Unlike yarns made from natural fibers like wool and cotton, acrylic yarns are made from man-made or semi-man-made fibers. Made in a variety of different ways, these fibers are also used in different types of projects and give the yarn specific characteristics, often mimicking natural fibers like wool, cotton, linen, etc.

　　Acrylic yarns are widely used because they are usually less expensive than natural yarns—sometimes a lot less. This makes it a more affordable option, especially with newer acrylic yarns that are much softer than the first acrylic yarns produced.

　　Acrylic yarns are made from coal-based and petrochemicals, making them a fossil fuel-based fiber. Petrochemicals are treated with certain monomers (a type of molecule), resulting in the formation of polymers. Acrylic fibers and yarns are made from a synthetic polymer called acrylonitrile.

　　This polymer is then dissolved and the resulting gel is spun into fine fibers using extraction methods and spinnerets. These fibers are then spun (wet or dry) before being washed and stretched. These fibers can be spun into yarn.