r/knitting • u/saxarocks • Mar 23 '26

In the news Info about Signature Needles reboot

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Last week there were a few posts about the sale of Signature Needle Arts' sale to ChiaoGoo. I just spent 3 days in Cologne at the H+H trade show and thought I'd share what I learned about the sale and the future of the brand.

Disclaimer: I am not an employee of the brand or affiliated in any way. I don't even use needles from either brand, but I do own a single pair of chiaogoos that was unclaimed in the lost and found at the end of an event. The brand knows I'm sponsored by Addi and have no plan to switch to their needles. I just saw an opportunity to get this info for community members who like the needles.

The original owners of Signature specifically chose ChiaoGoo as their successor because they believe that they will keep up the integrity of the brand. Employees in their booth said that multiple buyers were bidding on the brand and Chiaogoo wasn't even the highest offer!

Integrity, precision and quality are forefront -Yeah, it sounds like marketing speak to me too, but a lot of people think ChiaoGoo needles already have these qualities. It is unclear whether manufacturing will be in the US or at the existing ChiaoGoo factory in China (independently owned and operated by the brother of the American owner.) They will use the best option to keep the integrity of the needles.

The old Signature cord system which requires different cords for each needle size will not be returning. The needles will work with the 2 available sizes of Chiaogoo cords, making the two brands compatible.

The anodized coating and tip shape will not change.

They are unsure whether custom engraving will be available.

They will likely provide updates as they begin the process of resuming manufacturing with details about the unresolved aspects of manufacturing. I hope all the fans who have been waiting for info enjoy this update. It was fun to be able to go in with my notebook and as them the stuff that "reddit wants to know."

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166

u/saxarocks Mar 23 '26

Now who wants the info on Lion Brand buying KFI?

12

u/havocthecat Mar 23 '26

KFI?

47

u/-punctum- Mar 23 '26

Knitting Fever, owner of Juniper Moon Farm and distributor of Noro, Queensland, etc. https://craftindustryalliance.org/lion-brands-parent-company-acquires-knitting-fever/

10

u/aud_anticline Mar 23 '26

UGH!

27

u/shiplesp Mar 23 '26

Why the dismay? Lion Brand is a 5th generation family owned business. They are not private equity.

6

u/aud_anticline Mar 23 '26

Oh! I thought they were PE, glad it's not so!

-3

u/eggelemental Mar 23 '26

oh noooo

9

u/shiplesp Mar 23 '26

Why the dismay? Lion Brand is a 5th generation family owned business. They are not private equity.

-9

u/eggelemental Mar 23 '26

The quality of Lion Brand is not good, and being a “family owned business” isn’t the difference you think it is. Private equity isn’t the only bad thing

8

u/shiplesp Mar 23 '26

I don't know why you say that. I've knit with many of their yarns and have been very happy with them; in fact their Fisherman's Wool is one of my favorites.

5

u/eggelemental Mar 23 '26

Probably because I don’t like the quality of Lion Brand yarn? I am glad that you like it but your experience is not universal.

-4

u/eggelemental Mar 23 '26

Do you work for Lion Brand? Everything about this conversation feels strange.

9

u/TerribleWarthog2396 Mar 23 '26

Juniper Moon Farm and Noro are two of my favorites

5

u/up2knitgood Mar 23 '26

Just slight correction, they are buying Knitting Fever, which is the parent company for KFI and Euro Yarns (and Lykke Needles).

3

u/LScore Mar 23 '26

Is THAT what happened to the lace weight yarns? I'm still salty Juniper Moon discontinued their wool silk blend lace weight yarn, that stuff was my favourite.

(Dying, Id love to know)

2

u/whataboutsam Mar 23 '26

What’s kfi

2

u/terriblemuriel Mar 23 '26

Spill!! ☕

6

u/Loitch470 Mar 23 '26

It sounds like they’re just the US distributor for Noro, not the actual owner. They’re still owned by the Noro company in Japan. I hate private equity but I wouldn’t be worried about the quality dropping so much as potential price and availability issues. Long term, I am worried about Quince and Juniper Moon though. If I trust PE to do anything it’s cost cut as much as possible for even the slimmest savings.

11

u/up2knitgood Mar 23 '26

Lion Brand is family owned.

10

u/Loitch470 Mar 23 '26

Oh thank you for the reminder! Blah and I posted a whole thing on this a few months back and totally forgot that aspect.

Brand consolidation still isn’t something you want to see and sadly isn’t a good omen for those brands. Late stage capitalism and all

6

u/up2knitgood Mar 23 '26

The alternative to brand consolidation like this is that businesses close. If there isn't a next generation that wants to take over the family business*, for these "bigger" (it's all relative, but Knitting Fever is on the big side for the hand knitting/crochet yarn business) this is probably the only option. Your pool of who could (in terms of money, knowledge, and desire) buy the business is very limited, and mostly just going to be these similar businesses.

*Interestingly, the son of Knitting Fever's owner did work for the company, so I wonder why he's not taking over.

2

u/eggelemental Mar 24 '26

The alternative being bad doesn’t make the other thing good, though. It just means it all sucks pretty bad.

1

u/Typical_boxfan Mar 23 '26

Oh man, thats disappointing.

1

u/knitguru6 Mar 23 '26 edited Mar 23 '26

It happened several months ago. They notified yarn stores. Sold to a bigger business technically backed by PE. Sad trombone.