Anyone who has worked with natural yarn knows the experience is different. It’s not just the touch; it’s something harder to name: a sense that the material has a history, an origin, a presence. This is what merino wool and alpaca wool bring to crochet, knitting, and anything else you decide to create with your hands.
At Made by You, choosing more sustainable yarns is not just a catalog detail. It is a stance. We believe that what we choose to weave says something about what we value, and that every handmade piece carries not only the effort of its creator but also the journey of the material that gave it form.
In this text, we will talk about two animal fibers that occupy a special place in this story: merino wool and alpaca wool. Where they come from, what they make possible, and why they are choices that make sense for those who create with intention.
What makes a yarn truly natural?
Before discussing each fiber, it is worth pausing for this question. In the universe of crochet and knitting yarns, the term "natural" appears often, but not always with precision. Natural yarns are those obtained directly from natural sources, whether animal or vegetable, without the production chain involving chemical synthesis to create the raw material itself.
This does not mean that every natural yarn is automatically sustainable. The way animals are raised, working conditions in production, the dyeing process, the impact of farming on the local biome: all of this counts. That is why, when we talk about more sustainable yarns, we look beyond the composition to the entire chain.
Merino wool and alpaca wool stand out in this context due to characteristics that span from their origin to the fiber's final destination. Let's look at them.
Merino Wool: the fiber of the Australian Merino sheep
The Merino sheep is recognized worldwide for the quality of its wool. The fiber produced by this breed has an extremely fine diameter, which results in a material that is delicate to the touch and performs excellently on needles.
The merino wool yarns from Made by You are produced in an exclusive partnership with Fios da Fazenda and come primarily from the Pampa region in southern Brazil, where small farmers raise Australian Merino sheep. It is wool with a traceable origin, produced close to home.
Hand spinning and natural dyeing
The 91 Merino Wool Yarn, available in Worsted and Chunky versions, has a feature that makes it unique: it is hand-spun, which means the thickness varies slightly along the skein. This variation is not a defect. It is what gives pieces a lively, artisanal, and unrepeatable look.
The dyeing is done by hand, in individual skeins, using exclusively natural dyes. The color names reflect this: Natural, Murici do Cerrado, Pau Brasil Red, Pau Brasil Purple. Each shade has a reference, a provenance, a reason for existing.
Why merino wool is one of the most sustainable fibers
Merino wool is 100% biodegradable. When discarded into nature, it decomposes without generating persistent waste. It is also renewable: the fiber is harvested from the animal without it being slaughtered, and the sheep naturally grows new wool over time.
Another important characteristic is that merino wool is flame-resistant and hygroscopic, meaning it absorbs moisture from the air and assists in the body's thermal regulation. A well-made merino wool piece, whether crocheted or knitted, warms without weight and breathes without losing its shape.
Made by You also has the EURECICLO certification for the production and sale of these yarns, ensuring that packaging waste is offset in an environmentally appropriate manner.
How to work with merino wool
The 91 Worsted Yarn has a medium thickness (12 WPI) and works well for both knitting and crochet. For knitting, we recommend using 4.5mm to 6.0mm needles; for crochet, 4.5mm to 5.5mm. The 92 Chunky Yarn is thicker, ideal for pieces with more volume and texture.
As it is an animal fiber, merino wool requires care when washing. The ideal is to hand wash in cold water with mild soap (the Delicate Care Liquid Soap with Lavender and Lanolin was created especially for this). Drying in the shade, horizontally, preserves the drape of the piece.
Alpaca Wool: lightness with history
The alpaca is an animal native to the Peruvian Andes. A relative of the llama, it lives at high altitudes and produces a fiber adapted to extreme weather conditions: lightweight, thermal, and durable. For centuries, Andean communities have raised alpacas and used their wool as a central resource for clothing and handicrafts.
The alpaca wool yarns from Made by You have their raw material sourced from Peru, in partnership with the International Alpaca Association (IAA), an entity that promotes sustainable practices in raising these animals and supports the economic development of small producer families. The yarn is then produced in Brazil, exclusively for our brand.
The qualities of alpaca fiber
Anyone who has never worked with alpaca may be surprised by how light the ball is. For its volume and thickness, the yarn weighs very little. This is one of the most admired characteristics of the fiber.
is also naturally hypoallergenic. Unlike conventional sheep's wool, it does not contain lanolin, a protein that can cause reactions in more sensitive skin. This makes alpaca yarns a great choice even for items intended for babies and newborns.
The fiber has an internal structure with a small air cavity that acts as thermal insulation. This mechanism keeps body temperature stable, whether in cold or moderate heat. The feel is one of persistent softness—a suppleness that does not disappear with use.
It is also a biodegradable fiber that decomposes without leaving residues in nature when disposed of correctly.
Yarn 77 and Yarn 76 with alpaca fiber
At Made by You, yarns with alpaca fiber are available in two weights. Yarn 77 is composed of 85% sheep's wool and 15% alpaca wool, Bulky weight (Weight 5), with 100g and approximately 90 meters per ball. It is a thick yarn, ideal for winter pieces with personality: sweaters, scarves, hats, leg warmers.
Yarn 76 has similar characteristics, with the same composition and appeal for winter projects that require presence and volume.
Both work well for both crochet and knitting. For crochet, the recommended needles are 5.0mm to 6.5mm; for knitting, 7.0mm to 9.0mm.
Natural yarns in Made by You crochet and knitting kits
Choosing a good yarn is part of the creation. But gathering everything you need to get started—yarn, needles, pattern, and support—is what Made by You crochet and knitting kits do. Many of them have been developed with natural fibers and more sustainable yarns in mind, considering both the final result and the experience of the person weaving.
For winter pieces, merino and alpaca wool yarns are especially versatile. Merino wool delivers a refined finish with a unique texture due to the hand-spinning character. Alpaca yarn, in turn, brings volume and coziness without the weight some conventional wools have.
If you haven't yet tried working with natural fibers, it's hard to precisely describe what changes. But for those who have, no explanation is needed.
Why the yarn's origin matters
There is a difference between consuming and choosing. When we know the origin of a material, when we know that the animal was raised ethically, that the yarn was dyed with natural dyes, and that production supports families of small producers, the piece that emerges from our hands carries all of that, too.
It's not romanticism. It's awareness.
The slow fashion movement is not about giving up the pleasure of creating. It’s about creating in a way that makes sense beyond the final product. And choosing more sustainable yarns, like merino and alpaca wool, is a concrete way to align what we do with what we believe.
At Made by You, this choice is available. It is up to each person to decide what they want to put in their hands.
Explore Made by You's natural yarns
Merino Wool — Yarn 91 Worsted and Yarn 92 Chunky, natural dye, artisanal spinning, produced in southern Brazil.
Alpaca Wool — Yarn 77 and Yarn 76 with Peruvian alpaca fiber, exclusive national production, ideal for winter pieces.
And if you want to start with a complete kit, explore our crochet kits and knitting kits with yarns selected by Made by You.
