Design and Product Development

Yarn Design Characteristics Which Influence Crafters

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Abstract

Crafting has undergone a major resurgence since the new millennium. Numerous businesses emerged to satisfy the demand for craft supplies (Jakob, 2013). Of these businesses, there are many small retailers and producers of exclusive, handmade yarns. These artisan brand yarns (ABY) may be: handspun, hand-dyed, and/or also may be farmstead yarns (sold directly to the consumer by the farmer who raised the fiber animals). ABYs are different from national brand yarns (NBY) which are produced by large, national companies and are standardized in terms of fiber, dyeing techniques, and production. The increasing availability of yarn options begs the question, what aspects of raw materials are important to crafters and why? The purpose of this research was to determine the characteristics of yarn (visceral, behavioral, and/or emotional) that influence crafters to choose either ABY or NBY for their craft projects.

How to Cite:

Stannard, C. R. & Mullet, K. K., (2015) “Yarn Design Characteristics Which Influence Crafters”, International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference Proceedings 72(1).