Bamboo knitting needles

Crystal Palace imports these knitting needles from Japan, where they are cured from hand-picked bamboo over 2 years. This process keeps their flexibility and makes them very smooth, but hardens them evenly all the way through and makes them very durable. See some pictures of the manufacturing process on the Crytal Palace site. The bamboo/plastic join of circular needles is covered with metal, very strong and smooth, and the joins is now glue-free for durability. The double-pointed needles come in sets of 5, not 4 as is usual with American needles. They are practically indestructible, not like some other bamboo needles which are merely coated with resin and whose finish can flake off eventually, especially in the tips. Their flexibility also means that they can take a fair amount of sitting on without real damage (I've never broken one, and I'm not a small woman). Also, if you grip the fine ones too firmly they can take on a curve over time, which can make them easier to use.

Bamboo circular needles

There are many advantages to bamboo needles over metal ones. Their smoothness allows for faster knitting with less hand strain, but they're not so slick as to give an out-of-control ice-skating feel. They're also quiet, an advantage when you're trying to knit around other people like while watching TV, or trying to keep yourself awake in a boring meeting. They're more flexible and feel warmer than metal, but don't grab as much as plastic, and many people with RSI find them less of a stress on the hands. There is reason to believe that knitting keeps hands in better shape than inactivity, old ladies who knit have more dexterity. But one can have too much of a good thing :-), and that's particularly true for those of us who abuse our hands with keyboards in other parts of our lives. Bamboo is also very much a renewable resource, and its processing much less toxic to the environment, the workers, and the knitters, than other materials.

Our needles come in every shape and size to fit your requirements, from short to long, and from very fine to really big. If you're not sure what kind to pick, please see our article on needle types, for which is most suitable for what purpose.

Sizes available

US Size	Metric Size	Circular				Double-pointed		Straight
US Size	Metric Size	16" long (41cm)	26" long (66cm)	35" long (89cm)	55" long (140cm)	8" long (20cm)	6" long (15cm)	12" long (30cm)	9" long (22cm)
0	2mm	X	X	X	No	No	X	X	X
1	2.25mm	X	X	X	No	X	X	X	X
1 ½	2.5mm	No	No	No	No	No	X	No	No
2	2.75mm	X	X	X	No	X	X	X	X
2 ½	3mm	No	No	No	No	No	X	No	No
3	3.25mm	X	X	X	No	X	X	X	X
4	3.5mm	X	X	X	No	X	X	X	X
5	3.75mm	X	X	X	No	X	X	X	X
6	4.25mm	X	X	X	No	X	X	X	X
7	4.5mm	X	X	X	No	X	X	X	X
8	5mm	X	X	X	No	X	X	X	X
9	5.5mm	X	X	X	X	X	No	X	X
10	6mm	X	X	X	X	X	No	X	X
10 ½	6.5mm	X	X	X	X	X	No	X	X
10 ¾	7mm	X	X	X	No	X	No	X	X
11	8mm	X	X	X	X	X	No	X	X
13	9mm	X	X	X	X	X	No	X	X
15	10mm	X	X	X	X	X	No	X	X
17	12.5mm	No	X	X	No	No	No	X	X
19	15mm	No	X	X	No	No	No	X	X

We only handle wholesale orders. If you're a shop or retail outlet, please contact us directly. If you're just a person who wants these items, please talk to your shop owner about carrying our products! Thanks.