Lion Brand’s parent company, Orchard Yarn & Thread Company Inc, announced on December 31 that it has acquired Knitting Fever, a yarn company and wholesale distributor of knitting and crochet supplies. According to the press release, both companies remain committed to serving local yarn shops, and customers can expect a seamless transition.
“We are excited to join forces with Orchard Yarn, a company that shares our dedication to quality and our passion for the craft,” said Sion Elalouf, the founder of Knitting Fever.
Sion Elalouf, right, with StephenBe at h+h americas in 2024.
Elalouf started out in the knitting industry over 50 years ago when he opened a needlepoint and knitting store in Great Neck, New York, in 1974. His business transitioned into being a wholesale supplier in the 1980s. Elalouf authored two knitting books in the 1980s, The Knitting Architect and The Advanced Knitting Architect.
Knitting Fever owns Juniper Moon Farm and produces KFI Collection, their in-house brand of yarns. The company imports and distributes many yarn brands, including Noro, Ella Rae, Jody Long, Louisa Harding, Marisol, Queensland, Araucania, Laines de Nord, and OnLine. Knitting Fever is based in Amityville, New York.
Lion Brand is a fifth-generation family-owned business based in Lyndhurst, New Jersey, and is one of the leading distributors of knitting and craft yarn in the United States and other countries.
Lion Brand has made several acquisitions over the last few years, including acquiring Quince & Co in June 2023 and Silk City Fibers in 2019. The company’s yarns are sold online, at craft chain stores, at discount chains, and in independent shops. Lion Brand’s flagship retail store in Manhattan opened in 2008, but the company closed it in February 2020. Lion Brand owns a 314,000 square foot distribution facility in Rincon, Georgia.
Abby Glassenberg
Co-founder
Abby co-founded Craft Industry Alliance and now serves as its president. She’s a sewing pattern designer, teacher, and journalist. She’s dedicated to creating an outstanding trade association for the crafts industry. Abby lives in Wellesley, Massachusetts.
