WHAT’S IN A FIBRE?

QI love to knit with all sorts of materials, but I come across loads of different fibres in my yarns. I work with a lot of acrylic, because I knit for my kids and things need to be machine washed. Can you explain the difference between things like acrylic, polyamide and nylon? And what’s rayon?

Toni Wardle

I’m not surprised you’re confused. There are many man-made fibres out there, and it can be difficult to work out what’s what. Let’s break it into two groups – natural polymers and synthetic polymers. Acrylic, polyester, polyamide (which includes nylon) and Elastane are all created using synthetic polymers based on petrochemicals. They tend to be water- and stain-resistant, insulating, non-breathable (which is why polyester is often mixed with cotton), and inexpensive.

Learn about knitting yarns to make the right choice for your projects

Some are stronger than others, for example acrylic is quite brittle, while nylon has an extremely high tensile strength, which is why it’s often used in sock yarn. Acrylic is closest in texture to wool when spun, which is why it’s good for garments.

The other group of fibres – rayons – are cellulose-based, but chemically processed. Cellulose is a plant fibre, usually harvested from fast-growing plants like eucalyptus, beech or bamboo. These fibres include viscose, Tencel, Lyocell, and Modal. Viscose has a silky texture rather than a woolly one – it’s also been known as faux silk – has lots of drape and is somewhat breathable. It tends to be used instead of silk in some yarns. Although there is some way to go, many of these fibres are sustainably and responsibly produced.

I hope that goes some way to clearing things up! Happy knitting.

Kirstie