Cotton, linen, hemp, bamboo and a growing family of more unusual fibres like eucalyptus, banana and seaweed all offer something a little different from wool and alpaca. They're soft, breathable and wearable, with the kind of drape that suits warm-weather makes. Here's what plant-based yarn is, how these fibres behave and how to choose the right one for your next project.

Not all yarn is equal. That's not a controversial statement. Most makers know it intuitively after a few projects. But knowing why one yarn outperforms another isn't always obvious, especially when you're shopping online and can't pick the skein up and feel it. Quality in yarn isn't just about price. It comes down to a combination of factors: what the fibre is, where it came from, how it was processed and who made it. Once you know what to look for, the signals are easier to read.

Pima cotton is a genuinely distinct fibre from regular with specific properties that set it well apart from the cotton most of us are familiar with. For makers who value softness, stitch definition and wearability, it's a very satisfying fibre to work with. What exactly is Pima cotton, how is it grown, and why does it behave differently in your hands?