An introduction to the Polish macrame cord that's become something of a cult material among crafters — and why we stocked it from the very beginning
If you've spent any time in macrame circles — online or off — you'll have encountered the name Bobbiny. It comes up a lot. People are rather emphatic about it. Someone will say they've switched to Bobbiny and the response is usually a row of nods, not questions. It has that quality that certain materials acquire when they're better than the alternatives: people who use it just assume everyone else already knows.
Not everyone does, though. So here's the full introduction.
Bobbiny is made by a husband and wife, Aleksandra and Tomasz, in a small factory in Warsaw, Poland. It's a family business in the proper sense — not a brand that's been acquired and scaled up, but two people who started making macrame cord and got very good at it. That origin matters, because it's reflected in how the cord is made and the decisions that go into it.
The factory produces cord from recycled cotton, sourced from unwanted textiles, sorted by colour, broken back down into fibre, and spun into fresh thread before being twisted or braided into cord. The inner cardboard spools are also made from recycled paper. There's a coherence to the whole operation that you notice when you look at it closely.
All Bobbiny cord is certified to OEKO-TEX Standard 100, which means it's been independently tested and confirmed to contain no harmful substances.
There are cheaper macrame cords on the market. There are plenty of them. You can buy unbranded cotton cord from any number of suppliers for less per metre than Bobbiny costs.
Here's what you notice when you switch.
The consistency is the first thing. Bobbiny cord is uniform in a way that cheaper cord often isn't — the same thickness throughout, the same tension, the same behaviour from one end of the skein to the other. When you're tying knots, any variation in the cord's weight or structure throws off the rhythm of the work and shows in the finished piece.
The softness is the second thing. Bobbiny cord has been processed in a way that produces a noticeably soft texture — comfortable to work with for extended periods, without the slight roughness that lower-grade cord can have. If you've ever ended a long macrame session with sore hands, it's worth considering whether the cord was contributing.
The colour range is the third thing, and we love it. Bobbiny produces a vast palette of shades — including regular colours, limited editions, and seasonal releases — all achieved without adding dyes. The colours come from the original recycled textiles, sorted and blended to achieve consistent shades. Some colours are permanent fixtures; others appear once and don't come back. The limited editions in particular sell quickly.
Bobbiny makes its cord in three main forms, and understanding the difference is the key to buying the right one.
Braided cord (Premium 5mm and Junior 3mm) is made by braiding hundreds of threads into a round, stable cord with a smooth surface. It holds its shape well, doesn't fray or unravel if you cut it, and is very forgiving for beginners because mistakes can be easily undone. The downside: it can't be combed out into a soft fringe. What you see is what you get — a clean, firm edge.
Single twist cord (3mm) is made by twisting threads together rather than braiding them. It's softer and more textural. It's a bit less beginner-friendly than braided cord — it's more likely to untwist as you work — but the results, particularly where fringing is involved, are beautiful.
We stock all three types:
The full range, including all current colours in each type, is in our Bobbiny collection.
We've been one of Bobbiny's authorised UK stockists from very early on, and we haven't looked for an alternative since. The sustainability story aligns with everything else we sell: recycled materials, no unnecessary chemical inputs, a production process that makes sense. The quality is consistent in a way that means we don't get returns or complaints about it, and lots of lovely reviews (thank you!). Crafters who buy it once tend to come back.
That last point is the most honest endorsement we can give anything.
A few practical notes worth knowing:
Skein size: Each Bobbiny skein gives approximately 100m of cord and weighs around 500g for the 5mm Premium, making it a generous amount for most projects. The 3mm cords provide 100m per ball at a lighter weight.
Colour variation: Because the colours come from recycled textile blends rather than a dye recipe, there can be very slight shade variation between batches. In practice it's rarely noticeable — but if you're making something large where exact colour consistency matters across multiple skeins, buy enough in one order to be safe.
Limited editions: Certain colours are produced in limited runs and won't be repeated once sold. If you see one that calls to you, don't assume it'll still be there next month.
If you're new to Bobbiny and wondering where to start, read our follow-up guide: Which Bobbiny Cord Should I Use? A Plain-English Size and Type Guide. It covers exactly which cord suits which project, and takes the guesswork out of your first order.
And if macrame is entirely new to you, our broader macrame cord collection includes both Bobbiny and our own recycled cotton range — a good place to start exploring.
