Who We Are

Our Values

Our tagline is “hand dyed colour – adventure in the making” and that is exactly what we aim for: to give you yarn that feels like an adventure in every stitch. In addition to that, we know you want the best quality you can get, which is why we use yarns that have been tested and worn by us, and we dye repeatable colourways that you can depend on. It is our policy to constantly innovate to bring you fresh new yarns and colours. We don’t see the sale of a skein as the end of its journey, but as one step in your crafting adventure. 

As we become more and more aware of the impact our consumer choices and lifestyle can have on the environment, we are constantly working to improve our record on sustainability. 

To date we do the following: 

  • Only use natural fibres in our yarns. All of our yarns are non-superwash and nylon free.
  • Source our yarns as locally as possible. All of the wool is sourced and spun in the UK.
  • Source high quality yarns that perform well over time, so you can use them to create unique garments that will last you for years and years to come.
  • We use reusable and recyclable packaging, from our yarn labels to our mailing bags.
  • We work to reduce waste and reuse resources as much as we can during our processes, such as reusing water for dyeing, and always exhausting our dye baths so no unused dye gets thrown away.
  • We work with individuals and small, ethical companies who share our environmental goals, such as designers who design to use up the yarn and not leave lots of leftovers. 

Everything that we do involves people: you, our customers, yarn shops, our suppliers, and those we partner with for collaborative projects. It is one of the most rewarding parts of our business to build relationships with creative and dedicated people. We want to be absolutely clear that we treat everyone equally and equitably. Our physical spaces (our shop and our exhibition stands) and our online spaces (this website, our social media accounts) are safe for everyone. That includes, but is not limited to, those who are BAME (Black, Asian and minority ethnic), LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer), disabled, those who have mental health issues, and those who are religious or non-religious. 

  • You can always expect top quality customer service from RiverKnits.
  • You can rely on us to keep our physical spaces (our shop and our exhibition stand at shows) and our online spaces (this website, our social media channels, emails and newsletters) safe for everyone. We will not tolerate discriminatory or harmful behaviour from anyone in those spaces, be that a member of the RiverKnits team or a member of the public.
  • We aim to work with, collaborate with, and promote the work of marginalised people. There are multiple ways this can happen, such as yarn support for designers.
  • We avoid working with individuals or companies who do not share these values.

Hello! RiverKnits is jointly run by Becci and Markus. We first started dyeing yarn at home on our narrowboat, which was moored on the River Nene at the time. We both left our high-pressure corporate engineering jobs, which enabled us to work at our own pace while exploring the UK waterways, and to spend time with our young son. After a couple of years, the business grew and we moved it into a studio in Weedon, Northamptonshire, and we reclaimed the boat fully as our living space.

We are both knitters and crocheters and we love wool, especially when it’s sustainably sourced. RiverKnits wool yarn is all sourced from British breeds and it is all spun in the UK too. We are proud supporters of the Campaign for Wool. Our range currently includes Bluefaced Leicester, Wensleydale, Jacob, and more… all fantastic breeds with different characteristics.

A lot of our colour inspiration is drawn from our life on the canals and rivers, some directly from the wildlife and landscape, and some from the history of the waterways. We use acid dyes, which are specifically designed for use with wool and silk. Using them enables us to dye consistent and repeatable colourways. We mostly create non-pooling variegated colourways and tonal / semi-solids in earthy, wearable colours. We hope you love them!