UPDATE: a correction and a couple additions.

Lopi/Istex yarns are distributed by Berroco in North America, which is owned by Premier Needle Arts (part of Blue Point Capital Partners), however; the yarn is NOT owned by Private Equity. From the ‘About Us‘ page on the Istex site:

Ístex was established to carry on the Icelandic wool industry that started in Mosfellsbær in 1896. Ístex buys directly from farmers and processes about 99% of all Icelandic wool. Icelandic farmers own more than 80% of the company.

In addition, the following brands remain outside of PE’s grasp: Sandnes Garn (Norwegian company that dates back to 1888), Pascuali (German company founded and run by a husband and wife in Frechen – near Cologne), and Purl Soho which is a US based and family owned business. Purl Soho makes me especially happy as it was founded by 2 sisters more than 20 years ago.

A big THANK YOU to Abby for commenting and sharing this information!!

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Over the last couple of days I have been pondering things related to the sustainability of crafting as we know it today. This came about as I was processing the loss of 3 more yarn shops in my local area, and my realization of the depth at which Private Equity (PE) has infiltrated the crocheting, knitting, quilting and sewing spaces.

It wasn’t hard to compile a list of some of the yarn brands/companies who are now owned by the firm Blue Point Capital Partners, the single largest PE player in the U.S. yarn market.

Brand / Company	Status	Private Equity Owner
Berroco	Owned	Blue Point Capital Partners
Knit Picks	Owned	Blue Point
Crochet.com	Owned	Blue Point
Connecting Threads	Owned	Blue Point
Superior Threads	Owned	Blue Point
Jimmy Beans Wool	Owned	Blue Point
Madelinetosh	Owned (via JBW)	Blue Point
della Q	Owned (via JBW)	Blue Point
Dream in Color	Owned (via JBW)	Blue Point
Simply Shetland / Jamieson’s NA	Owned (via JBW)	Blue Point
Namaste	Owned (via JBW)	Blue Point
Shibui Knits	Folded into MT	Blue Point
Lang, WYS, Amano, Wool Addicts	Distributed under Local Crafts	Blue Point

(see list of independent and artist-run yarn brands at the bottom of this blog post)

These issues (PE yarn and shop closings) were joined by a shock at the gas pump when I filled up at Costco yesterday. A tank of gas generally lasts me a week when I am driving in to work 5 days a week, which a lot of us are once again having to do. Yesterday that 1-week’s worth of gas cost me more than $120. On a monthly basis, this is now another major bill, at over $500 – not an insignificant amount.

Regardless of what we think is causing the spike in gas prices, the RESULT is going to be that as we look at the expanding cost to simply drive to work, we are going to have to make more cut backs to other places in our budgets – like our fabric and yarn budgets.

(Sigh)

In somewhat the same train of thought, I have been wrestling with my hair. Not literally, but I had been going to a salon for the past year that was on the higher end. A simple haircut was $75 (before the tip). I liked the haircut, but I had also liked cuts I got for years at the local Supercuts, which were around $25 (before the tip). I guess it was still ruminating about the greed seen so often in PE acquisitions, and I began to question if I was getting $50 more in value from one haircut over another. In this back and forth going on in my head, I had put off getting my hair cut to the point that it was way overdue.

I knew I needed to get it cut, but vacillated between calling the fancy salon and just stopping by Supercuts. One day on the way home from work I booked an place in line at my local Supercuts.

The cut was great, the young lady was pleasant and professional, and I was in and out for a little more than $30. Now, I cast no judgment on those who choose the $75 and higher haircuts. It’s a very personal decision. For me, the difference in the end result was negligible, while the difference in the COST was significant.

Back to the topic of crafting, fabric, yarn and the cost of things.

I have to admit that my feelings about buying $20 to $40 skeins of yarn made a hard pivot when I realized how many of these yarn brands are now part of a PE portfolio. It just doesn’t feel right.

Like the $75 haircuts, there are people who will continue to buy Jimmy Beans wool and Madelinetosh yarns, and that’s OK. I’m going to focus on “shopping” my stash, being more intentional about purchases, and not adding my hard-earned money to the coffers of billion dollar companies run by boards of millionaires who don’t really give a rats behind about fiber arts or fiber artists beyond how much they spend.

There’s just something “icky” about it all.

I have no problem spending money on more ethically-sourced and sold products that are expensive. It’s not the PRICE that bothers me about PE and craft supplies: it’s the goal of greed, which seems to be a larger theme in the world right now.

I guess I feel a sort of rebellion against the oligarchs by refusing to buy yarn and fabric from PE-held brands. And while I realize my piddly little withholding isn’t going to hurt any of them, maybe – just maybe – we can launch the beginnings of a movement that pushes back against the wholesale takeover of regular, everyday joys by the billionaire class.

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(C) 2026 Stitch ‘n Dish

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Indie dyers / small studios

Please let me know of any Indie brands not listed here!

• Hedgehog Fibres
• Malabrigo
• La Bien Aimée
• Neighborhood Fiber Co.
• Miss Babs
• Spincycle
• Anzula
• Oink Pigments
• Emma’s Yarn
• Blue Sky Fibers
• Brooklyn Tweed (still independent as of 2026)
• Quince & Co. (restructured but not PE‑owned)

Heritage mills

• Jamieson & Smith (Shetland)
• Harrisville Designs
• Brown Sheep Company
• Briggs & Little
• Peace Fleece (now part of Amalgamated Textiles, but not PE)

Cooperatives / community‑owned

• Mountain Meadow Wool
• Green Mountain Spinnery