the earliest known samples of yarn and fabric of any kind were found near Robenhausen, Switzerland, where bundles of flax fibers and yarns and fragments of plain-weave linen fabric, were estimated to be about 7,000 years old.
Browsing through the yarn section of craft stores, it seems each year different Denim Fiber are discontinued and new fibers are added to the mix. When I started to crochet, I thought the only yarns that existed were acrylic. But as years pass by and my love for crocheting grew, I began to experiment with different yarn fibers as I crochet items for family and friends who are either allergic or have a preference for certain fabrics.
For beginners, it is difficult to select the yarn fiber such as acrylic, alpaca, possum rayon, etc without adequate knowledge of its content. Based on your presence, you can make selections of yarn a yarn fiber based on needs to be eco-friendly, animal free, and vegan friendly.
This article will provide some knowledge into the different fibers used for crocheting and knitting, categorized under animal, plant and synthetic fibers.
Animal Yarn Fibers
Alpaca - A finer quality of yarn made from the fleece of an alpaca, a domesticated South American mammal. It is softer, lighter, and stronger than wool and warmer than cashmere. In addition, manufactures have begun to introduce organic alpaca yarn into the yarn market.
Cashmere - A very fine and soft fiber obtained from the soft fleecy undergrowth of the Kashmir goat of Tibet, Mongolia, China, Iran, Iraq, and India. Cashmere is obtained from the animal by combing rather than clipping. It is most commonly used in sweaters, shawls, suits, coats, and dresses.
Llama fiber - Is made from the mammal, ILama, two-coated animal. Its fine, downy undercoat gives protection from cold and heat. The second coat of crimp-less guard hair allows moisture and debris to be shed. The wool is remarkably light and warm, sheds rain and snow, and comes in an array of natural colors. Unlike sheep wool, it shrinks little during washing or processing.
Possum -One of the recent yarns introduced in the yarn Market. It is developed from the New Zealand brushtail possum which was first introduced from Australia in 1858. It is a nocturnal marsupial the size of a large cat with soft luxurious fur. Possum-wool yarn, a really luxury yarn that has all the properties that other yarn fibers demands. Feels like cashmere; hard wearing, light and is warmer than wool in winter and cooler in summer
Silk - Silk is one of the oldest textile fibers known to man. It has been used by the Chinese since the 27th century BC. Silk fiber is produced by silkworms to form cocoons. Silk is strong, flexible, and fibrous. Silk absorbs moisture, which makes it cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Because of its high absorbency, it is easily dyed in many deep colors. Silk does not shrink like other fibers Silk retains its shape, and drapes well, and shimmers with a luster all its own.
Plant Fiber Yarns
Bamboo - Derived from bamboo- a group of woody perennial evergreen plants in the true grass family Poaceae. A note from Wikipedia states that Bamboo fabric is notable for its soft feel and claims of natural antibacterial properties. Clothing made from bamboo fiber is popular for activities such as yoga.
Cotton - A soft silky fibers from cotton plants in their raw state. It is used in garments and it absorbs and retains moisture, is readily washable, and is available in a wide variety of types and qualities. Organic cotton yarn is also available in the market. I normally used Organic cotton yarn for baby projects such as blankets, scarves and hats.
Rayon - One of oldest man-made fiber in the world. Unlike other man-made fibers, Rayon is not synthetic. It is made from wood pulp - a naturally-occurring, cellulose-based raw material. This cellulose fiber is highly absorbent. Its durability and dye ability are excellent and it is fairly soft. Rayon does have a tendency to shrink but does not melt in high temperatures. It is resistant to moths and is not affected by ordinary household bleaches and chemicals. It is used in clothing, draperies, upholstery, carpets, tablecloths, and bedspreads
Synthetic Yarn Fiber
Acrylic - This is a man made fiber, not made from wool or plant fiber. It is a quick-drying synthetic fiber. It is often less expensive that the other yarn fibers. Any project can be made with the acrylic fiber. If such items are clothing items, they may be not be as durable in the long-run due to lose of elasticity.
Corn - is a no -oil synthetic Fiber. It is also called the PLA (Poly lactic Acid), a new environment friendly fiber developed by The Cargill Dow Company. Mostly produced in the market as ingo corn fiber. It takes lactic acid from starch as raw materials, which is of completely natural circulation with biodegradability. Due to its n-oil content, the wastes under microbial action can be dissolved into carbon dioxide and water in soil, causing no pollution to the environment.
LYCRA - LYCRA is a man-made elastic fiber. Never used alone, but always blended with other fibers, it has unique stretch and recovery properties. LYCRA fiber helps knitwear designers to create stylish sweaters with added value: superior shape retention, easy care properties and better fit.
Microfiber - A microfiber is the tiniest man-made fiber ever created. A new polyester fiber that is extremely fine and closely duplicates the look and feel of natural fibers. Fabrics made of microfiber are wrinkle resistant and easy to care for.
Olefin - Olefin fiber is a synthetic fiber made from alkenes. It is used in the manufacture of various textiles as well as clothing, upholstery, wallpaper, ropes, and vehicle interiors.
Its fiber provides warmth without the weight. The fibers have low moisture absorption, but they can wick moisture and dry quickly. Olefin fiber is abrasion, stain, sunlight, and chemical resistant.
I advise beginners to start with acrylic yarn since it is inexpensive and is readily available. As one's expertise and projects grows, the yarn fiber choices will change with time. Enjoy Crocheting!
This article was written by Nnenna Pastor, a passionate crocheter and lover of crafts. She is dedicated to teaching crocheting to all who are interested as well as design and show case the many uses of crocheted items to enrich every day life.