Yes... why?? What's the difference and What are we actually paying and buying.
The Answers pours down to
1) The material that you are buying (Synthetic yarn is always cheaper than Natural fibers)
2) The amount (grams) that the yarn comes in
3) The brand of the materials
4) The country you are buying in
I will explain individually on each aspect as below:
1)The material that you are buying
Technically, natural fibers (Wool, alpaca, cashmere, mohair, etc) cost more than synthetic fibers (like nylon, acrylic, polyester, etc ) due to the labor, animal care and processing cost.
From this video below, you can already see that much human labor is going into the spinning and dyeing of the yarn.
This also translate to the foods we eat as well. How come free-range eggs always cost more than normal eggs. Or how come organic foods cost more than regular farming ones. It is actually the intensive labor and love that goes behind the product.
2) The amount (grams) that the yarn comes in
Many customers forgot on the grams/yardage of the yarn when buying.
Of course the 50g is going to cost less than the 100g.
And in a yarn shop, all owners carry various yarn brands that comes in various grams and thickness of the yarn. The thickness of the yarn counts too. Because, to make the yarn bulky, behind the scene, there are many plying of threads going into it, hence that CHUNKY yarn is that thick. And hence, easier and faster to work with right?
So if you are knitting/crocheting a wearable say a sweater (for a average lady, small size person, bust size 32"). There are inexpensive acrylic yarn (the most basic ones), be prepare to spend at least Singapore dollars (SGD ~40). The make of the product also depends on the sizes and length. So can you see that there are many variables going into it while making a project?
3) The brand of the materials
This is of course, If you are buying from small independent makers vs large production factories made. There will always be a different in the small independent makers.
Reasons being the colour dye and fibers that has been used to dye those colours. Again, another set of variables. Some small independent makers make a small batch and then *poof no more in production. Just like any art pieces you find in the market. And that is also the reason why hand dyed yarn cost alot more.
4) The country you are buying in
Yes, this part, I personally has experienced it myself. In my short stay in the UK, the yarns over there are charged in English pound. The numbers are the same, but is in Pounds.
So the same brand of yarn maybe a few dollars more if you convert the prices.
Here in Singapore, we don't have any manufacturing factories and most of the yarns that is available here are imported. Bearing in mind that, we (as shop owners) do have to pay the shipping and GST charges for each import. Hence, when we calculate the final cost prices of the products, these are also added into it.
So after all these fact checks, Hopefully It will not deter you from this hobby.
Honestly, I will splurge on yarn for only wearables and also making items for my love ones. Don't get me wrong, I do buy Cheap $2 Daiso yarn for smaller projects like toys or small coin pouches. We all start this hobby as an amateur knitter/ crocheter as well.
And of course I understand the reasons for not buying "expensive" yarn in the first place. After a few successful knitted/crocheted items, you will slowly upgrade to finer and more exotic fibers. Trust me.. This is a process. After which, you will realize that your first made and your current made with exotic yarn is different.
When that comes, I will be here waiting for you to visit us in our shop and share those moments of enlightenment and joys of each precious, time consuming knitting/crocheted pieces. ˖᯽ ݁˖˖᯽ ݁˖˖᯽ ݁˖
