About West Yorkshire Spinners
West Yorkshire Spinners was founded in 1997, setting up a spinning mill from the ground up in the original home of the British worsted spinning industry. The brand was established during a turbulent time that saw many spinning mills close due to the increase in yarns being imported from overseas — and with it came a determination to keep alive the region's impressive textile manufacturing history.
From its origins in an old Victorian mill in a picturesque Yorkshire village, WYS has since moved its factory twice and now operates from modern premises in Keighley. , with the majority of processes — from carding and combing to spinning and dyeing carried out within a 20-mile radius of their in-house facilities. This tight geographic footprint is a deliberate choice, reducing the brand's carbon footprint and giving customers a traceable, transparent supply chain.
West Yorkshire Spinners is proud to work with the British Wool licensing scheme, which assures responsibly sourced fleece from field to mill, and also sources fibres from Falkland Islands farmers and sustainable businesses such as Jamieson & Smith for its wool collections.
The Yarn Range
WYS produces one of the broadest ranges of any British hand knitting yarn brand — covering 4ply through to super chunky, in British wool, alpaca blends, mohair, Tencel, and cashmere. The yarns stocked in the WYS collection at The Orry Mill span several of their most popular lines.
Signature 4ply is the flagship yarn and one of the most decorated sock yarns in the UK. Made using a blend of wool that includes 35% Bluefaced Leicester for a luxurious feel, with nylon added for strength, it is ideal for hard-wearing socks and stylish shawls with fantastic drape and softness. The yarn has won Best Sock Yarn at the British Knitting and Crochet Awards for several years running. It is available in an extensive range of solid and self-striping colourways — including seasonal collections inspired by British birds, coastal landscapes, and collaborations with designers including Winwick Mum and Dame Zandra Rhodes.
ColourLab DK is 100% British wool, machine washable, and built for colour. Available in solid and self-striping shades from bright and bold to classic and neutral, it offers excellent stitch definition for Fair Isle, intarsia, stripes and colourblock. Spun from fleece reared and sheared in the UK, it is an accessible, everyday DK with strong British provenance.
The Croft Shetland is available in both DK and Aran weights, using 100% wool with a distinctly rustic Shetland character — well suited to cables, colourwork and textured stitches. It draws on WYS's working relationship with Falkland Islands and Shetland-heritage fleeces.
Pure DK is a 100% British wool DK designed for versatility — a straightforward, well-priced everyday weight for garments and accessories at any skill level.
Wool Revival DK forms part of WYS's sustainability-focused range, using reclaimed and recycled British wool fibres to produce a yarn with a deliberately low environmental footprint.
Bo Peep Luxury Baby DK is WYS's baby yarn — soft, durable, and designed for knits that will survive the rigours of daily wear while remaining gentle next to a baby's skin.
Solstice 4ply is a premium 4ply blending 70% wool, 20% Lyocell and 10% cashmere — positioned at the more luxurious end of the WYS range, ideal for lightweight garments and accessories where drape and softness are the priority.
Patterns and Kits
The WYS collection at The Orry Mill extends well beyond yarn. We carry 88 WYS patterns — including free PDF downloads — across a full range of project types: sweaters, cardigans, shawls, socks, baby garments, blankets, hats and accessories. Patterns range from complete beginner through to advanced, and many are designed as companion pieces to specific WYS yarn ranges.
We also carry 54 WYS knitting and crochet kits, each containing the exact yarn quantities required for a named pattern. These are available for projects spanning both knitting and crochet, in weights from 4ply through to super chunky.
West Yorkshire Spinners at The Orry Mill
We stock West Yorkshire Spinners in our shop in Eaglesham, just south of Glasgow, and online with free UK delivery on orders over £35. WYS is one of the most comprehensive ranges we carry — if you're looking for a specific colourway or yarn base not currently showing as in stock, get in touch and we'll check availability.
For help choosing the right WYS yarn for your project, browse our yarn weights guide or visit our all yarns collection to compare across the full range we stock.