Doulton Border Leicester Yarn
Slaughter-free wool: Ethical, Sustainable and British
Supplying rare breed wool since 1997
Our beautiful Border Leicester yarn is ethically sourced and made from sustainable, 100% rare breed wool that is not blended with any other wool or nylon. This makes it perfect for Hand Knitted garments. Ethically produced locally in Yorkshire, England from a single farm, our wool is scoured, carded and combed before being worsted spun, dyed and skeined.
Best Sellers
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Single worsted spun, ethically produced, British Wool 25g mini skeins in 4ply and DK£6.00
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Sheep DK Yarn undyed£20.00
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Semerwater Aran Yarn£20.00
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Saltholme 4ply yarn£20.00
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Yorkshire Coast pack of 4ply mini skeins£22.00
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Sandsend DK Yarn£20.00
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Fountains Abbey Aran Yarn£20.00
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Mount Grace DK Yarn£20.00
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Dalby Forest DK Yarn£20.00
Popular Items
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From Moors to Mills£24.99
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Cogs & Wheels Sweater Knitting Kit£85.00 – £115.00
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The Wool Queen Ribbed Sweater Knitting Kit£85.00 – £115.00

Yorkshire Post Article on our Rare Breed and Ethical Wool from our Border Leicester Flock
The Yorkshire Post contacted us earlier this year to ask if they could come out and see our flock with a view to putting an article in their Saturday Farming section. They were very interested in the fact that we are Yorkshire based and produce our own rare breed wool yarn, which goes to support the flock. They also reviewed our brand new book!
The Doulton Flock Story

Rare Breed Wool
Our story began in 1997, when I fell in love with the proud, Roman-nosed Border Leicester after a chance encounter at the East of England Show. Soon after, I welcomed two rare breed British Border Leicester ewe lambs—Minnie and Martha—who quickly became family.
Ethical, Slaughter-Free Wool
From the start, their long-stapled, crimped, semi-lustrous fleeces were perfect for spinners and yarn. I vowed that we would produce only ethical wool and no sheep would ever go to slaughter—ours are born to grow old. Today, our flock has grown from two to 300, and we continue to raise them with care, ensuring they thrive even in retirement in our pensioner’s barn and fields.
Ethical Farming for Sustainable Wool
Producing high-quality, slaughter-free British wool starts with nutrition. We test and enrich our fields, grow our own hay and haylage, and provide protein-rich feed to support fleece growth. We also prioritise health, participating in disease prevention schemes for over 20 years, including MV accreditation and vaccinations.
From Fleece to Yarn: A Tradition of Quality
Over time, I learned to breed for fleece quality, show our sheep, and sell their stunning fleeces to spinners. Seven years ago, we began producing our own, ethically sourced, rare breed, slaughter-free Border Leicester yarn, crafted from hand-picked fleeces with full provenance.
The Border Leicester changed my life completely—for the better.