Why We Only Stock Natural Fibres at Purl &Jane
And why I love them more with every stitch.
When I opened the Purl &Jane Studio in Skipton back in 2010, I was certain of one thing – I only wanted to stock natural fibres. Fifteen years later and that has never changed.
Before then, I spent years as a freelance hand knit designer working with all sorts of yarns – some natural, some not. And through all that, I learnt something important: no fibre feels as good to work with as natural yarn. Whether it’s wool, cotton, alpaca, bamboo or linen, natural fibres just behave differently. They have character, life and texture.
Think of it like cheese (bear with me!). All cheese is technically “cheese”, but brie isn’t cheddar, and stilton isn’t mozzarella. It’s the same with wool and yarn. They all do different things. Some fibres drape, some trap warmth, some feel light as air. Some help even out your stitches and bounce back like a best friend giving you a cheer of encouragement.
Natural fibres are also brilliant for the planet. Wool is renewable and biodegradable, it traps carbon, and it can be reused, recycled or composted – releasing nutrients back into the soil. And thanks to its natural breathability, wool garments often need washing less frequently, helping save water and energy. Some knitters only wash their woollens once a year, some once every 10 years!
Every yarn I stock at Purl &Jane is chosen with care. Some are locally spun here in Yorkshire. Some come from further afield. But all of them are 100% natural (expect the sock yarn which does have 25% nylon for strength, though there are lots of 100% natural 4 plys too) and come in a variety of prices to suit every knitter or crocheter’s budget.
And just so you know – not all the yarns we stock are listed online yet. So if you saw something in the studio that’s not here, email me and I’ll help you find it.
If you’re new to the world of fibres, this is your invitation to explore. To pick up a ball and start noticing the subtle differences in texture, stitch definition, and feel. To discover the joy of a yarn that works with you.
Let’s go on a woolly (and yarny!) adventure together.