PrettyCrochet Blog · Yarn & materials

Sustainable Yarn: 6 Brands, 4 Labels – and How to Spot Good Yarn

By PrettyCrochet · Published October 31, 2026 · Reading time: about 7 minutes

Different yarns on a wooden table: a sage skein, fluffy cream yarn, brown tape yarn, three crocheted swatches and a wooden crochet hook — Yarns made from cotton, wool and textile remnants

In short

The most reliable way to spot sustainable yarn is an independent label: GOTS stands for organic fibers (at least 70%) and controlled processing, the Responsible Wool Standard (RWS) for animal welfare with no mulesing, and the Global Recycled Standard (GRS) for recycled fibers. OEKO-TEX Standard 100, on the other hand, means “tested for harmful substances” – not “organic.” Below you'll find the four labels compared, six brands with their documented claims, and a checklist for your next yarn haul.

When you crochet, you hold the yarn in your hands for hours – and many of us want to know where it comes from. But labels often say things like “natural,” “eco” or “conscious,” which don't mean anything specific. In this post I explain which labels actually tell you something and introduce six brands that make verifiable claims about organic cotton, animal welfare or recycling. This isn't a paid recommendation or a ranking – every claim comes from the brands or retailers themselves and is linked below.

Which labels exist for sustainable yarn?

Sage skein of yarn with a blank paper band next to reading glasses on linen — The label tells you what's really inside

Label	What it means	What it doesn't mean
GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard)	At least 70% certified organic fibers, grown without synthetic pesticides, herbicides or GMOs; every processing step is controlled, including social criteria such as bans on child and forced labor	Not automatically 100% organic – check the percentage
RWS (Responsible Wool Standard)	Animal welfare based on the “Five Freedoms,” mulesing strictly prohibited, responsible land management, traceability from farm to product	Not organic; only products made of 100% RWS wool may carry the logo
GRS (Global Recycled Standard)	Traceable recycled fibers; at least 20% to be certified, at least 50% for the on-product logo; plus environmental and social requirements for facilities	Not 100% recycled – check the share on the label
OEKO-TEX Standard 100	Every component tested against more than 1,000 harmful substances; safe for human health	Not an organic or environmental label – says nothing about farming or animals

Sources: official pages or guides from GOTS, Textile Exchange (RWS), a GRS certification body and OEKO-TEX – see below.

What is mulesing – and why does “mulesing-free” matter?

Sheep with thick cream fleece on a green pasture in the morning mist — Good wool starts with animal welfare

Mulesing means removing strips of skin from around a merino sheep's tail to prevent flystrike. It's considered painful and is mainly practiced in Australia. The Responsible Wool Standard explicitly prohibits mulesing (see sources). If a merino yarn says “mulesing-free” without an RWS label, that's the brand's own claim – when in doubt, ask where the wool comes from.

6 yarn brands with documented sustainability claims

Sage jersey fabric remnants, tape yarn cut from them wound into a ball, and a basket crocheted from it on linen — Fabric remnants become tape yarn – and then a basket

Listed alphabetically. “According to …” means that's what the linked brand or retailer page says. Whether a specific yarn is certified is always shown on its label.

Brand	Example	Documented claim	Great for crocheting
DROPS (Garnstudio)	Wool yarns, superwash yarns	According to DROPS: wool preferably from South America, no Australian wool because mulesing may occur; all superwash yarns OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certified and made in the EU; no angora	Hats, shawls, sweaters
Hoooked	Soft Cotton, Eco Barbante Milano	According to retailer LoveCrafts: a Dutch brand that turns textile and cotton remnants (jersey) into yarn; Eco Barbante Milano is a finer recycled cotton yarn	Bags, baskets, coasters, amigurumi
Knitting for Olive	Merino, Cotton Merino, No Waste Wool	According to the brand: Merino is RWS certified and non-mulesed; Cotton Merino is 70% organic cotton and 30% RWS merino; No Waste Wool is 50% GRS recycled wool and 50% RWS merino	Soft shawls, baby items, hats
Lana Grossa	e.g. Cool Wool	According to Lana Grossa: GOTS certificate number 35827; all products since the 2020 collections guaranteed mulesing-free, merino mostly from South America	Hats, wrist warmers, garments
Lang Yarns	LAMBSWOOL	According to Lang Yarns (blog, December 2024): entire production chain RWS certified, merino from a farm in eastern Australia, processed in Italy	Hats, scarves, sweaters
Rosários4	For Nature	According to retailer A Yarn Story: 100% GOTS-certified organic cotton, DK/light worsted weight	Amigurumi, baby items, summer pieces

Tip: Lana Grossa's GOTS certificate applies to the company – check each yarn's label to see which ones carry the GOTS logo.

Checklist: how to spot good, sustainable yarn

Sage crocheted bag in a sturdy yarn and a cream lacy scarf on a wooden table — Sturdy yarn for bags, soft yarn for scarves

Two granny squares in cream, sage, apricot and brown next to small yarn scraps and a wooden hook — Use up scraps: granny squares

Labels over buzzwords: a GOTS, RWS or GRS logo on the label means more than “eco” or “natural.”
Read the percentages: “with organic cotton” can mean a small share – the fiber content is on the label.
Where the wool comes from: for merino, look for “RWS” or “mulesing-free.”
Know what OEKO-TEX means: tested for harmful substances, but not an organic label.
Match the project: cotton for amigurumi and bags, wool for warm pieces – more in the best yarn for crochet beginners.
Use your stash: the most sustainable yarn is the one you already have – for example in a scrappy granny square blanket or advent calendar pouches.

More about yarn

Which hook goes with which yarn? See the 6 essential crochet tools. Yarn weights and gauge basics are in the crochet basics, and every term is in the abbreviations guide.

What about you? Do you look for labels when you buy yarn – and which yarn do you love? Tell me on Instagram or TikTok! 🧶

Frequently asked questions about sustainable yarn

What does GOTS mean on yarn?

GOTS stands for Global Organic Textile Standard. A product with the GOTS logo contains at least 70% certified organic fibers, and every processing step is controlled, including social criteria such as bans on child and forced labor.

Is OEKO-TEX an organic label?

No. OEKO-TEX Standard 100 means the yarn has been tested against more than 1,000 harmful substances and is safe for human health. It says nothing about organic farming, animal welfare or environmental requirements.

What does mulesing-free wool mean?

Mulesing means removing strips of skin from around a merino sheep's tail to prevent flystrike. Mulesing-free wool comes from sheep that weren't mulesed. The Responsible Wool Standard (RWS) prohibits mulesing; without a label, “mulesing-free” is the brand's own claim.

Is recycled yarn good for crochet?

Yes, especially for sturdy projects like bags, baskets and coasters. Recycled yarns made from textile remnants can vary slightly from ball to ball. The GRS logo means at least 50% recycled content.

How do I spot sustainable yarn in a store?

Check the label: logos such as GOTS, RWS or GRS, the exact fiber content in percent, and for merino the words RWS or mulesing-free. General words like “eco” or “natural” aren't labels.