texture well without fuss.
When you join a new ball, don’t trust tiny factory knots. Plant yarn knots can slip. Instead, join with a neat method you trust, then leave ends long enough to weave in securely.
Why some knitters avoid wool (sheep welfare)
Sheep need shearing, otherwise their fleece can trap heat and even block their view of predators. Still, the standard wool industry comes with real welfare problems.
In some places, people shear sheep too early, so they struggle to stay warm and can develop hypothermia. In addition, many sheep go through mulesing, where workers cut away strips of skin to reduce flystrike, often without pain relief.
Also, when sheep age and produce less wool, some farmers kill them rather than keep caring for them. If you do wear wool, choose wool brands that don’t slaughter the sheep, and only shear them. Options include vegetarian wool or sheepskins..
Pregnant sheep, and sometimes sheep with rain-soaked, heavy wool, can end up stuck on their backs and unable to roll over. Because sheep have four stomach chambers, they can quickly become unwell and could die.
If you spot a sheep on its back, turn it upright firmly and steadily. Then stay nearby for a short while, so it can settle and any rainwater can drain from the fleece, which helps stop it happening again. Finally, let the local farmer know. Watch this video
How to recycle knitting yarns
If you have an old jumper or a failed project, you can reclaim yarn in a calm, methodical way. Unravel it, wind it into a loose hank, wash it gently, let it dry fully, then wind it into a ball.
Leftovers deserve a plan too. Dishcloths, face cloths, stripes, patchwork-style bags, and small baby bibs are all good for cotton and linen scraps. If you want less clutter, keep one bag or jar for leftovers, then knit them up once it’s full.
Volunteer knitters to help others
If you want to knit for animals, call your local shelter or rescue first. Needs vary, and some have strict rules for hygiene and safety. Many will welcome small blankets, if they don’t snag.
Choose washable fibres (cotton or recycled cotton works well), keep sizes sensible, avoid loose loops, and skip buttons or dangly ties.
In Yorkshire, a care home of ‘knitting nanas’ recently sent a homemade blanket to Hercules the baby rhino, expected to make a full recovery after a hyena attack. One of the knitters said ”Seeing Hercules in one of our blankets has made my day. He’s such a cute little fellow’.
In Australia, a 103-year man (who had been knitting since 1932), knitted sweaters to stop penguins affected by oil spills from ingesting the oil, while recovering.
Knitting Patterns for Plant-Based Fibres
Knits from the Greenhouse is one of the first books to show how to knit clothes and accessories with plant-based knitting yarns. It features 18 projects and helpful tips from designers who work with vegan yarns. w
A Vegan Wool (made from weeds!)
Weganool has been called “more sustainable than dirt”. It’s a new kind of wool made from weeds, produced in India from carefully extracted calotropis stem and pod fibres, then mixed with organic cotton.
The woven fabric feels light, yet it manages heat well. So you get the cosy feel of wool, without using animals.
Because it’s made without chemicals and with little waste, it suits a wide range of uses. For example, it can become shirts, dresses, scarves, and inner linings, as well as single jersey and fleece knits.
It also grows well in drought-prone regions, so it can save water compared with cotton. On top of that, it can support local jobs. It’s dyed with natural sources too, including plants, flowers, roots, seeds, and minerals.
Willow and Claude (a vegan knitwear brand)
Willow & Claude is a vegan knitwear brand, set up to help reduce the millions of sheep killed each year for meat and wool. Profits also go towards Collective Fashion Justice. The company is named after two lambs that were rescued from Lamb Care Australia, which gives loving homes to unwanted lambs and sheep (or those at risk of slaughter or exposure) to give them a second chance in life.
