Yarns can be made from a wide variety of natural and synthetic fibers. DROPS offers yarns primarily made from wool, cotton, alpaca, linen, mohair, and silk. Each type of yarn has its own unique characteristics, and they are often blended to take advantage of the best properties of each fiber. Coarser yarn is more durable and long-lasting, while finer yarns offer greater softness. Here’s a bit about the main fibers offered by DROPS Design:

• Alpaca: Alpaca fleece is a natural fiber obtained from alpaca wool and is structurally similar to sheep wool. Its softness comes from its fine fibers, similar to merino wool. It is soft, durable, luxurious, and silky. Yarn made from alpaca fiber doesn’t felt or pill easily. It can be light or heavy, depending on how it’s spun. Alpaca is warmer than sheep wool, isn’t as rough, and contains no lanolin, making it hypoallergenic. Alpacas have 22 natural colors with over 300 shades, ranging from blue-black to brown, white, silver, and rose-grey.

• Mohair: This fiber comes from Angora goats and is considered a luxury fiber. Mohair yarn is as warm as wool but much lighter. It is durable and has a long lifespan. Despite being a hard fiber, mohair is often spun into a very fluffy yarn, creating airy and lustrous garments.

• Wool: Wool fibers are obtained from sheep wool and are relatively coarse. Wool appearance can vary depending on the breed of sheep. Merino wool is considered the finest type of wool, with characteristics like fine crimping and softness. The merino wool used in DROPS yarns comes from South America. Pure new wool is wool made directly from animal fleece rather than recycled from existing wool products. Machine-washable wool is chemically treated to reduce the outer fuzzy layer of the fibers, making it suitable for machine washing (Superwash).

• Silk: Silk fiber is a fine, continuous fiber obtained from the cocoon of a caterpillar (silkworm). Cultivated silkworm fibers are obtained from silkworm cocoons, while wild or tussah silk is obtained from uncultivated silkworm cocoons. Silk fiber is one of the strongest natural fibers and creates excellent knitting yarn. It combines well with other fibers, especially wool.

• Vegetable fibers: The main fibers used for knitting include cotton and linen. Cotton is a fiber that surrounds the seeds of a cotton pod and is almost pure cellulose. Cotton fiber is most often spun into yarn or thread and used to create soft, breathable textiles, ideal for summer clothing and accessories. Mercerized cotton is cotton that has gone through a mercerization process, making the yarn shinier, more durable, and more resistant to mildew and lint. Linen is a fiber obtained from the flax plant’s stem, which is durable and stronger than any other fiber. Linen fiber is relatively soft, straight, and lustrous. Linen is perfect for hot weather because it absorbs moisture well and dries quickly.

• Other materials: DROPS yarns also include synthetic fibers like acrylic, viscose, polyamide (nylon), and polyester. These fibers are mainly used to strengthen the yarn (for example, DROPS Fabel sock yarn).

• Polyamide fiber, commonly known as nylon, is very durable, lightweight, easy to care for (it can be machine washed and dried), and elastic, making it ideal for blending with other fibers to produce hard-wearing yarns like sock yarn. Compared to polyester, polyamide is softer and more flexible, but it also absorbs more water and dries slower.