As knitters and crocheters we all absolutely LOVE yarn and we often tend to stick with the yarns we know and love. We may not think about how sustainable these yarns are or consider there might be more eco yarn swaps when we need more yarn.
But what if I told you it’s easier than you think and may not cost much, if any, more to choose a ‘greener’, more sustainable, eco yarn option instead. Recycled varieties are usually much more affordable than eg organic.
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If you have followed me for a while or had a look around this website you’ll see I’m big on using recycled yarns and have been for several years. During this time many fantastic sustainable yarns have come and gone, sometimes this is due to available materials to recycle into yarn but also how well they sell. If we don’t buy them, yarn companies withdraw them, just like other yarns that aren’t great sellers. It’s a rather cold hard world, driven by profits in business and yarn companies are no different.
The main problem with new recycled and eco yarns is that we don’t know them and they aren’t often in physical yarn stores so we can’t feel them, squish them, see the colours properly etc. But most online yarn stores will happily take returns (usually within a 30 day period). So we can easily try 1 ball out and if we don’t like it, send the rest back. It’s worth trying right? And you might just find your perfect eco yarn swaps and new favourite yarn!
It’s important to note with recycled yarns that because they are made with recycled materials, subsequent batches may differ in colour and texture, so it is especially important to buy enough for your project at the start.
I wanted to end the year with some eco inspiration for yarn shopping. There are lots of fabulous recycled yarns on the market currently, with some great new ones to the market too. But for this post I’ve picked my favourite (based on my own experience of it and customer reviews) for each yarn weight category and I list several popular brands that MATCH their gauge which means you should be able to swap easily from these yarns to the suggested eco yarn eg. if you like to use Caron Simply Soft you should be able to switch to Lion Brand Basic Stitch Anti-Microbial with the same sizing results.
You can check your yarn label and see what the stated tension/gauge is to see if it is a close match for a more eco alternative. You can also use Yarnsub to search for yarn substitutions for any yarn and it will show lots of yarns in a similar gauge.
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1. DK #3 Weight Acrylic
BRAVA RECYCLE by We Crochet/ Knit Picks DK #3 weight, 100% Recycled Acrylic, 306yds / 280m per 3.5oz / 100g skein. Machine Wash Gentle (30C)/Cold, Tumble Dry Low
Knitting Gauge: 22–24 sts / 10 cm (4″) on 5-7 US needles (3.75mm-4.5mm). Crochet Gauge: 16 – 20 sc = 10cm (4”) on 7- I-9 hooks (4.5mm-5.5mm)
Yarns with matching gauge: Baby Bee Sweet Delight, Hayfield Bonus /Baby Bonus DK, Patons FAB DK, Premier Yarns Premier Basix DK, Paintbox Yarns Simply DK, King Cole Baby DK, James C Brett Top Value
Why Use it: It’s made from 100% recycled materials
What to make with it: Anything you would make with standard DK acrylic.
Cost: £4.79 – It’s more expensive than many premium quality DK yarns but We Crochet often run sales
Customer view: they LOVE it, multiple 5 star reviews
The Crafty Therapist’s view: It’s strong and soft, feels just the same as most non recycled DK acrylics in my stash. The colours are lovely. I have the colours Zeke (a very light grey with a beautiful pinky hue) and Rorschach (a very pretty red with grey thread running through it). While Zeke felt exactly like I expect from a DK, Rorschach was noticeably thinner and I couldn’t use them together in the same project. But this is not unusual with recycled yarns, I often find different colours have a different texture and thickness, especially amongst the non solid colours.
Where to buy it: We Crochet or Knit Picks
Other DK recycled acrylics to consider:
The DK category has by far the best choice of recycled options! Brand New to the market (no reviews yet): Sirdar Loveful 100% Recycled Acrylic. It has a great range of colours and it’s cheaper than Brava Recycle. The manufacturer describes it as “a recycled yarn that’s as wonderfully soft and smooth to work with as it is to wear”. It’s definitely on my list to try it out! It’s popped up on several UK yarn online stores including Lovecrafts. May not be available yet in the US.
Yarn and Colors Amazing 100% recycled acrylic. Very budget friendly. I’ve used this yarn and made a draught excluder with it last Winter. It goes a long way with 310m (339yds) in 100g (3.5oz)! I would describe it as a great greener alternative to mid to lower range acrylics. It’s hardwearing and strong, but quite scratchy. It’s not soft enough for wearables for me, but few (if any) would be in the budget acrylics. I have very sensitive skin so it has to be zero scratchiness for me!
Other sustainable alternatives for acrylic: recycled or organic wool or recycled blends such as Valley Yarns Savoy (30% Wool 5% Cashmere 35% Viscose 30% Polyamide) or Stylecraft Recreate (100% recycled blend with 40% Wool 30% Acrylic 30% Polyester).
2. Aran/Worsted #4 Weight Acrylic Eco Yarn Swaps
LION BRAND BASIC STITCH Anti microbial Worsted #4 weight, 65% Recycled Polyester 35% Amicor, 186yds / 170m per 3.5oz / 100g skein. Machine wash (40C), tumble dry.
Knitting Gauge: 18 stitches, 26 rows to 10cm/4″ on 5 mm (8 US) (6 UK) needles. Crochet Gauge: 16 sc x 18 rows on H-8 (5 mm) hook.
Yarns with matching gauge: Lion Brand Basic Stitch Anti-Pilling, Cascade Yarns Anthem, Caron Simply Soft, Bernat Giggles, Bernat Premium, Red Heart Comfort, Hobby Lobby I Love This Yarn, Herrschners Worsted Weight, Mary Maxim Best Value
Why Use it: It’s made from recycled material, feels and behaves the same as acrylic with the added benefit of antimicrobial Amicor fibers.
What to make with it: Anything you would make with standard Worsted/Aran acrylic.
Cost: £5.50-£6.50 – Similar price range as premium quality Aran/worsted weight
Customer view: they LOVE it, multiple 5 star reviews
The Crafty Therapist’s view: It’s strong, feels good quality and lovely to work with. The colours are pretty earthy tones with a light heathery look. A robust yarn that feels like it is very well suited to handle the wear and tear of wearables and homewares. I found it worked up really nicely and created a much smoother fabric than it looked in the skein. It softens up with wear and washing.
Where to buy: LOVECRAFTS
I have free Patterns made using this yarn in the Spice colourway: Easy Suzette Stitch Mug Cozy and Easy Suzette Stitch Coaster
Other Worsted weight sustainable acrylics/blends to consider:
There aren’t many other 100% recycled acrylics in this weight category that are easily obtainable. A wool blend option is also a great option however, if you like wool, another brand new to the market: Stylecraft Relove (100% recycled – 80% Acrylic 20% Wool). I’m loving the vibrant colours in this new range.
100% recycled wool is another fantastic eco yarn swap idea. Check out Cascade Yarns ReVive (100% recycled wool) in a beautiful range of colours.
3. Chunky #5 Weight Acrylic
LION BRAND BASIC STITCH Anti Microbial Thick & Quick Chunky/Bulky #5 wright, 65% Recycled Polyester 35% Amicor, 87yds / 80m per 3.5oz / 100g. Machine wash (40C).
Knitting Gauge: 12 sts x 16 rows on # 11 (8mm) Needles. Crochet Gauge: 9 sc x 12 rows on N-13 (9mm) Hook.
Yarns with matching gauge: Hobby Lobby I Love This Chunky, Baby Bee Sweet Delight Chunky, King Cole Comfort Chunky and Cheeky Chunky,
Why Use it: It’s made using recycled materials, provides long-lasting protection against odour, allergens, and bacteria (up to 100 washes), keeping garments feeling fresher for longer. It feels and behaves the same as acrylic.
What to make with it: Anything you would make with standard Chunky weight acrylic.
Cost: £5.50-£6.50 – Similar price range to other premium quality chunky weight acrylic
Customer view: they LOVE it, multiple 5 star reviews
The Crafty Therapist’s view: I haven’t got my hands on this one yet. But I will definitely be buying it because the worsted weight version is fantastic and being the thicker weight this will work up super fast. I love fast makes, don’t you? If you like to work with chunky weight acrylic, this is the perfect sustainable swap.
Where to buy it: LOVECRAFTS
For a gorgeous roving style 100% recycled yarn, I wholeheartedly recommend Knits Recycled by Wendy Wools. Made from polyester spun from recycled plastic bottles (but you’d never think it!), it is very soft and works up beautifully. To read more about this yarn see my Yarn Review. I also have a free pattern I made using this yarn: the Chunky Ribbed Cowl.
Another option to consider if you like a blend with wool is Stylecraft Recreate Chunky 40% Wool 30% Acrylic 30% Polyester.
I hope you’ve found this post interesting and helpful, I’d love to hear from you make any eco yarn swaps and if you try any of the yarns mentioned or if you have found another one that you adore!