As a well known and leading British yarn brand, we design and spin all our traceable, pure wool yarns at our own mill—The Natural Fibre Company in Launceston, Cornwall. Working with heritage machinery and traditional processes, we produce high-quality woollen and worsted yarns with genuine care and craftsmanship. Whenever possible, we source fibre from local and UK farms, supporting British sheep breeds and the wider wool industry.
Our mill provides end-to-end fibre processing under one roof: from sourcing British fibres and creating unique blends to spinning premium yarns for knitting, crochet, weaving, machine knitting and sustainable making. Our team has worked with over 50 of Britain’s 60+ recognised sheep breeds, giving us an unrivalled depth of fibre knowledge.
Explore our YouTube channel for videos and shorts showing the mill and team in action: The Natural Fibre Company – YouTube, and short clip below.
Our Timeline and History
Blacker Yarns is rooted in a long tradition of British fibre craftsmanship. It all began in the mid-1980s, when founder Rose Elworthy started a small natural-fibre business in South Wales. By the 1990s, the mill—then known as The Natural Fibre Company—was spinning wool for smallholders, specialising in natural, undyed yarns made the traditional way under the management of Myra Mortlock.
A major turning point came in 2005 when Sue Blacker, a Gotland sheep breeder, took the reins and moved the mill to Launceston, Cornwall. Here, the operation grew into a fully equipped 10,000 sq ft mill, adding organic production, scouring, blending, and the ability to spin a wider range of fibres including mohair and alpaca. This was also the moment when in 2008 Blacker Yarns was born, bringing our unique, breed-specific yarns directly to knitters and crocheters through our online shop.
As demand grew, we expanded our mill space and broadened our reach—partnering with Falkland Islands growers for our Blacker Swan range, developing new yarn lines, and welcoming customers from over 100 countries.
Since 2019, under the ownership of Colin Spencer Halsey, the mill has continued to evolve. Now trading as Blacker Sheep Limited: The Natural Fibre Company, we’ve added a new research and development strand to our work and exploring innovative products and blends, and launched our online shop dedicated to repurposed and recycled mill materials.
Today, Blacker Yarns exports to 26 countries and supplies an increasing number of UK and international stockists. But at the heart of everything remains the same commitment we started with: celebrating natural fibres, supporting sustainable farming, and creating beautiful, breed-rich yarns for makers everywhere.
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