DROPS Cotton Light vs Lion Brand Truboo

Technical verdict: DROPS Cotton Light vs Lion Brand Truboo

Weight category, yardage and value per ball

DROPS Cotton Light and Lion Brand Truboo are both Light (CYC 3) yarns, so on paper they are interchangeable in the same patterns. The weight class only tells half the story, though: the ball band data below shows how much they really differ in thickness, yardage and behaviour once they are on the hook.

Lion Brand Truboo is the longer yarn per gram, with 220 m per 100 g against 210 m per 100 g for DROPS Cotton Light, a difference of 5 %. For the same 1,000 m of yarn, the project weighs about 476 g in DROPS Cotton Light and 455 g in Lion Brand Truboo. A lower m/100 g figure means a thicker or denser strand, so the heavier yarn will also make a slightly thicker, warmer fabric.

Per ball, DROPS Cotton Light holds 105 m in 50 g and Lion Brand Truboo holds 220 m in 100 g. Five balls of DROPS Cotton Light (525 m) are replaced by 3 balls of Lion Brand Truboo, and five balls of Lion Brand Truboo (1,100 m) by 11 balls of DROPS Cotton Light. Always convert by length, never by weight or by number of balls.

Drape, fibre and texture

DROPS Cotton Light is 50 % cotton, 50 % polyester. Cotton is inelastic and absorbent: stitches look crisp and defined, the fabric holds its shape in amigurumi, bags and dishcloths, but garments can feel heavy and stretch downwards when wet.

Lion Brand Truboo, on the other hand, is 100 % bamboo. Bamboo-based fibres are cool, smooth and drapey with a subtle sheen, ideal for summer tops and baby items; they have little elasticity, so swatch and block before measuring.

With such similar density, DROPS Cotton Light and Lion Brand Truboo will give fabrics of comparable weight and drape at the same gauge; any difference in hand will come mainly from the fibre.

Their construction differs: DROPS Cotton Light (Plied) versus Lion Brand Truboo (Smooth). This changes stitch definition and how easy it is to see your stitches, so expect a different look even at the same gauge.

Hook size and gauge

Both ball bands recommend the same hook, 4 mm, so you can start your swatch with the hook size the pattern already calls for.

At least one manufacturer does not publish a reference gauge, so work a 12 × 12 cm swatch with your usual hook before comparing sizes.

Verdict: can you swap them?

Lion Brand Truboo can replace DROPS Cotton Light with some adjustments (Match Score 75 %). Expect small differences in gauge or drape: swatch first and be ready to change the hook by half a size.

Lion Brand Truboo gives more meters per ball, so you will usually buy fewer balls.

Whichever you choose, buy all the balls for a project from the same dye lot and keep the ball band for its care instructions.

Full DROPS Cotton Light data sheet → Full Lion Brand Truboo data sheet → Calculate yarn for a whole project →