Best Places to Buy Used Yarn in Canada (And What to Check First)

Used yarn can be a goldmine. You can find sweater quantities, discontinued colours, and high-quality natural fibres that are still in perfect condition. The hard part is buying used yarn without getting stuck with mystery fibre, missing yardage, or listings that leave out the basics.

If you’re shopping used yarn, the best places are the ones that are designed for yarn, not general resale.

Why buying used yarn on general resale platforms can be frustrating

eBay, Poshmark, and Facebook Marketplace weren’t built for yarn. That means:

• listings often skip fibre content or yardage

• dye lot info is missing

• buyers have to message for basic details

• sellers have to answer the same questions over and over

• shipping and bundling are inconsistent

It can work, but it takes more effort than it should.

What makes a good used-yarn listing

Before you buy, make sure you can confirm these five things:

1) Yarn weight
Fingering, DK, worsted, etc. If you don’t know the weight, it’s hard to match to patterns.

2) Fibre content
Wool, cotton, alpaca, blends. If it’s unlabeled and the fibre is unknown, proceed carefully.

3) Yardage/meterage and quantity
This is what tells you whether it’s enough for your project.

4) Condition
New with labels, wound, partial skeins, or used. None are “bad,” but they should be clearly stated.

5) Dye lots
Matched dye lots are ideal for garments. Mixed dye lots can still be great if you plan for stripes, fades, or contrast sections.

Why a yarn-specific consignment shop is easier

A dedicated yarn resale section solves most of the problems above because it’s built around the details knitters need. It’s also a lot easier to shop because you’re not scrolling past unrelated items.

At Heirloom Fiber Co., our consignment/destash section is curated and yarn-specific. Listings focus on fibre, weight, yardage, and lot details so you can shop with confidence.

Browse used yarn here: Shop Consignment Yarns

If you’re buying used yarn for garments

Two quick tips that save a lot of headaches:

• Look for sweater quantity lots (or matched lots) if possible

• If dye lots are mixed, plan for it: stripes, colour blocking, or a fade can look intentional and beautiful

Want to sell yarn you won’t use?

If you have great yarn sitting in your stash that you know you won’t knit, consignment is one of the easiest ways to re-home it without the Marketplace hassle.

Submit yarn for consignment here: Consignment Form
Read our consignment policy here: Consignment Policy