Yarn Industry Insights: 98+ Global Statistics, Trends & Data In 2023

This is a complete list of up-to-date Yarn Industry statistics. Discover everything you need to know about the global yarn textile industry – essential info, growth figures, global market share, market revenue, demographics, data, insights, market size, and more in this analysis and market report!

Here’s a breakdown of everything you’ll find out about on this page of yarn statistics and information about the yarn market:

Table Of Contents

• Top 10 Statistics About Yarn
• Search Insights & Trends
• Yarn Imports Statistics
• Yarn Exports Statistics
• Social Media Statistics
• FAQs About The Yarn Industry

Top 10 Statistics About Yarn & Wool For 2023

Here are the most interesting yarn industry statistics, data, and insights for 2023.

1. The yarn industry was estimated at 34.55 billion USD in 2021.
2. 83% percent of users on Pinterest who search for yarn are women.
3. Maine is the state in the US that gets the most searches for yarn on Google.
4. China is the largest exporter and importer of yarn worldwide.
5. The subreddit “r/yarnaddicts” has 178,114 members.
6. The US is the country that searches for yarn the most on Google.
7. There are 9.6 million posts on Instagram about yarn.
8. The estimated value of global yarn imports was $57 Billion USD in 2021.
9. 40% percent of users on Pinterest who search for yarn are 25-34 years old.
10. Ravelry, a social media site for yarn enthusiasts, has over 9 million users.

Overview: Yarn Industry Statistics – Search Insights Data & Trends

Here’s an overview of the markets in each region.

Google Trends – Global Web Search Interest Over Time (2004 – 2023)

In Apr 2020, it experienced a surge of popularity. In Jan 2005, it reached its peak.

Google Trends – Global Image Search Interest Over Time (2008 – 2023)

In Mar 2012, it experienced a surge of popularity. In Oct 2020, it reached its peak.

Google Trends – Global YouTube Search Interest Over Time (2004 – 2023)

In Aug 2017, it experienced a surge of popularity. In Oct 2010, it reached its peak.

Google Trends – Global Search Interest By Regions

The countries highlighted in the darkest shade of blue are the ones where it’s most popular, and the ones in gray show where there’s not enough data to record.

Here are the top 15 countries/regions.

1. United States
2. Canada
3. New Zealand
4. Australia
5. Bangladesh
6. United Kingdom
7. Ireland
8. Pakistan
9. Singapore
10. Norway
11. South Africa
12. Philippines
13. Hong Kong
14. Sri Lanka
15. India

Google Trends – USA Search Interest By Region

The darker the blue color of the state, the more common the search term is.

Here are the top 10 states.

1. Maine
2. Vermont
3. New Hampshire
4. Alaska
5. Montana
6. Wyoming
7. Washington
8. Oregon
9. Minnesota
10. Wisconsin

Google Trends – Related Search Terms

Here are the top 5 related search terms.

1. Bernat Blanket Yarn
2. Yarn Near Me
3. Ravelry
4. Yarn Bowl
5. Yarn Bombing

Global Search Interest Growth Over The Past 15 Years (2008-2023)

Over the past fifteen years (2008-2023) it has experienced a 63% increase in growth.

Global Search Interest Growth Over The Past 10 Years (2013-2023)

Over the past ten years (2013-2023) it has experienced a 44% increase in growth.

Global Search Interest Growth Over The Past 5 Years (2019-2023)

Over the past five years (2019-2023) it has experienced a 28% increase in growth.

Global Search Interest Growth Over The Past 2 Years (2021-2023)

Over the past two years (2021-2023) it has experienced a 22% increase in growth.

Global Search Interest Growth Over The Past Year (2022-2023)

Over the past year (2022-2023) it has experienced an 8% increase in growth.

Global Search Interest Growth Over The Past 6 Months (Sep 2022-Feb 2023)

Over the past six months (Sep 2022-Feb 2023) it has experienced a 21% increase in growth.

Global Search Interest Growth Over The Past 3 Months (Dec 2022-Feb 2023)

Over the past three months (Dec 2022-Feb 2023) it has experienced a 1% decrease in growth.

USA Search Interest On Pinterest (2022-2023)

Here is the interest in “yarn” in the US on Pinterest over the past year (2022-2023).

USA Search Interest On Pinterest (Aug 2022-Feb 2023)

Here is the interest in “yarn” in the US on Pinterest over the past six months (Aug 2022-Feb 2023).

USA Search Interest On Pinterest (Nov 2022-Feb 2023)

Here is the interest in “yarn” in the US on Pinterest over the past three months (Nov 2022-Feb 2023).

USA Search Interest On Pinterest By Age Group

Here are the age groups and the percentages of which make up users who search for yarn on Pinterest.

1. 25-34 Years Old – 40%
2. 18-24 Years Old – 24%
3. 35-44 Years Old – 15%
4. 55-64 Years Old – 9%
5. 45-59 Years Old – <5%
6. 50-54 Years Old – <5%
7. 65+ Years Old – <5%

USA Search Interest On Pinterest By Gender

Here are the genders and the percentages of which make up users who search for yarn on Pinterest.

1. Women – 83%
2. Men – 7%
3. Other – 11%

Yarns For Sale Statistics

Note: This data was gathered from the fantastic website YarnSub, and their database discusses primarily yarns available in the US, the UK, and in Europe.

As of Feb 2023, there are 12,103 yarns listed on YarnSub, and there are 1,053 yarn brands in the YarnSub database.

Here’s a list of the ten most popular brands and their approx amount of yarn products.

1. Bernat – 124 Yarns
2. Berroco – 131 Yarns
3. Brooklyn Tweed – 136 Yarns
4. Brown Sheep – 21 Yarns
5. Caron – 42 Yarns
6. Cascade Yarns – 110 Yarns
7. Drops Design – 57 Yarns
8. Debbie Bliss – 52 Yarns
9. Hobby Lobby – 10 Yarns
10. Knit Picks – 105 Yarns

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Yarn Imports Statistics – Sales & Industry Analysis

Australian Import Yarn Statistics

Yarn imports into Australia averaged 712M AUD 1981-2022, reaching a high of 288,731M AUD in Jan 2015 and a low of 55M AUD in Jan 1983. ^{(Trading Economics)}

Here is the estimated value of imported yarn into Australia 2010-2022.

All numbers are approximate and sourced from reports from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

• 2010 – $1,215 Million AUD
• 2011 – $1,188 Million AUD
• 2012 – $1,098 Million AUD
• 2013 – $1,110 Million AUD
• 2014 – $946 Million AUD
• 2015 – $1,023 Million AUD
• 2016 – $1,422 Million AUD
• 2017 – $1,487 Million AUD
• 2018 – $1,452 Million AUD
• 2019 – $1,430 Million AUD
• 2020 – $1,461 Million AUD
• 2021 – $1,628 Million AUD
• 2022 – $1,889 Million AUD

Here are the top 10 countries Australia imports yarn from.

1. China
2. United States
3. South Korea
4. Japan
5. Malaysia
6. Thailand
7. Singapore
8. Germany
9. Italy
10. Taiwan

Indian Yarn Imports

In 2021, the amount of cotton spun yarn imported into India was worth approx 17M USD. ^(Statista)

Here’s a breakdown of the yarn imported in 2021 ordered by trade value.

1. Synthetic Filament Yarn – $749 Million USD
2. Synthetic Spun Yarn – $395 Million USD
3. Other Filament Yarn – $306 Million USD
4. Polyester Filament Yarn – $261 Million USD
5. Viscose Filament Yarn – $141 Million USD
6. Other Spun Yarn – $93 Million USD
7. Nylon Filament Yarn – $41 Million USD
8. Cotton Spun Yarn – $17 Million USD

Global Yarn Market Value Of Yarn Imports

In 2021, the global import value of textile yarn was approx 57B USD, compared with 2020’s import value of approx 40.6B USD. ^(Statista)

Here’s a breakdown of estimated global value each year 2003-2021.

• 2003 – $36.2 Billion USD
• 2004 – $39.5 Billion USD
• 2005 – $38.8 Billion USD
• 2006 – $41.5 Billion USD
• 2007 – $45 Billion USD
• 2008 – $45.7 Billion USD
• 2009 – $36.6 Billion USD
• 2010 – $47.4 Billion USD
• 2011 – $55.1 Billion USD
• 2012 – $51.5 Billion USD
• 2013 – $55.4 Billion USD
• 2014 – $55 Billion USD
• 2015 – $50.5 Billion USD
• 2016 – $48.1 Billion USD
• 2017 – $50.9 Billion USD
• 2018 – $54.4 Billion USD
• 2019 – $49.4 Billion USD
• 2020 – $40.6 Billion USD
• 2021 – $57 Billion USD

Yarn Exports Statistics – Global Textile Market Analysis

Australian Yarn Exports – Market Report

Exports of yarn in Australia averaged $3.53M 1988-2022. It reached a high of $14M in Nov 1997 and a record low of $0M in Jan 1988. ^{(Trading Economics)}

Here is how much accumulative money has been made each year from exporting Australian yarn to other countries 2010-2022.

All numbers are approximate and sourced from reports from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

• 2010 – $17 Million AUD
• 2011 – $22 Million AUD
• 2012 – $21 Million AUD
• 2013 – $18 Million AUD
• 2014 – $16 Million AUD
• 2015 – $12 Million AUD
• 2016 – $15 Million AUD
• 2017 – $13 Million AUD
• 2018 – $14 Million AUD
• 2019 – $11 Million AUD
• 2020 – $8 Million AUD
• 2021 – $11 Million AUD
• 2022 – $15 Million AUD

Here are the top 10 countries Australia exports yarn to based on how much profit.

1. China
2. Japan
3. South Korea
4. Taiwan
5. Singapore
6. India
7. United States
8. Malaysia
9. New Zealand
10. Indonesia

All numbers are approximate and sourced from reports from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Indian Yarn Exports Market Growth

In India, in 2021, the estimated trade value of yarn exports was $5,518M USD. India has a growing industry, making it the world’s second-biggest exporter of textiles.^(Statista)

Here’s a breakdown of yarn exported in 2021 ordered by trade value.

1. Cotton Spun Yarn – $2,807 Million USD
2. Synthetic Filament Yarn – $827 Million USD
3. Polyester Filament Yarn – $730 Million USD
4. Synthetic Spun Yarn – $598 Million USD
5. Other Spun Yarn – $97 Million USD
6. Other Filament Yarn – $51 Million USD
7. Viscose Filament Yarn – $25 Million USD
8. Nylon Filament Yarn – $21 Million USD

United States Yarn Exports Market Share

Yarn exports in the United States decreased to 843M USD in Dec from 949M USD Million in Nov 2022. ^{(Trading Economics)}

Here is how much accumulative money has been made each year from exporting United States yarn to other countries 2010-2022.

All numbers are approximate and sourced from reports by the US Census Bureau.

• 2010 – $11,398 Million USD
• 2011 – $12,940 Million USD
• 2012 – $12,328 Million USD
• 2013 – $12,878 Million USD
• 2014 – $13,288 Million USD
• 2015 – $12,153 Million USD
• 2016 – $11,752 Million USD
• 2017 – $12,167 Million USD
• 2018 – $12,357 Million USD
• 2019 – $11,987 Million USD
• 2020 – $9,031 Million USD
• 2021 – $11,364 Million USD
• 2022 – $12,238 Million USD

Here are the top 10 countries the US exports yarn to based on how much profit.

All numbers are approximate, and sourced from reports from the US Census Bureau.

1. Canada
2. Mexico
3. China
4. UK
5. Netherlands
6. Japan
7. Germany
8. South Korea
9. Taiwan
10. Brazil

Global Value Of Yarn Exports: Market Size

The global value of exporting yarn went up from about 41.3B USD in 2020 to about 59B USD in 2021. ^(Statista)

Here’s a breakdown of estimated global value each year 2003-2021.

• 2003 – $35.7 Billion USD
• 2004 – $40.7 Billion USD
• 2005 – $40.3 Billion USD
• 2006 – $43.7 Billion USD
• 2007 – $47.5 Billion USD
• 2008 – $46.9 Billion USD
• 2009 – $37.8 Billion USD
• 2010 – $50.3 Billion USD
• 2011 – $58.1 Billion USD
• 2012 – $54.5 Billion USD
• 2013 – $58.2 Billion USD
• 2014 – $57 Billion USD
• 2015 – $50.9 Billion USD
• 2016 – $48.2 Billion USD
• 2017 – $51.1 Billion USD
• 2018 – $55.1 Billion USD
• 2019 – $51 Billion USD
• 2020 – $41.3 Billion USD
• 2021 – $58.9 Billion USD

Worldwide Yarn Exports In 2021

In 2021, China sold around 15 billion USD worth of textile yarn to other countries. The United States was in fourth place, with sales of about 3 billion USD. ^(Statista)

Here are the top nine yarn export countries based on trade value in 2021.

1. China – $14,967.2 Million USD
2. India – $7,278.5 Million USD
3. Vietnam – $5,328.7 Million USD
4. United States – $3,007.6 Million USD
5. Turkey – $2,728.6 Million USD
6. Italy – $2,214.4 Million USD
7. Indonesia – $2.133.7 Million USD
8. Uzbekistan – $1,627 Million USD
9. South Korea – $1,465.5 Million USD

Social Media Statistics

Facebook

For the hashtag #yarn, there are 1.8m+ posts on Facebook. For the hashtag #yarns, there are 74k+ posts on Facebook.

The most popular yarn-related hashtags on Facebook are #yarnaddict, #yarnlove, #yarnaddiction, #yarnspirations, #yarnlife, #yarnstore, and #yarnstash.

Here’s a list of them and the number of posts they have as of Feb 2023.

1. #yarnaddict – 655k+ Posts
2. #yarnlove – 571k+ Posts
3. #yarnspirations – 90k+ Posts
4. #yarnaddiction – 80k+ Posts
5. #yarnlife – 54k+ Posts
6. #yarnstash – 51k+ Posts
7. #yarnstore – 29k+ Posts

Users have created approximately 2.5 trillion+ posts on Facebook since its founding in 2004. So posts with the hashtag #yarn account for approx 0.01% of posts on Facebook.

Instagram

For the hashtag #yarn, there are 9,569,631 posts on Instagram. For the hashtag #yarns, there are 265,514 posts on Instagram.

The most popular yarn-related hashtags on Instagram are #yarnaddict, #yarnlove, #yarnporn, #yarnaddiction, #yarnlovers, #yarnstagram, #yarnbombing, #yarnhoarder, #yarnlife, and #yarntherapy.

Here’s a list of them and the number of posts they have as of Feb 2023.

1. #yarnaddict – 3,463,875 Posts
2. #yarnlove – 3,131,271 Posts
3. #yarnporn – 1,214,468 Posts
4. #yarnstagram – 468,895 Posts
5. #yarnaddiction – 387,172 Posts
6. #yarnlovers – 347,840 Posts
7. #yarnlife – 261,409 Posts
8. #yarnbombing – 178,370 Posts
9. #yarnhoarder – 142,203 Posts
10. #yarntherapy – 114,773 Posts

Users have created approximately 50 billion+ posts on Instagram since its founding in 2010. So posts with the hashtag #yarn account for approx 0.02% of posts on Instagram.

Ravelry

Ravelry is a social media platform for knitters, crocheters, weavers, fiber artists and lovers of yarn. This website is a wealth of information on the yarn industry. For plenty of insights and data, see our post here.

Reddit

On Reddit, the subreddit r/yarnaddicts, as of Feb 2023, has 178,114 members.

As of 2023, there are approx 50 million users on Reddit. So members of r/yarn subreddit account for approx 0.04% of users on Reddit.

On Reddit, the subreddit r/yarn, as of Feb 2023, has 5,474 members.

As of 2023, there are approx 50 million users on Reddit. So members of r/yarn subreddit account for approx 0.01% of users on Reddit.

Here’s a list of popular subreddits related to yarn and their uses as of Feb 2023.

1. r/yarnaddicts – 178,114 Members
2. r/yarntrolls – 26,204 Members
3. r/YarnPunk – 21,838 Members
4. r/yarnporn – 13,838 Members
5. r/Yarnswap – 9,579 Members
6. r/yarn – 5,474 Members
7. r/yarnbombing – 2,386 Members
8. r/YarnStorage – 2,069 Members

Tumblr

On Tumblr, the hashtag #yarn, as of Feb 2023, has approximately 944k followers.

Users have created approx 519 million blogs on Tumblr since its founding in 2007. So followers of #yarn account for approx 0.18% of users on Tumblr.

FAQs About The Yarn Industry

Which Country Has The Most Yarn?

Australia has the most yarn, making 1/4 of the world’s wool. Other major producers are China, Russia, New Zealand, Argentina, South Africa, the UK, and Uruguay.

Is Yarn A Type Of Fabric?

No, yarn isn’t a type of fabric. It’s a manufactured fiber used to make textiles.

How Much Is The Yarn Industry Worth?

The yarn industry is worth about 11.99 Billion, as valued in 2019.

What Is The Difference Between Yarn And Textile?

The difference between yarn and textile is yarn is the material used to make textiles.

Why Is China The Leader Of The Textile Industry?

One reason China is the leader of the home textile industry and market is their cheap prices.

What Is Yarn In The Garment Industry?

Yarn in the garment industry is an essential part of producing garments.

What Are The Yarn Manufacturing Systems?

The yarn manufacturing systems are ring spinning, open end rotor spinning, and air jet spinning systems, among others.

What Is The Profit Margin On Yarn?

The average profit margin on yarn is 10%, though it varies.

Does IKEA Sell Yarns?

Yes, IKEA sells yarns in some stores.

Does China Make Yarn?

Yes, China makes yarn.

What Is The Raw Material For Yarn Manufacturing?

The raw material for yarn manufacturing is called fiber.

How Is Yarn Manufactured?

Yarn is manufactured using twisted strands, which are shorter fibers spun into longer filaments. The long continuous strands need more twisting to become yarn.

Why Is There A Shortage Of Yarn?

There’s a shortage of yarn because of high demand, reduced production, expensive raw materials and energy, and a slow global supply chain.

What Is The Most Commonly Used Yarn?

The most commonly used yarn is wool, from sheep.

Why Are Yarn Prices Increasing?

Yarn prices are increasing because of the slow supply chain and limited resources.

Is Selling Yarn Profitable?

Yes, selling yarn can be profitable.

What Are The 3 Major Yarn Categories?

The three major yarn categories are animal, plant, and synthetic yarn.

Is There A Market For Yarn?

Yes, there’s a market for yarn in the global textile industry.

What Is The Production Of Yarn Called?

One part of the production of yarn is called spinning.

Which Country Is The Largest Importer Of Yarn?

China is the largest importer of yarn.

Where Is Yarn Imported From?

Yarn is imported from places like China, Turkey, the United States, India and Australia.

Which Country Is The Largest Exporter Of Yarn?

China is the largest exporter of yarn.

Which Country Exports Yarn?

Countries like China, India, Australia, Turkey, the United States, and Italy export yarn.

Where Is The Most Yarn Produced?

The most yarn is produced in China, India, the USA and Pakistan.

How Big Is The Yarn Industry?

The yarn industry was estimated at 34.55 billion USD in 2021.

Conclusion

Looking at this data provides valuable insights into the industry. These statistics show the industry’s impact, and it’ll be interesting to see how it evolves.

Which yarn industry stat surprised you the most? Or maybe there’s a statistic I overlooked. (Whoops!) Please tell me by leaving a comment below.