Knitting garments for babies is no small feat. It’s not just about picking the perfect color scheme or an adorable pattern; you have to be quite meticulous about picking the right yarn as well.
A lot of new parents and grandparents want to choose the best for the new member of the family, and organic yarn can be an answer if you are looking for a quality yarn to craft the best baby garment.
So what is the best organic baby yarn? The best organic baby yarn should be a lighter to medium weight yarn that is made of a baby-safe, hypoallergenic material (especially cotton). The precise thickness of the yarn or color can vary by your preferences or pattern.
In this article, we will help you understand what to look for in baby yarn, and point you to the best organic baby yarn options on the market.
How to Buy Baby Yarn
Not every type of yarn can be used for babies. Some types of yarn, like mohair or wool, maybe luxurious options for adults, but it doesn’t mean that it would suit a young child’s sensitive skin and everyday needs.
Below are some aspects that you will need to consider when buying baby yarn:
Fiber
Babies have very sensitive skin that can get irritated easily, so finding a soft fiber that won’t cause skin irritation should be your first priority. Fiber that sheds a lot, like mohair silk or any type of wool, may cause skin allergies for babies. They may even swallow the fiber too.
The best baby yarns are often super soft cotton, linen, bamboo, or even superwash merino wool. These types of yarn are very kind to babies’ sensitive skin, and some brands even design yarn specifically for babies using these types of fiber.
Weight
Most baby yarn comes in sport or DK weight (fine to light/medium) yarn, which requires a smaller gauge. A small gauge means the garment can comfortably hug the baby’s body and accommodate his or her movements.
You won’t be able to find baby yarn in chunky or bulky weight because it may be very restricting to the baby’s body and movements.
It is also not a good idea to allow for large gaps between stitches in baby items, as little fingers can get stuck easily. This is why lacework is also not appropriate for most baby items (excepting special use items such as christening dresses).
Care
Baby things tend to get dirty quite often, so you also want to pick a low-maintenance, machine-washable, and durable yarn like cotton that is easy to care for. That way, the garment will stay new without much effort.
When you buy baby yarn, you can check the sleeve to find the washing instructions. We recommend buying a yarn that is machine washable, and if possible, one which can be put in the dryer. The new parents will thank you!
Color
If you’ve never made something for babies before, you may think choosing the color is as simple as preference.
But for babies, color matters. Choose lighter, cheerful and stimulating colors which will not be too aggressive or over-stimulating. Pastel shades, many shades of yellow, blue, and orange, and white are all good colors to include. Avoid harsh or depressing colors such as black, brown, or stark reds.
We have a full guide to choosing appropriate baby blanket colors if you want more help when choosing a baby-friendly color combination.
Organic Yarn
If you want to go one step further when choosing baby yarn, you can look for an organic option, which can benefit not only your young child but also the planet and local farmers.
The word “organic” can seem mysterious – not a lot of people know what organic really means. When it comes to yarn, organic means that the yarn is collected from a cruelty-free, environmentally friendly local farm. Organic yarn is often locally harvested, handspun, and dyed using natural colors.
To get the “organic” certification, the yarn has to go through a very strict process that examines the farming practice (whether it is humane), the processing stages (to make sure no harsh chemicals are used), and the collecting, spinning, and dyeing process.
Buying organic yarn means that you are buying the best for your child, and you are doing your part in supporting local farmers and protecting the environment.
Best Organic Baby Yarns
If you want to buy organic baby yarns for your next baby project, you can often head to local farmer’s markets or craft fairs. But if you don’t live in area where organic baby-friendly fibers like cotton are grown, you can always find responsible yarn brands.
Here are some of our favorite organic baby yarns:
| Rank | Product | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | LaPace Eco-Friendly Premier Cotton Yarn | DK (3-4) weight, 123 yd |
| 2. | Ice Yarns Organic Cotton | Light DK (3) weight |
| 3. | 100% Organic Wool Yarn | Baby (2-3) weight, 165 yd |
| 4. | Debbie Bliss - Eco Baby Knitting Yarn | Baby (2-3) weight, 123 yd |
| 5. | Babytoly 100% Organic Cotton Yarn | Light DK (3) worsted weight, 115 yd |
All of these beauties will work wonders for your baby blanket needs. So let’s check them out below.
1. LaPace Eco-Friendly Premier Cotton Yarn
This eco-friendly cotton yarn from LaPace is another great option for organic cotton yarn that is kind to baby skin. Since the yarn is dyed with plant extracts, the colors are quite limited. However, if you love the neutral shades, this yarn is definitely a worthy option to consider.
This is a 15-ply yarn, with small strands twisted together to create a DK-weight yarn. As a result, the yarn knits up quite beautifully, adding depth and structure to your stitches. The 15-ply structure is a bit difficult to crochet or knit; you will have to pay extra attention if you don’t want your needles to snag the yarn in the process.
This yarn is 100 percent cotton, so you can imagine how soft it is. Cotton does not shed, and it is hypoallergenic, so it is perfectly safe for baby skin. You won’t have to worry about any skin irritations. Thanks to the all-natural dye, this yarn is also free of harsh chemicals.
When taking care of this yarn, hand-washing or the delicate cycle in your machine using warm water is highly recommended. If you don’t mind the selection of colors and want to opt for these neutral shades, then this yarn would be perfect to craft your new baby garment.
2. Ice Yarns Organic Cotton
Ice Yarns Organic Cotton is another great option if you are looking for 100 percent organic cotton yarn. This brand offers a wide range of color options in their line of organic cotton yarn, so you can be sure to find a color or color combination that fits your design and your child.
Compared to other types of organic cotton yarns on this list, this option from Ice Yarns has few plies, which means that it is easier to knit with and you will make fewer mistakes while crafting your garments. Despite the fewer plies, the yarn still looks quite structured and will compliment your stitches really well.
This DK yarn is really easy to work with; it is recommended with needles 3 to 4 mm. Since it is organic cotton, you can trust it to be super soft and kind to baby skin, so it’s only a matter of finding the perfect color for your project.
3. 100% Organic Wool Yarn
Wool isn’t always recommended for babies, mainly because it can be scratchy and irritating for young skin. However, organic merino wool is a whole other story.
Organic merino is probably the softest wool (that doesn’t shed) that you can find on the market, which means that it is quite kind to sensitive baby skin, allowing you to make some beautiful, cozy garments for your little ones.
This sport-weight yarn comes in a variety of bright primary colors, which makes for some fun, whimsical pieces to add to the baby’s crib or wardrobe. The colors are created with low-impact dyes that are very safe for young children. The yarn is spun in the USA from 100 percent Organic Merino Wool.
The suggested needle size for this yarn is US 3 – 4 (3.25 mm – 3.5 mm), which is similar to other types of cotton baby yarns. The stitches will be quite small, but your garment will drape well and hug comfortably against the baby’s body.
We suggest crafting cozy winter garments with this yarn since it offers warmth and coziness that other types of fibers cannot compete with. This lovely wool will be perfectly snuggly during the colder months.
4. Babytoly 100% Organic Cotton Yarn
Babytoly is a certified organic, 100 percent cotton yarn that is beautifully soft and cozy for young children. You can be assured knowing that this yarn is very kind to young, sensitive skin and won’t cause any skin irritations.
We absolutely love that this yarn comes in such a wide range of colors that give you plenty of options to create whatever you can imagine. The dye comes from natural, plant-based sources. Whether you are creating a colorful pattern or looking for the right gender-neutral shades, these colors will really inspire you to make the perfect baby garment.
This yarn is a light DK yarn, recommended to use with 4 mm knitting needles or 4 mm crochet hooks. The smooth texture and the medium-weight yarn means that it is super easy to work with. This yarn will make your stitches look quite prominent and allow your pattern to shine.
Since this is a cotton yarn, we recommend hand washing and air-drying your garments. Alternatively, the delicate cycle in your washing machine, using warm water, would work with this yarn.
This lovely yarn is ethically made with cruelty-free practices and environmentally friendly processes. The manufacturer even includes the certification number in the product description, so we can see how serious their commitment is! If you want an organic yarn that can knit up some lovely baby pieces, we definitely recommend this brand.
5. Debbie Bliss – Eco Baby Knitting Yarn
Debbie Bliss is probably one of the most famous knitwear designers in the knitting community, so she knows what she is doing when it comes to crafting the perfectly safe and soft baby yarn for your little ones.
This yarn is made of 100 percent organic cotton, which is perfect for garments that are going to be hugging sensitive baby skin. The color is created with vibrant non-toxic dye, which is very safe for our little ones. This yarn also comes in several other bright and colorful shades, so you can pick the perfect color for your baby project.
This yarn is on a lighter side when it comes to baby yarn, recommended to use with US size 3 (3.25 mm) knitting needles. This means your garment will drape beautifully, with intricate stitch details that would be perfect for newborn babies.
Similar to other types of organic cotton, we recommend hand-washing and air-drying items made with this yarn. You can also use the delicate cycle in your washing machine with warm water for a low-maintenance option.
Up Next: Baby Blanket Sizes – A Guide For Knitters And Crocheters
