Our Story

At Woolly Bear Knits, we want to help you spend more time outdoors by keeping you warm and comfortable in cozy, modern knitwear that is hand knit with ethically-sourced yarn. We use only natural fibers like wool and merino wool that help regulate your body temperature, keeping you comfortable for longer. Wool is breathable, warm, moisture-wicking, and biodegradable. The fibers we use are very soft and warm without being scratchy. 

We hope our knitwear inspires you to go on everyday adventures, because everyone belongs outside. Whether your everyday adventure is a winter walk with your dog or snowshoeing through a state park, you'll be warm and comfortable. Natural fibers are breathable, which means less staticky hat hair, making the perfect addition to your après ski outfit or for running winter errands. Woolly Bear Knits hats feature simple, minimalist textures in colors that will add the perfect pop to your winter wardrobe.

We believe there’s no bad weather, only bad clothing, and we want to help keep you warm on any adventures that come your way!

When properly cared for, wool will last a lifetime, but if you are ready to part with your hat, you can rest assured knowing that wool is biodegradable! We are animal lovers and are committed to sourcing yarn from companies that do not practice mulesing on their sheep. Hats include your choice of pom pom, handmade with cruelty-free faux fur fabric.

Woolly Bear Knits began in 2019 when Emily re-discovered her love of knitting. When she moved back to Minnesota from California, she wanted a way to stay warm so she could continue to spend time outside during even the coldest of winters, and discovered how warm and cozy merino wool is. A self-proclaimed minimalist, Emily loves simple textures that highlight the beauty of the yarn, and match with a variety of outwear styles.

All packages are shipped in compostable or recycled ocean-bound plastic mailers. While we love unboxing a super cute package, we use minimal packaging to reduce waste. Hat and cowl orders include a reusable muslin bag to store your hat or cowl in the off-season. Also included in hat and cowl purchases is a sample of our favorite wool wash for you to wash your hat at the end of the season.

The name "Woolly Bear Knits" comes from Emily's love of finding woolly bear caterpillars in the fall (her favorite season). They literally freeze solid in the winter, and the bands of color on their bodies are said to predict the harshness of winter. These fuzzy little creatures make the perfect mascot for our knits.