In this post, you’ll find out what websites provide cruelty-free brands of yarn, including cruelty-free wool that is not produced by mulesing. I include links to manufacturers striving to provide these products for your fiber projects. I show how thoughtful purchasing can give you yarn that is humane and good for the environment. And beautiful!
How to Choose Cruelty-Free Yarn
Crocheting appeals to my multitasking tendency; I can crochet while watching TV. But here’s the problem: how many hats and scarves does a person need? My family accepted a few offerings but started dodging me when I asked what they wanted next.
Not my dog but he is cute in his sweater.
When I looked at the dog and wondered whether he needed a sweater, I realized I needed some direction. I decided on a practical approach. I would crochet a clothing item that wears out and must be replaced often – socks. But my first socks were awful – they didn’t fit right and were uncomfortable. So, I headed to Hook and Needle, my local yarn store. Hook and Needle is like an upscale country living room where you can sit on a comfy couch and knit and crochet. And to look at the gorgeous array of colors and textures of yarn. The wall of yarn skeins is a work of art.
I asked the owner about a class on crocheting socks. She answered that crocheting and socks don’t go together. Well, that made me feel better about my dismal sock attempts. Changing my strategy, I asked about a pattern and yarn for a vest. She produced a pattern I liked, but then we ran into trouble.
She suggested wool. Now, I don’t believe in exploiting animals. I eat only plants, not meat or dairy products. No leather and no activities that involve working animals. But I hadn’t thought about animals and fiber. In the past, most of my yarn choices had been acrylic, mainly because it was cheaper and easier to use while I learned the craft. But in Hook and Needle, all the glorious yarns were fibers like animal wool. At this point, I didn’t know about the terrible practice of mulesing.
At the Intersection of Yarn and Consumerism
I’m usually more careful about my purchases. But standing in Hook and Needle holding the pretty wool yarn made me realize the moral implications of my yarn choices.
For safety, products such as drugs and toys are vetted before they arrive on a shelf. But unless you are aware of how companies produce goods and services, and how that fits into your values, you may be making purchasing decisions that cause harm.
I mustered my courage and asked about the animals that supplied their yarn. Rather than looking at me like I had grown antlers, the staff was lovely. They spent a lot of time telling me about the fiber industry. The treatment of animals that produce fibers for yarn varies.
So, I purchased a lovely linen yarn made from flax for my vest instead of wool. Then, I went home to do some research. I wanted to be better informed about buying yarn ethically.
What is Cruelty-Free Yarn?
My research on the fiber industry paid off. Some manufacturers care about the treatment of animals that produce the fibers. And many are vigilant about how they treat their workers, too, prioritizing not just animal justice but social justice.
However, it is complicated to determine the best yarn – one that is ethical for people, animals, and the environment.
Animal Mistreatment
Animals that provide fibers for our craft projects are sheep, goats, camels, llamas, alpacas, vicuñas, yaks, horses, donkeys, and silkworms. There are many ways working animals can be mistreated.
In the fiber industry, a terrible practice called mulesing is used to prevent flystrike in sheep. Flystrike occurs when flies lay their eggs in the moist, warm areas of a sheep’s body, most commonly around the rear part, specifically the area covering the hind legs. The hatched maggots can cause significant harm and potentially lead to the animal’s death. Mulesing involves the removal of strips of skin, typically performed without pain relief, to create an area of bare, stretched skin that is less attractive to flies. Mulesing is inhumane and causes unnecessary pain and suffering to animals.
Animals can also be mistreated by
subjecting them to rough handling during shearing.
over-shearing or shearing at the wrong time resulting in sunburn or hypothermia, and
neglect, such as poor nutrition, inadequate shelter, or lack of medical care.
To obtain silk fibers, the cocoons are boiled or steamed to kill the pupae, which are at the stage between caterpillar and moth. They are likely capable of feeling pain or distress when subjected to boiling or steaming temperatures. An alternate technique called ‘peace silk’ allows the pupae to emerge first, but the silk is of lower quality.
Animal Fiber Sustainability
Cruelty-free yarn is sustainable. The fibers are compostable and don’t sit in landfills for years. In addition, sustainability means employers provide a living wage and safe working conditions for employees who work with the fibers.
Interestingly, some manufacturers use cruelty-free wool, which, in addition to avoiding mulesing, has advantages for the environment.
“In organic wool farms that practice ethical care, the sheep are pasture-raised and shorn once a year. The rest of the time, they are left to do their sheep things. Wool is also biodegradable, and the lifespan of wool is much longer than many other fabrics, such as fast-fashion cotton. Wool gets washed a lot less in cold temperatures (often by hand, not machine), which means it saves water & energy, and doesn’t contribute to the microplastic leaching problem. Furthermore, all shorn wool is used—finer grades for clothing, and coarser grades for rugs, etc. All this makes wool perfectly in line with the slow-fashion, less-is-more consumer mindset that’s necessary for a cleaner fashion industry.” – Jennifer Kurdyla
Being a genuinely sustainable manufacturer requires focusing on all parts of the process, from the creation of inputs to the final disposition of the material. For example, is the clothing compostable, or will it linger in the landfill for years?
I learned about a clothing certification called Cradle to Cradle.
Sustainability means eco-friendly inputs, environmental care, a living wage, and safe working conditions for employees.
Problem Yarns
I had no idea that the synthetic yarns I had been buying were terrible for the environment.
“While plastic-based fibres do not require agricultural land and use little water in production and processing, they do negatively impact the environment in other ways. Not only are synthetics not biodegradable, they all rely on the petrochemical industries for their raw material, meaning this fashion industry staple is dependent on fossil fuel extraction.” Independent
Egad. Another issue is the release of tiny plastic pieces into the water when you wash the clothing.
Well, I’ve also used cotton yarn. I can still use that, right? Not so fast. Unfortunately, cotton requires a lot of water and pesticides in its manufacturing process. Fortunately, some manufacturers are creating organic cotton yarn to bypass the pesticide issue. To be considered organic, the producer must also meet animal welfare standards. But, organic cotton production still requires a lot of water.
Good Yarns
The most ethical fiber is recycled yarn. Since old clothing sent to the landfill creates environmental problems, reusing the fiber solves many issues. And no, a garment made from recycled fiber doesn’t have to look like a craft project. Manufacturers create beautiful clothing that you would never know is recycled.
Fibers made from plants bypass many animal and environmental injustices. For example, yarns made from bamboo, soy, nettle, jute, and flax are good choices. A new product called Tencel is made from eucalyptus. Check out this innovation – a yarn called Pinatex, made from pineapple.
I was excited to read about products companies have developed to avoid the potential impact on animals. For example, to replace the silkworm, Bolt Threads has introduced engineered silk.
Where To Find Cruelty-Free Brands
Support your local yarn shop! That is where to find cruelty-free brands. Courtesy of Ravelry, here is a way to search for yarn shops. Hopefully, the staff can show you where to find cruelty-free brands, like wool from sheep who have not been subjected to mulesing. But if not, here is a list of yarn vendors prioritizing sustainability and humane animal treatment. And many are vigilant about how they treat their workers, too, prioritizing not just animal justice but social justice.
“At Alchemy Yarns, we believe in social and global consciousness. We do not support mills or practices that condone human or animal suffering. We create partnerships with individuals and small companies who understand and honor the need for meaningful work, sustainable agriculture, and compassionate responsibility. Every aspect of creating our handpaint fiber — from the harvesting of raw materials, to the environment in which our fiber is custom-spun, to the skilled painting techniques that bestow the color for which we are known worldwide — is done with care and commitment. We love our fiber from start to finish, every single skein we make.”
A sustainable yarn brand that focuses on stewardship and heritage.
“Our goals are to be responsible stewards of the land in order to pass our farming heritage to our children, and at the same time, to provide you with a quality product produced in Texas through environmentally conscious methods.”
“Staying true to our love for natural fibers also means embracing an ethical approach towards animals and environment, in all aspects of the production including sourcing only from fiber growers who respect animals.”
“We firmly stand for the consumer’s right to know where and how each product has been made, ensuring its healthiness for the benefit of himself and of those who manufactured it and to protect the natural environment.”
Looking for cruelty-free wool? Malabrigo wool comes from free-range sheep.
“Our wool is 100 % produced by Uruguayan farms that allow their free – range sheep through the hills and are herded by actual old – style shepherds.The controversial practice of mulesing does not exist in Uruguay.When using Merino wool of a different origin, we make sure it is also mulesing – free.”
Check out the hat and scarf I made from Manos del Uruguay cruelty-free yarn I found at my local shop.
My hat and scarf made from Manos del Uruguay yarn.
“We create garments and yarns that are beautiful, ethical and sustainable. Every piece is an opportunity to help a Uruguayan woman support her family.”
“We make yarns from Romanian wool, produced with traditional methods and no harmful chemicals, and spun in a traditional fiber mill – in other words, we make my grandmother’s yarn.”
Myak sources its cruelty-free wool from Tibetan nomadic herders who raise their herds in a way that does not harm the environment.
O-Wool
O-Wool sources cruelty-free wool from ethical sources.
“The heart of O-Wool has always lain in certified organic fibers. I source merino wool from certified organic farms in South America or Australia (non-mulesed). I source cotton from certified organic farms in the USA. I source my alpaca from a family farms within 1 hour of Philadelphia!”
“Wool feels even better when it is ethically produced. This is why we only use wool that is obtained from happy sheep at certified organic farms. It is spun and dyed in small quantities in manufactories in England and Portugal, according to our exact specifications. It is also 100% independently certified in accordance with GOTS – Organic and Fair.”
“All of our artisans monitor the sourcing of sheep and alpaca fiber and take care to use fibers from non-mulesing farms. If they are using plant-based fibers, they often look to the treatment of workers who process that fiber.”
Schoppel Wolle is clear about sustainable processes and ethical sourcing.
“This GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) seal of approval has very strict requirements and criteria along the entire production chain. It stipulates that the sheep may not be raised on factory farms using mass production methods.”
“We have used our success and platform to start the Sister’s United Initiative, which donates monthly to organizations supporting MMIP and American Indian children. Empowerment is at the core of this initiative.”
“Now is the time to give back. We are happy to let you know that knitting is just another way to keep the earth green. Every skein of Urth Yarns plants a tree.”
“Recycled and handspun yarns including organic nettle, organic hemp, recycled super chunky recycled cotton yarn and more. Handmade by women’s co-ops in rural India from waste fibres.”
My linen vest is still a work in progress. I finished my linen vest!
As the Hook and Needle owner warned me, linen can be slippery. It tangles so easily I put the balls of yarn in little cozies. But since I want to be humane in all areas of my life, I’m glad for the option of this yarn, and for the choices I learned about.
I took my list of humane yarn manufacturers back to Hook and Needle, and she marked off the brands they carry. Thankfully, it is a long list. Some of the glorious skeins on the wall were humane, so I purchased a couple of skeins of gorgeous yarn from Manos del Uruguay. Manos del Uruguay is a nonprofit collective that supports rural women in Uruguay. The yarn is ethical and sustainable, and the company is fair trade certified.
And I left the list of humane yarns for her in case other crafters ask questions about yarn’s impact on animals, people, and the environment. I hope they do.
What do you think about using cruelty-free yarns?
READ NEXT
Hook and Needle My yarn shop in Maryville, Tennessee, provides cruelty-free yarn to my community.
Thank you so much for providing your list! I too am aware of the less than ethical practices that take place when it comes to animals. I would like to take up weaving, etc., but want to make sure I select CRUELTY FREE products. I Googled “Cruelty Free Yarn” a dozen times and it just gave me random companies that told me they could not confirm this as their products come from a variety of suppliers. I would never partake in a hobby/craft in which an animal is harmed. Thank you for your awareness and kindness towards animals and for sharing your valued information.
Hi
I have been searching for awhile and am not sure when it says eco-friendly environmentaly safe that it is cruelty free. I am looking for Merino or Corridale roving wool no musueling.
Some state it on Amazon, but not sure. I read that Austrailia is cruelty free with wool other sites say otherwise. I don,’t see any on Peta.
Thanks
Hi Nancy. How wonderful that are supporting companies that do not harm animals with the cruel process of mulesing. There are several companies on my list, such as Malabrigo that specify no mulesing. As you suggest, there are many elements to evaluating products – whether they harm people, animals, and the planet. My suggestion to be sure about whether a product is cruelty-free is to contact the manufacturer directly, or visit your local yarn shop and ask them. Best wishes!
Thank you for creating this yarn list! It has saved me so much time researching and relieved me of much anxiety around yarn shopping. I only want to buy cruelty free and eco friendly products but it can be a stressful process, for me at least.
I recently learned about superwash wool and am so disappointed at how misleading this term is. It can be labeled as 100% wool even though it goes through a toxic chemical process and is then coated in plastic ‘resin’. I was also disappointed when I learned about the process of turning plants into viscose and rayon. Even though they aren’t shedding micro plastics the environmental impact of the production process is awful not to mention the harmful working conditions it creates in most cases. And then there’s the issues with dyes. I appreciate your efforts on consumer education.
Hi Igoria,
I’m glad you found the list! And I resonate with your comment that buying eco-friendly and cruelty-free is tough. I try to keep in mind that even though it is harder to find sustainable and ethical products, I am making a small difference. I hope you can celebrate your efforts, too. Would you mind sharing a link for us to learn about the viscose and rayon production processes?
Best wishes,
Terri Lyon
That’s a longer list than I expected when I started to read the article. Wonderful!
I’m glad it was helpful. Thanks for caring about animals!
Great resource! I’m glad there are so many cruelty free brands.
Me, too! Thanks for caring for animals, CIndy.
Thank you for this list. I am trying to get back into knitting and crochet. I am now plant based and am looking for cruelty free products.
You are welcome, Michelle. It is fun to try new fibers. I’ve decided I really like bamboo. Thanks for making the world a better place.
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Thank you for this list. So good to know others care too
You are welcome, Heidi. Thank you, too.
Thank you so much for providing your list! I too am aware of the less than ethical practices that take place when it comes to animals. I would like to take up weaving, etc., but want to make sure I select CRUELTY FREE products. I Googled “Cruelty Free Yarn” a dozen times and it just gave me random companies that told me they could not confirm this as their products come from a variety of suppliers. I would never partake in a hobby/craft in which an animal is harmed. Thank you for your awareness and kindness towards animals and for sharing your valued information.
Thank you for your kind words, Magi, and for making the world a better place for animals.
Hi
I have been searching for awhile and am not sure when it says eco-friendly environmentaly safe that it is cruelty free. I am looking for Merino or Corridale roving wool no musueling.
Some state it on Amazon, but not sure. I read that Austrailia is cruelty free with wool other sites say otherwise. I don,’t see any on Peta.
Thanks
Hi Nancy. How wonderful that are supporting companies that do not harm animals with the cruel process of mulesing. There are several companies on my list, such as Malabrigo that specify no mulesing. As you suggest, there are many elements to evaluating products – whether they harm people, animals, and the planet. My suggestion to be sure about whether a product is cruelty-free is to contact the manufacturer directly, or visit your local yarn shop and ask them. Best wishes!
Wonderful information, thanks!
I found a recently produced similar list from PETA
https://www.peta.org/living/humane-home/vegan-textile-art-supplies/
Susan
Thank you, Susan!
Thank you for creating this yarn list! It has saved me so much time researching and relieved me of much anxiety around yarn shopping. I only want to buy cruelty free and eco friendly products but it can be a stressful process, for me at least.
I recently learned about superwash wool and am so disappointed at how misleading this term is. It can be labeled as 100% wool even though it goes through a toxic chemical process and is then coated in plastic ‘resin’. I was also disappointed when I learned about the process of turning plants into viscose and rayon. Even though they aren’t shedding micro plastics the environmental impact of the production process is awful not to mention the harmful working conditions it creates in most cases. And then there’s the issues with dyes. I appreciate your efforts on consumer education.
Hi Igoria,
I’m glad you found the list! And I resonate with your comment that buying eco-friendly and cruelty-free is tough. I try to keep in mind that even though it is harder to find sustainable and ethical products, I am making a small difference. I hope you can celebrate your efforts, too. Would you mind sharing a link for us to learn about the viscose and rayon production processes?
Best wishes,
Terri Lyon