Yarns

Yarns that have been created by hand have a life all of their own. Machine made acrylic can never compete with a hand-dyed skein of alpaca or a richly textured hank of hand-spun pure wool.

I have tried to source a wide selection of ethical yarns. Ranging from organic cottons produced by the big brand names and natural undyed sheep's wool from small British flocks to lush hand-spun alpaca blends and luxurious sock yarn from women's co-operatives in South America and recycled sari silk from Indian women's groups, there is something for everyone's taste. Use our Yarn Finder if you're looking for a specific weight of yarn.

	The Natural Dye Studio uses British Wool certified Blue Faced Leicester wool for their stunning range of hand-dyed yarns. They use natural, plant based dyes that are kinder to the environment and your skin!		Artesano has an excellent ethical trading policy, and buy from reliable sources that treat their employees with respect, do not employ children and pay respectable wages. We stock the fabulous space-dyed Peruvian Hummingbird DK, which is fantastic for socks.
	Artist's Palette Yarns is a small, independent company who hand-paint fabulous colourways in very small amounts. The soft Merino yarn is from Peru, but the love and labour is all English. APY are *machine washable*! Perfect for baby and children's clothes.		The Mirasol Project supports local communities in Peru through the sales of the Mirasol Yarn Collection. We have the 100% baby llama Miski, the alpaca silk mix Sulka and organic cotton Samp'a in stock.
	The Wensleydale Longwool Sheepshop lies in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales and produces wonderful yarn from the soft, lustrous fleece of the Wensleydale sheep that graze in the fields next door. This lush, non-scratchy wool comes in a range of beautiful colours and weights.		Manos del Uruguay yarn is dyed by a cooperative of women in the rural villages of Uruguay. This co-operative provides much needed income to approximately 350 women working in 17 locations. We stock Wool Clasica and Silk Blend.
	The Nude Ewe is a partnership between BedsLife - Bedfordshire & Luton Biodiversity Partnership, Bedfordshire County Council and GrazeBeds, a project of the Wildlife Trust.