
What is polyacrylic yarn and what is it suitable for?
Share
Of course, not all wool is created equal. There are many differences in composition, fiber thickness, and, of course, the material itself. For some projects, fabrics like cotton are more suitable, while for others, synthetic fibers are significantly better.
Therefore, in this article we would like to explain what polyacrylic yarn is, what its advantages are and what it can be used for.
What is polyacrylic yarn anyway?
Let's first clarify the question of what polyacrylic yarn actually is. The word itself sounds a bit complicated, but it's simply a synthetic fiber. This means that, unlike cotton, for example, polyacrylic wool is artificially produced.
At first, you might think that synthetic yarn can never achieve the quality of, say, cotton or other supposedly high-quality yarns. But that's far from the truth. Of course, polyacrylic yarn also has its disadvantages, but the advantages clearly outweigh them.
What are the disadvantages of polyacrylic yarn?
It's logical that a material, no matter how good, doesn't only have advantages. And to claim that would be completely wrong at this point. Therefore, we'd like to first show you the disadvantages of polyacrylic wool.
If you compare acrylic yarn with cotton, you'll notice that cotton's thermal insulation is slightly better. This is due, among other things, to the nature of the fibers themselves. Acrylic wool has a very smooth texture, whereas cotton is much more crimped.
Another disadvantage is the disposal of the fabric itself. This has nothing directly to do with the processing, but it's still worth mentioning. Polyacrylic yarn isn't biodegradable like cotton, so it must be recycled. If you don't pay attention to this during disposal, you're harming our planet.
What are the advantages of polyacrylic yarn?
Polyacrylic yarn is particularly effective when it comes to knitting or crocheting. Not only is it incredibly affordable compared to other yarns, it also has many other great properties.
Sure, on the one hand, it's easy on the wallet, especially if you need a lot of wool. In the case of cotton, that can get a bit expensive. Therefore, it's clearly a benefit of polyacrylic wool that it's inexpensive to obtain and process.
On the other hand, the yarn is also easier to work with. Its beautifully smooth surface makes it much easier to knit or crochet.
Additionally, the color quality of polyacrylic yarn is significantly better. It often produces much more vibrant and saturated colors, which is especially great for creative work.
And speaking of colors: The color quality and intensity of polyacrylic yarn lasts significantly longer than with conventional cotton. So, your freshly knitted sweater will have the same rich color next year as it does today.
Another factor that makes processing easier is their high durability. The synthetic fibers are significantly more tear-resistant, which is obviously a huge advantage for complicated knitting or crochet projects.
In addition, the synthetic yarn is also much easier to care for than alternatives such as cotton or similar.
Of course, beyond its feel and appearance, polyacrylic yarn also has many advantages that might not be apparent at first glance. Unlike angora or merino wool, polyacrylic yarn is completely vegan.
This is a huge advantage, especially considering the sometimes poor conditions in which the animals are kept. If you dispose of it carefully, polyacrylic wool is definitely a material that's kind to animals.
What is polyacrylic yarn best suited for?
First of all, it should be said that acrylic yarn is definitely a fabric that is recommended for beginners. Due to its tear resistance and ease of use, it's definitely the most fun to work with at the beginning.
But what can you make from polyacrylic wool and for which tasks is the material not suitable?
First of all, it's important to know that acrylic yarn isn't designed to withstand high temperatures. This means it wouldn't be beneficial to use it to knit your potholders. Of course, the material won't be exposed to heat for long periods of time, but we still advise against it.
Otherwise, the possible uses are very diverse. While we mentioned earlier that polyacrylic wool isn't quite as warm as cotton, for example, that doesn't mean it doesn't have a warming effect. Quite the opposite!
Of course, it also depends on the knitting or crocheting method you use and how tightly the finished product is knitted. Nevertheless, it's clear that you can easily knit or crochet sweaters, scarves, hats, and even socks from acrylic yarn.
However, polyacrylic yarn is particularly well-suited for creative projects such as amigurumi. Its rich colors and ease of use are particularly important here.
This means that polyacrylic yarn is the absolute right choice, especially for creating stuffed animals, amigurumis and other creative works.
If you'd like to try out acrylic yarn for yourself, just stop by our shop . We have a large selection with many great colors at great prices.