How does snowflake yarn differ from regular heather yarn and speckled yarn?

2025-09-23

Although snowflake yarn, regular heathered yarn, and speckled yarn all fall under the category of "colored spun yarns that feature natural patterns without the need for printing or dyeing," their "color sources" and fabric appearance are entirely different:

Although snowflake yarn, regular heather yarn, and speckled yarn all fall under the category of colored spun yarns that "feature natural patterns without the need for printing or dyeing," the "source of their patterns" and the resulting fabric appearance are entirely different:

Snowflake yarn
Mix millimeter-sized white short fibers (typically offcuts) into the main fiber blend, deliberately leaving them uncombed during the spinning process. The resulting fabric has a surface that looks as though it’s lightly dusted with fine snow—tiny white specks with softly blurred edges—and retains a delightfully soft hand feel, making it perfect for knitted sweatshirts and casual shirts.
Plain heather gray yarn
First, the black and white fibers are blended in varying proportions before being spun into yarn, resulting in a fabric that delivers a uniform "neutral gray" effect—ranging from smoke gray to medium gray and deep gray—without any noticeable white spots. From a distance, the fabric appears as a clean, solid gray, making it a popular choice for business-casual pants and T-shirts.
Pebble yarn
Add "colorful particles" to the yarn—typically small, millet-like cotton knots made from fabric scraps. This creates a fabric surface with randomly popping, vividly colored "large cotton knots," giving it a bold, rugged aesthetic. Designers love using this texture to craft unique T-shirts and trendy brand sweaters.

A single sentence to distinguish:
Heather yarn is "a single shade of gray," snowflake yarn is "gray with delicate snowflakes floating on top," and speckled yarn is "gray sprinkled with colorful dots."

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