My favourite plastic-free sock yarns
Why plastic-free sock yarn?
Plastic is everywhere. Not just in packaging and household items – according to the German Environment Agency (Umweltbundesamt), tiny plastic particles, known as microplastics, have been detected “in all regions and all ecosystems on Earth”,[1] as well as in many foods, drinks, and even (as nanoplastics) in the human body. More research is needed to understand exactly how this affects ecosystems and human health, but many harmful health effects have already been proven.[2] Microplastics mainly arise from the breakdown and wear of plastic. And that's where our socks come in.
Why do sock yarns contain plastic?
Most sock yarns contain at least 25% polyamide or nylon – which is basically plastic. The main reason is durability: socks with plastic don't get holes as quickly. They still wear out with walking and washing though, releasing tiny plastic particles. Of course, such yarns are still practical, as sock yarns without plastic are indeed somewhat less durable and the socks need darning sooner. However, it's quicker and easier than you might think, and you can even use it to add a decorative touch. I'll tell you more about darning socks in an upcoming blog post. We're often told that knitting socks without plastic simply doesn't work, but then I wonder: what came first – the invention of plastic or sock knitting? Yeah, we know the answer. And of course, it all depends on the yarn: some plastic-free sock yarns are more hard-wearing than others. Here are some of my personal favourites. This list is by no means exhaustive, and I'm always excited to discover new yarns. Some of the yarns mentioned are probably only available here in Germany, but I wanted to include them in the English version anyway because I love them so much.
Plastic-free sock yarn with tencel, ramie, mohair and/or silk
A common approach to avoid plastic in sock yarn is to replace it with other equally durable fibres of natural origin. Quite common are silk, ramie (a fibre plant native to East Asia from the nettle family) and tencel™ (lyocell fibres from cellulose sourced from wood). A very popular blend is 60% wool, 20% silk and 20% ramie. I've tried several yarns of this type and can recommend them all for durability. Softness is subjective, but compared to all the yarns features here, I'd describe it as fairly soft. Examples include Pinta from Pascuali, which I used for my Lenz Socks,
... the plant-dyed yarn "Seidenmix" from Maibells Pflanzenfarben, which I used for my No Mow Socks,
... or Turin from Seehawer Naturfasern, the main yarn for The Flowers and the Bees.
Another blend I haven't seen as often is wool and mohair. Yes, the currently very popular luxury fibre mohair from the angora goat is very hard-wearing and perfect for sock yarn, even though it makes the yarn a bit pricier. I've recently discovered Moorland Mohair from Erika Knight with 20% mohair, featured in my Midsommar Socks.
Plastic-free sock yarn from pure wool
There are also sock yarns made from 100% wool. “But doesn't it lack the key durability component?”, you might ask. Not necessarily, as wool's hard-wearing quality depends on the twist and sheep breeds. Yarns that excel here, in my humble opinion, include Ovis Sock from Woollentwine, made from 50% Jacob and 50% Cheviot sheep, which I used as the main colour in my pair of What the Sock,
... or Southdown from Alte Künste, 100% wool from Southdown sheep, with which I knitted some socks back in 2023 – with a few small repairs, they're still going strong.
Plastic-free sock yarn for chunky socks
All the sock yarns I've introduced so far are classic sock weight (4-ply or fingering). Personally, I also love some really warm socks, so here are two tips for yarns twice as thick, i.e. DK weight. First, plant-dyed Bioland organic wool with linen from Garnmanufaktur Filges. I've had it in many colours (including rainbow), and though it's a bit rustic, I adore it. Another favourite is Woolly Wood from Novita, 70% wool and 30% tencel. Note upfront: this yarn is sadly discontinued, and I really don't understand why, as the pairs of socks I made from it stayed hole-free longer than any other while being wonderfully soft. But this yarn is still available in some shops.
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- ↑ Umweltbundesamt: Mikroplastik. URL: https://www.uba.de/n111139de (accessed 18.02.2026).
- ↑ Li Y, Ling W, Yang J, Xing Y. Risk Assessment of Microplastics in Humans: Distribution, Exposure, and Toxicological Effects. Polymers (Basel). 2025 Jun 18;17(12):1699. doi: 10.3390/polym17121699. PMID: 40574225; PMCID: PMC12197308.