If, like me, often purchase beautiful yarns for knitting, crochet or even weaving, one small change you can make to reduce your carbon footprint is to #BuyLocal. We are not short of amazing yarn mills, spinners and/or even hand dyers in the UK – look out for them in your local shops or support them via their websites!
As you are looking through the below, PLEASE let me know if I have missed any and I will add them!
Ardalanish Mill – Isle of Mull, Scotland
The Ardalanish Mill not only spins its own yarn but also weaves it into beautiful fabrics. From the Isle of Mull they look after cattle and sheep, and weave their award winning products. Their product range includes woven accessories, clothing, homeware, tweed fabric and craft kits, in addition to knitting yarn.
- Online: https://ardalanish.com
- Social Media
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Ardalanish-Isle-of-Mull-Weavers-116560148785/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ardalanish_mill/
- Pinterest: https://uk.pinterest.com/ardalanish/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/ardalanish
- Telephone: 01681 700 265
- Email: info@ardalanish.com
Blacker Yarns – Cornwall, England
Blacker Yarns produce a range of beautiful breed specific yarns made exclusively from British sheep, all spun in Cornwall. They specialise in breed specific British yarn all spun on their mill in Cornwall. They produce a large variety of different bases in contemporary colour palettes. Their yarns are available in different weights including Double Knitting, Aran & Chunky, Lace & 3ply and 4ply amongst others and cover everything from every day classics providing good value to rare and luxury varieties. They source almost everything from British farmers, as locally as possible and are careful to choose those farmers that take the utmost care of animals and nature. The result is 100% natural, unique wool.
- Online: https://www.blackeryarns.co.uk/
- Social Media
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blackeryarns
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackeryarns/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/blackeryarns
- Ravelry: https://www.ravelry.com/
- Telephone: 01566 777 635
- Email: enquiries@blackeryarns.co.uk
The Border Mill – Berwickshire, Scotland
The Border Mill specialise in alpaca and alpaca-blend British yarns and handwoven textiles. Although they specialise in spinning alpaca fleece, they also process wool, especially from rare breeds, and other fibre-producing animals including llamas and angora rabbits. They also blend and dye fleece, and for something extra-special, they can produce handwoven textiles from your fleece – they are able to process any quantity from a single fleece upwards, if you have a fleece available!
- Online: https://www.thebordermill.co.uk/the-mill-shop
- Social Media
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/border.mill
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/Bordermillshop
- Telephone: 01361 883692
- Email: hello@thebordermill.co.uk
By Laxtons – Yorkshire, England
A British textile manufacturer based in Yorkshire yarns for hand knitting. 100% British Wool produced using fully traceable, Sustainable (natural, renewable, biodegradable) yarn. By Laxtons boast a low carbon footprint, fleece to finished yarn in less than 50 miles in addition to high levels of animal welfare.
- Online: https://www.bylaxtons.co.uk/
- Social Media
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/by-laxtons-108163604244392
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bylaxtons/
- Telephone: 01943 877123
- Email: info@bylaxtons.co.uk
Cambrian Wool – Cardigan, Wales
Cambrian Wool produce a premium wool from the finest grade of Welsh Mule, the name given to the local Welsh breed when crossed with the Blue Face Leicester. It’s the Blue Face that imparts the lustre and fineness, resulting in a worsted spun yarn with a sheen and a halo suitable for attire of all kinds. It felts well too, and makes a beautiful woven fabric.
As well as yarns for handknit and crochet in 4ply and Double knit, we are keen to develop weaving yarns using our Cambrian wool and are working with Melin Tregwynt to research possibilities for a double cloth woven in 100%Welsh Cambrian wool.
- Online: https://www.cambrianwool.co.uk/
- Social Media
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cambrianwool
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cambrian_wool/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/cambrianwool
- Contact: https://www.cambrianwool.co.uk/contact-uu
Countess Ablaze – Manchester, England
A carbon-neutral yarn-dyer based in Manchester with some stunning coloured wool, the Countess Albaze team is passionate about creating rebellious yarns on their own terms. They don’t compromise on principles or style, they don’t adhere to social media algorithms, and they don’t give a flip about who or what is popular in knitting and crochet. They are rebellious, cheeky, on-the-nose, passionate about colour and desiring the freedom to just be yourself. Countess Ablaze are hugely influenced by metal and punk music, fashion heroes Alexander McQueen and Vivienne Westwood, tech and sneaker culture.
KNIT WHO YOU WANT TO BE
- Online: https://www.countessablaze.com/
- Subscriptions: https://www.yarncartel.com/
- Email: contact@countessablaze.com
Daughter of a Shepherd – Yorkshire, England
With a firm commitment to using only 100% British wool from shepherds and producers within the United Kingdom, The Daughter of a Shepherd aim to support all aspects of British manufacturing in our processing and production.
- Online: https://daughterofashepherd.com/
- Social Media
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/daughterofashepherd
- Ravelry: http://www.ravelry.com/groups/daughter-of-a-shepherd
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/daughterofashepherd/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/daughterofashep
- Email: info@daughterofashepherd.com
Eden Cottage Yarns – Yorkshire, England
Eden Cottage Yarns produce beautifully hand dyed yarns, original designs, and more. The yarn is dyed with an emphasis on simple but gorgeous colours, as well as sustainability, and ECY has become synonymous with a muted palette of semi-solid shades.
- Online: https://www.edencottageyarns.co.uk/
- Social Media
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Eden-Cottage-Yarns-151573411577273/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/edencottageyarns/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/EdenCottage
- Pinterest: https://uk.pinterest.com/EdenCottageYarn/
- Ravelry: https://www.ravelry.com/designers/victoria-magnus
- Contact: https://www.edencottageyarns.co.uk/pages/contact-us
Garthenor Organic – Ceredigion, Wales
Certified organic knitting yarns since 1999, all from traditional British sheep. Great yarn starts with great wool, which has to come from healthy, happy sheep. By working directly with farmers across the UK, Garthenor Organic is assured of the origin and quality of every fleece that passes through their hands.
- Online: https://garthenor.com/
- Social Media
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/garthenor
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/garthenor
- Contact form: https://garthenor.com/pages/contact:
- Email: hello@garthenor.com
J. C. Rennie & Co. – Aberdeenshire, Scotland
Established in 1798, J.C. Rennie make beautiful woollen yarns for knitters and weavers. Still a family owned business since its inception in 1798, the company was originally set up to spin yarn from locally grown wool. The locality was Aberdeenshire. The spun yarn was for nearby weavers, then still operating a literally ‘cottage’ industry. The original water wheel is still there today. The very fact that it is still capable of producing power-although now completely inadequate for today’s full electrical requirements -demonstrates their attitude to new technological developments; keep the best of the old but at the same time use new technology to support the traditional methods, so as to retain the quality, and to reduce the energy required in the manufacturing process, so very important in today’s environmentally-conscious world. All the yarns supplied by Rennie have a unique Scottishness about them; as if the very essence of Scotland was somehow bound up in the fibres. The colours; soft reds, hazy blues, rich dark browns. The strength; born of hard times, sometimes threatening survival itself. The lightness, the handle, as soft and weightless as the local har, which as often as not, shroud the North East of Scotland. The warmth -Scottishness at its very best.
- Online: https://www.knitrennie.com/
- Social Media
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jcrennie1798
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/jcrennie1798
- Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/jcrennie1798/_saved/
- Telephone: 01771 622422
Jamieson Smith – Shetland, Scotland
Jamieson & Smith Shetland Wool Brokers Ltd. purchase Shetland wool from over 700 of Shetland’s crofters and farmers, and transform it into high-quality Shetland wool products including yarns, knitwear, blankets and carpets. Shetland wool is an incredibly natural and sustainable fibre, and is world renowned for its fineness and warmth. Shetland Sheep graze on the islands’ hills and beaches eating wild heather and seaweed. This diet, along with the not-so-great weather, makes Shetland wool soft, strong and warm. Shetland Wool is also very diverse: it’s perfect for hand-knitting both Shetland Lace and Fair Isle, as well as for knitwear manufacture and weaving. We hand sort and grade our wool and, to make sure that we do not waste anything, the coarser parts of the fleece are used in carpets and mats.
- Online: https://www.shetlandwoolbrokers.co.uk/
- Social Media
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jamiesonandsmith/?ref=bookmarks
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewoolbrokers/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/Jamieson_Smith
- Blog: https://jamiesonandsmith.wordpress.com/
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/jamiesonsmith
- Telephone: 01595 693579
- Email: mailroom@shetlandwoolbrokers.co.uk
Jamieson’s of Shetland – Shetland Islands, Scotland
Jamieson’s is a family owned business, which has specialised in wool from the native Shetland sheep for 5 generations. The family are dedicated to the survival of this unique fibre and as each new generation joins the business, this promotion becomes their life’s ambition and they continue to develop and promote their prized unique Shetland products.
- Online: https://www.jamiesonsofshetland.co.uk/
- Social Media
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JamiesonsOfShetland
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamiesonsofshetland
- Telephone: 01595 693114
- Email: lerwick@jamiesonsofshetland.co.uk
Jon Arbon – North Devon, England
Traditional British-made Yarns and Tops designed, blended and spun in the heart of North Devon. All Jon Arbon yarns are spun at their Devon Mill using vintage machinery and made from breed specific sheep fibre (local and organically farmed whenever possible) and high grade, ethical silk and alpaca.
- Online: https://www.jarbon.com/
- Social Media
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jarbontextiles/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jarbontextiles/
- Ravelry: https://www.ravelry.com/groups/john-arbon-textiles–fibre-harvest
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/JohnArbonTextile%20
- Telephone: 01769 579861 / 01598 752490
- Email: shop@jarbon.com
Kettle Yarn Co. – Hastings, England
Hand-dyed British yarn from ethical mills. Nestled on the south coast of England, Kettle Yarn Co. is a one-woman business aiming to support British sheep farmers, while safeguarding animals and the environment. Helping to make the wool industry sustainable for future generations, all yarns are handcrafted in small batches in the UK.
- Online: https://www.kettleyarnco.co.uk/
- Social Media
- Blog: https://www.kettleyarnco.co.uk/blogs/blog
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KettleYarnCo
- Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/KettleYarnCo
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kettleyarnco
- Email: kettleyarnco@gmail.com
The Knitting Goddess – North Yorkshire, England
The Knitting Goddess is an independent dyer of British knitting yarns, producing hand dyed yarns from British wool.
- Online: https://theknittinggoddess.com/
- Social Media
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/knittinggoddess
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/knittinggoddess
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theknittinggoddess/
- Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/TheKnittingGoddess
- Contact: https://theknittinggoddess.com/contact-us/
Lily Warne – Devon, England
British wool from a Devon farm. Their sheep are Grey Faced Dartmoor which is a rare breed indigenous to Dartmoor itself. They also use wool from our Blue faced Leicester to soften the Grey Faced Dartmoor as its a very strong wool. The Greyface Dartmoor wool boasts tremendous strength as a yarn, this makes it ideal for both felting and crocheting. Aran is a lovely chunky wool as the knitters out there will know.
- Online: https://lilywarnewool.co.uk
- Social Media
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LilyWarneWool/
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/lily.warne/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/LilyWarneWool
- Contact: https://lilywarnewool.co.uk/contact/
- Email: sales@lilywarnewool.co.uk
New Lanark Wool and Textiles – Lanarkshire, Scotland
New Lanark Spinning specialises in producing high quality British Organic yarn, Aran yarn, Double Knitting yarn and Chunky woollen yarns, all of which are ideal for both hand knitting and machine knitting. All of the New Lanark yarn is produced with care and spun to the highest quality on a traditional 19th century spinning mule, which is powered by renewable energy, thereby allowing New Lanark Spinning to keep their environmental impact to a minimum.
- Online: https://www.newlanarkspinning.com/
- Social Media
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NewLanarkSpinningCo/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/newlanarkwhs
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/NewLanarkSpinning/
- Telephone: 01555 661345
- Email: retailadmin@newlanark.org
R.E. Dickie – Halifax, England
Located in the West Ridding of Yorkshire, the home of the British Wool trade and specialising in British and Rare Breeds Wool manufactured on their premises in Halifax, R.E. Dickie offer a range of Scoured, Carded Web or Combed Tops to the international textile industry of spinners, carpet manufactures and associated trades. Also offering flock in the form of clean carded wool for the saddle manufacturers and shouldered tops for the sliver knitting and pile fabric market.
How to buy
- Online: https://www.dickie.co.uk/
- Telephone: 01422 341516
- Email: wool@dickie.co.uk
Toft Alpaca – Warwickshire, England
The Toft Alpaca shop sells British alpaca and luxury 100% wool yarn.
- Online: https://www.toftuk.com/
- Social Media
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/toftuk
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/toft_uk
- Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/toftalpacashop/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/TOFT_uk
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/ToftAlpacaShop
- Telephone: 01788 810626
- Email: help@toftuk.com
Town End Alpacas – Somerset, England
The Town End Alpacas produce luxurious knitting wools in beautiful colours and from natural fibres. Kim (owner) uses the knowledge of alpaca fibre, gained from years of breeding alpacas in the Lake District, to make a variety of alpaca blend yarns. Kim selects only the finest, softest fibres to produce her beautiful yarns.
- Online: https://townendyarns.co.uk
- Social Media
- https://www.facebook.com/TownEndAlpacas/
- https://www.instagram.com/town_end_alpacas/
- Telephone: 015395 68341
- Email: info@townendyarns.co.uk
Uist Wool – Outer Hebrides, Scotland
Undyed yarns from the Outer Hebrides. Uist Wool is a new venture inspired by co-operative values. The original idea to build a new Mill in North Uist emerged from a collective will to find a fresh purpose for local fleece that would reconnect the community with their cultural heritage of wool-working.
How to buy
- Online: https://www.uistwool.com/
- Social Media
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UistWool/
- Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/uistwool/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uistwool/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/UistWool
- Ravelry: http://www.ravelry.com/projects/UistWool
- Telephone: 01870 602597
- Contact: https://www.uistwool.com/contact/
West Yorkshire Spinners – West Yorkshire, England
West Yorkshire Spinner’s yarn is reared, sheared and spun in Yorkshire. Generations of expertise, wonderful wools and modern technology combine to create award winning yarns and apparel. West Yorkshire Spinners love having the freedom to work with the finest natural fibres available. This allows them to create truly exceptional and unique products. Their factory is based in the county of West Yorkshire which is the original home of the British Worsted Spinning industry.
How to buy
- Online: https://www.wyspinners.com/
- Social Media
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/westyorkshirespinners
- Twitter: @wyspinners
- Telephone: 01535 664500
- Email: customer@wyspinners.com
