Your Favourite Yarn

Rowan's most-used yarn by knitters around the world according to the Ravelry yarn database is Kidsilk Haze, which has been used in an incredible 46,000 projects by Ravelry users! This is followed by Felted Tweed with 39,000 projects and Superwash Worsted with 15,000 projects.

Famous Faces

Rowan has always been at the leading edge - and that's true for their models too. Rowan Magazine has featured a whole host of stars before they were famous, from Kate Moss to Eddie Redmayne!

Humble Beginnings

Rowan started life in 1987 above a grocery store in a village near Huddersfield, in West Yorkshire, England. While initially specialising in weaving supplies and knitting kits, founders Stephen Sheard and Simon Cockin wanted to produce yarn which was both high quality and perfect for the hand-knitting design trends of the time

Forging the Future

Let's not just look back - the Rowan team is always innovating! The latest development is the brand-new learning platform, Rowan Connect. Rowan's experts have always been among the best of the best for in-person workshops, but you can now take part in these inspiring sessions from home, wherever you are in the world, through Rowan Connect!

MODE at Rowan

Do you like to keep it clean and simple with your knits? MODE might be just the thing for you - each season, MODE releases pattern books and booklets inspired by a new season, a beautiful yarn, or a design theme. The patterns all use Rowan yarns, with a distinctively modern, sleek aesthetic. The collections are curated by Quail Studio, an independent design studio based in Bedfordshire.

Designers

Long-time Rowan afficianados will be familiar with the big-name designers who create patterns for the renowned Rowan magazine. Artists such as Kaffe Fassett, Erika Knight and Sarah Hatton have been creating designs for Rowan for many years. What you might not realise is that Rowan also provides a platform for up-and-coming designers such as Georgia Farrell.

Dee Hardwicke and Arne & Carlos

Eco-conscious Yarns

continually seeks to improve our contribution to an environmentally-sustainable society in all our practices, and we follow a mandate to reduce, reuse or recycle materials wherever practical and possible.

We partner with the finest producers and ethical companies all through our supply chain, and we require our suppliers and contractors to reduce their environmental impact and ban the use of environmentally harmful substances.

Online Shopping

You can now browse and buy the full range of Rowan yarn from the comfort of your own home on the KnitRowan website. With a huge range of yarns and shades in stock, it's easy to find everything you need.

Flagship Stores

From independent local yarn stores to department and chain stores, through to online retailers, Rowan has had a huge range of retail partners over the last 40-plus years. In 2017, the Rowan Flagship Store programme was launched, with each each selected store becoming an ambassador for the brand and a destination for a complete Rowan experience. The first flagship store was Black Sheep Wools in Cheshire, followed by Shoreham Knitting and Needlecraft in West Sussex. Now there are flagship stores all over Europe and as far away as New Zealand!

What's In A Name?

The Rowan name was inspired by the beautiful shrubs lining the banks of the Holme River in Yorkshire, an area deeply entwined with British textile heritage and traditions. There has always been a nod to the Rowan leaves in the logos as they have evolved.

10 Things You Didn't Know About Rowan