47 Knitting Statistics

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These knitting figures cover the measurement periods and populations identified in the available source material. Estimates, surveys and forecasts retain their reported scope.

Key Knitting Statistics

The main findings are:

  • The international online knitting survey received 3,545 responses, of which 3,514 were valid for analysis (July 2010 survey; published 2014; 31-country online knitting-site respondent population).
  • Among respondents reporting depression, 81% perceived that knitting made them feel happier (July 2010 survey; 31-country online knitting-site respondent population).
  • In the frequent-knitting group, 2,540 respondents (72%) reported on organizing thoughts (July 2010 survey; Respondents knitting 3 or more times per week).
  • Among respondents who said they suffered chronic pain, 88% felt knitting gave them a sense of accomplishment and a means of coping with pain (July 2010 survey; 31-country online knitting-site respondent population).
  • BLS May 2024 data list 14,530 employed textile knitting and weaving machine setters, operators, and tenders.
  • Women represented 98.8% of valid survey respondents (July 2010 survey; 31-country online knitting-site respondent population).
  • Among respondents reporting depression, 54% said they felt happy or very happy after knitting (July 2010 survey; 31-country online knitting-site respondent population).
  • In the less-frequent group, 656 respondents (18%) reported on organizing thoughts (July 2010 survey; Respondents knitting less than 3 times per week).
  • BLS May 2024 data list a mean hourly wage of $18.97 for textile knitting and weaving machine setters, operators, and tenders.
  • Respondents identifying as white British accounted for 31.0% of the sample (July 2010 survey; 31-country online knitting-site respondent population).
  • The mean organizing-thoughts score was 3.43 in the 3-or-more-times-per-week group (July 2010 survey; Respondents knitting 3 or more times per week).
  • BLS May 2024 data list a median hourly wage of $18.40 for textile knitting and weaving machine setters, operators, and tenders.
  • Respondents identifying as other white accounted for 59.3% of the sample (July 2010 survey; 31-country online knitting-site respondent population).
  • The mean organizing-thoughts score was 3.17 in the less-than-3-times-per-week group (July 2010 survey; Respondents knitting less than 3 times per week).
  • 17.03 million U.S. tons of textiles entered municipal solid waste in 2018 (United States municipal solid waste).

Contents

Knitting statistics: participation, experience, and respondent profile

Self-selected online knitting-community sample; not a population prevalence estimate.

Self-reported, self-selected sample of committed knitters.

Demographic composition describes this sample, not knitters globally.

Self-selected sample; age bands are reported as survey categories.

Self-selected sample.

Grouped geography reported by the study; not a participation rate.

Sample geography, not national prevalence.

Range is descriptive and does not provide a population distribution.

Knitting frequency statistics and perceived mood benefits

Perceived association in a cross-sectional, self-selected survey; not a treatment effect.

Self-reported post-knitting mood; no control group.

Knitting statistics on cognition, concentration, and learning

The table reports response counts and perceived ability, not objective cognitive testing.

Scale details and self-report limitations apply; do not interpret as a clinical test score.

Scale details and self-report limitations apply.

Perceived cognitive benefit, not objective memory performance.

Self-rated memory measure.

Self-rated concentration measure.

Combined perceived outcomes; observational comparison, not causal evidence.

Knitting, pain, and wellbeing outcomes reported by survey respondents

Among respondents who said they suffered chronic pain, 88% felt knitting gave them a sense of accomplishment and a means of coping with pain (July 2010 survey; 31-country online knitting-site respondent population). (Knitting and Well-being: The Psychological and Social Benefits of Hand Knitting)

Perceived coping benefit; not evidence that knitting reduced pain intensity.

Knitted-textile employment and textile-waste statistics

The reported ePA’s historical series reports textile generation figures cover United States municipal solid waste.

Measurement period EPA’s historical series reports textile generation (million U.S. tons)
1960 1.76 million
2000 9.48 million
2010 13.22 million
2015 16.06 million
2017 16.89 million

Source: Textiles: Material-Specific Data.

The reported ePA’s historical series reports figures cover United States municipal solid waste.

Measurement period EPA’s historical series reports (million U.S. tons)
2000 1.32 million
2010 2.05 million
2015 2.46 million
2017 2.57 million

Source: Textiles: Material-Specific Data.

Occupation-wide measure includes knitting and weaving machine work, not hand knitting.

Occupation-wide wage measure; not earnings from hand knitting or craft sales.

Textiles include discarded clothing plus smaller sources such as furniture, carpets, footwear, sheets, and towels; reused textiles are not included until they enter the waste stream.

Broader textile category, not knitting-specific.

EPA textile category is broader than knitted goods.

All textiles, not specifically knitted products.

Historical estimate for all textiles; not knitting-specific.

Table of contents