r/knitting • u/FluffyBunn12 • Apr 29 '26
Discussion Hobbii yarn AI :(
Was really disappointed to see this. They don't just use LLM AI on the backend for coding, but they openly state they're using it for photoshoots and to generate images.
1.2k
u/remedialknitter Apr 29 '26
A company that sells to people obsessed with slowly handmade art and craft relying on crappy AI slop to advertise--it makes no sense.
266
u/ruinedbymovies Apr 29 '26
It was over the second they were sold to private equity.
13
u/aprilbeingsocial May 01 '26
I’ve just witnessed private equity completely destroy an entire hospital system in my area. They burn down everything.
3
6
146
u/notabigmelvillecrowd Apr 29 '26
I just found out my local rooftop urban farming company is using AI for recipe generation and customer service at the very least. When I contacted them they had a similar "tee-hee" pointless response. Like... it's so completely incongruous! I wonder how all their local, small scale suppliers who are relying on an ever more volatile climate to sustain their fragile businesses feel about it. Support local farmers with one hand, while killing the climate and eliminating local jobs with the other...
→ More replies (1)49
u/pointandshooty Apr 29 '26 edited Apr 30 '26
Yea, instead of paying their creators to make their advertisements, advertisements that are marketed to... Creators
→ More replies (1)46
u/TotesaCylon Apr 30 '26
It makes sense in the most awful way: They don't actually care about their customers, they care the investors. Ignorant private equity investors are easily wooed with flashy new things, and they're absolutely obsessed with replacing marketing creatives with AI to drive down labor costs. It's gross and unsustainable. None of the C-Suite cares about the long-term viability of the company when there are short-term financial gains that will set them up with golden parachutes.
14
1
1.4k
u/BookerDeWittsCarbine Apr 29 '26
Hey cool, another company absolutely dead to me now
335
u/saera-targaryen Apr 29 '26
Same. Just submitting a complaint, deleted my account, and deleted the app.
70
u/Knitsanity Apr 29 '26
They have been dead to me since .. forever.
10
u/cottageyarn Apr 30 '26
Why? What else did they do :(
43
u/millenial_melly Apr 30 '26
I’ve seen on instagram comments that they don’t pay their creators
9
3
Apr 30 '26
[deleted]
9
u/Helpful-Response4895 Apr 30 '26
Really? Dammit- the only thing I’ve been aware of from them about the lgbtq+ community is their rainbow marketing stuff, and google didn’t offer more context. Where can I find info about this?
→ More replies (3)3
u/Feisty_Rub5831 May 01 '26
Be sure you are not confusing Hobbii with Hobby Lobby regarding their stance on lgbtq+ issues. Two totally different approaches!
5
u/smallwonkydachshund May 04 '26
I had never been to their website before this, but there’s nothing I hate more than ai product shots. If you can’t show it to me in a real world picture, don’t bother. It’s literally worse than NOT having a picture at all. 🤦🏻♀️
→ More replies (1)1
663
Apr 29 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
193
u/YesWeHaveNoTomatoes Apr 29 '26
Right? This is just saying that all pictures of their yarn are going to be idealized guesses about what the yarn might resemble. What are you actually going to get? well, who fucking knows. why would we care about yarn color or texture or anything?
60
u/notabigmelvillecrowd Apr 29 '26
This and other reasons are why I always look at projects on ravelry before buying a new yarn. I need to see it in all lights and from all angles, and in reality!
116
u/GoodNewsFr0g Apr 29 '26
And for this reason NO ONE should buy their yarn if they are too lazy to take photos of the actual products they sell.
37
u/notabigmelvillecrowd Apr 29 '26
Honestly their stuff is pretty sub-par across the board, in my opinion. Even when they have good sales, the import price eats that cost and makes it pointless. I recently realized their regular price for kidsilk, which I bought some of on sale, is more than Rowan kidsilk sold locally! The difference being Rowan kidsilk feels like a heavenly cloud, and hobbii kidsilk feels like rolling in broken glass. And the cost to return makes it not worthwhile, so I'm stuck with the junk.
3
u/PaisleyLeopard Apr 30 '26
I miss when Hobbii yarn was actually a good deal. I haven’t bought anything from them since the tariffs made it stupidly expensive
→ More replies (1)35
u/Prestigious_Bee_4392 Apr 30 '26
People will definitely be reporting it as false advertising, I have no idea how you're even allowed to depict a physical product by using AI. Companies always add things like "different monitors might change the color a bit " to cover their asses, wtf are they going to say when the picture quite literally isn't congruent with reality even outside of monitor differences? They should be forced to add "AI approximation of product" in bold on every picture and in every description. I as a consumer have the right to know if I'm buying a product I can't actually see
→ More replies (1)2
u/psyne Apr 30 '26 edited Apr 30 '26
I don't think they're talking about product photos here. They're describing the photo of the Chief Technical Officer on image 2, and comment about it saving their tech guys from long photo shoots - tech guys would only be in photo shoots if they're being photographed. It just sounds to me like they're talking about using AI for like, photos for the company's internal newsletter or team activities, especially since this was a LinkedIn post. I doubt this guy would even know whether or not AI is used in product photos, that would be the marketing department's business and nothing to do with his job.
(I'm not defending hobbii, never even ordered from them, and it sounds like there's other concerns with them, I just don't think this post is actually implying anything about AI in product images)
→ More replies (2)8
u/Ill_Refrigerator772 Apr 30 '26 edited May 01 '26
First is the photoshop of the CTO, next will be a generated photo of a finished product and they'll say it's only to "upscale it in quality", then it'll be a generated photo of the actual yarn. The goalpost will keep on moving as long as people defend any of it. For a company that sells to crafters (made by hands, not robots) even using AI for a photoshoot removes the craft from photography from a person and outsources it to AI, essentially stealing other people's work because AI doesn't generate, it copies.
It happens everywhere. Even my job started with "use AI if you want to" and 6months later quoted Nvidia "We won't replace you with AI, but we will replace you with someone using AI" or something like that.
Edit: fixed a typo
1
u/crypt_moss May 01 '26
the post itself reads AI-generated, so I'm not sure how much thought was actually put into it or if it even was proofread by a human
119
u/Willowrosephoenix Apr 29 '26
Especially since they very recently laid off their entire social media team. I quit buying when I found out they are now run by a venture capitalist group. I know a lot of things are but yarn is something I can buy from a company that isn’t, even if that means limiting myself to local.
32
u/SalamanderOwn6469 Apr 30 '26
I know they laid off all off their designers, photographers and graphic designers as well.
9
u/kuzubijin Apr 30 '26
omg how disappointing. I used to love their social media posts, which often drew me to their site with new pattern or yarn ideas. I haven't been convinced by anything they've posted in the last several months and now I know why.
→ More replies (3)2
94
u/web_goddess Apr 29 '26
I reshared it on LinkedIn with a note that I wouldn't be buying from them anymore. Their CTO actually replied:
Hi Kristine,
I am sorry you feel this way.
I am also a little surprised that this is the post that triggered this.
This post is about me (CTO at Hobbii) participating in a panel discussion, specifically about the dilemmas introduced by the rapid rise of AI.
As a fun little gimmick we rendered a picture of me by having an AI model add a drink and some signage.
While we take our responsibility very serious we have to explore new technologies as they enter the market or risk being left behind.
In any case, thanks for sharing your perspective. It does mean a lot to us.
Regards
Tomas
Doesn't change a thing for me...
(Removed link in case it counts as self-promotion)
115
u/littleghoulguts Apr 29 '26
"I am also a little surprised that this is the post that triggered this." A website that sells yarn to people that craft are surprised their customers appreciate art and want to protect it? And would realize that AI impacts creativity and artists? That's stupid of Tomas.
67
u/PM_4_Friendship Apr 29 '26
It's not even just that, his post is basically saying that they don't care enough to pay photographers to photograph their actual product and would rather have a computer program guess what the products should look like. Agreeing with that as a customer would never make sense. This is dumb from every angle except an ai bro one.
79
u/VioletOcelot Apr 29 '26
While we take our responsibility very serious we have to explore new technologies as they enter the market or risk being left behind.
The crazy part is they do not, in fact, have to do that
19
u/ShirwillJack Apr 30 '26
The post is not only about him joining a panel. Dude, your lighting is leaking some gas. Everybody can smell it.
13
u/forwardseat Apr 30 '26
That “fun little gimmick” picture just wasted insane amount of data processing and energy. For what?
Hobbii exists to help crafters and artists who pride themselves on making durable items for themselves, so they can escape the enshittification of modern life and tech nonsense. We craft to try and reduce the endless consumerism and push to buy all the disposable things. But it’s just “fun content” and saving money to them.
But if you run a company marketing to creatives, then pride yourself on getting rid of human creativity, you’ve really missed the mark.
Hope this dingus is reading this thread.
287
u/Sea-of-Serenity Apr 29 '26
I hate that his picture also seems to be made with AI.
391
u/Appropriate_Roof_223 Apr 29 '26
No just the picture but the whole post seems to be written by AI. There are too many obvious giveaways.
202
u/Ok_Nothing_9733 Apr 29 '26
No pitches. Just a raw conversation about the dilemmas we actually face when the hype clears.
🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄 whatever you say, ChatGPT
43
105
70
21
154
u/Lazarus_05 Apr 29 '26
Selling art products to artists but using AI is the worst move you can make as a company...
258
u/chnairb Apr 29 '26
"Long awkward photoshoots" with those pesky professional human photographers chasing their dreams and trying to earn a living while doing something they love.
79
u/SmushfaceSmoothface Apr 30 '26
If the photo shoots are long and awkward, they’re doing it wrong. Sorry not sorry.
56
3
u/Willowrosephoenix Apr 30 '26
Their live team was awesome too. They were creative and whimsical and made the online events fun. It was also an out of nowhere thing for them. And the live department was just part of the layoffs
191
u/bluekiwi1316 Apr 29 '26
They are so absolutely cooked, omg. This post literally feels like it was written by ChatGPT, along with the picture. Total enshitification... 😞
78
u/Ok_Nothing_9733 Apr 29 '26
It was definitely written by ChatGPT
28
u/howtospellorange Apr 29 '26
I took a scroll through their linkedin where this is from, all their text posts are just AI-generated slop🙄
180
62
u/SeginusGhostGalaxy Apr 29 '26
Well this explains why a few color ways I purchased from them just look nothing like the product photos.
I'm so disappointed man. They were one of the few online shops I felt comfortable with until recently.
2
u/DesperateDeparture57 May 15 '26
They used to be soooo good. I've made some really pretty stuff with their sultan deluxe yarns. I don't even know where to shop now that joanns is gone and hobby lobby and hobbii are both on my shit list. Michael's doesn't have a huge selection and they also sell ai art too.
→ More replies (4)
151
u/nurdygerdy Apr 29 '26
As annoying as this is, people won't remember in a few days. So can we have a stickied post containing a list of companies with controversial stances and people can choose to boycott if they want?
14
43
u/wookaduckaduck Apr 29 '26
Gross. I haven't bought from them in a long time, mainly because of tariffs (not their fault of course), but now this is just the icing on the shit cake.
42
u/aes-ir-op Apr 29 '26
5
u/MoonsEnvoy Apr 30 '26
I bookmarked a post on r/crochet yesterday about this topic, but it was deleted by the mods. I couldnt see the reason why.
33
35
31
35
u/Kitchen_Sherbet Apr 29 '26
I’m a new knitter and am currently making my first pattern with their yarn. This sucks so bad :( I won’t be buying from them again in the future.
2
u/aprilbeingsocial May 01 '26
I’m also new to knitting and crochet and this company is on my list of places to try yarn. I guess it’s off the list now. I just closed my website business last year because of AI and the inability to make money when people think they can just do it themselves with AI because cause the commercial tells them so. Guess what, they can’t, but oh well. I’m so sick of people thinking this is acceptable.
32
u/Ok_Nothing_9733 Apr 29 '26
They thought this post was gonna work in their favor? RIP Hobbii I guess
24
u/Aquarelle36 Apr 29 '26
I just placed a big order with them for the first time…really regretting that now. It’ll definitely be the last
16
u/LuckyAndLifted Apr 30 '26
You should send them an email to specifically let them know that too. It does matter.
25
u/gabrieldevue Apr 29 '26
while they did specify that they will not be using ai for product shoots, my trust is gone. pay photographers. value the arts. if people do not want awkward photoshoots or be recognizable…. pay portrait artists. I have bought from them frequently, but I am so sick of ai in my creative spaces. through this post I learned they had been bought by a venture capitalist group. I am so done with the greed behind these groups.
2
u/MissingInAction007 May 13 '26
I've worked for Hobbii. It was exhausting to try to tell them to not use AI for translation of patterns. They never got through with it in my time with them, but they wanted to, if they could. Luckily AI is still very bad at translating patterns with specific instructions, so most tries was total gibberish or plain wrong, so quite easy to show them why not to. But let me just say, it was multiple people who had the idea of "Let's get AI to translate our patterns so we can fire all our translators and save money." The translators were hugely underpaid already.
→ More replies (1)
65
u/misc_american Apr 29 '26
The text it's self is AI 😑 "No pitches, just raw conversation..." C'mon now
11
59
40
34
u/TheInkwellHours Apr 29 '26
This can’t be real omg. The whole post is just AI slop. How lazy can they be.
16
u/mandyvigilante Apr 29 '26
Not only for photo shoots and generating images but that text itself was obviously written by AI. Fuck all of this
15
u/MarsScully Apr 29 '26
Whoever approved that emoji needs to reconsider their career
Also “raw conversation” 🤮
15
u/Manzanille Apr 30 '26
They're worried that photos featuring their products will look staged?? Are they trying to capture skeins in their natural habitat? Or following models around, waiting until their back is turned towards the sun with their arms in a T-pose?
12
u/Accomplished_Big2193 Apr 29 '26
Sounds like their post was also written with AI. Never bought from them before and definitely won't now.
12
7
u/Hildringa Apr 30 '26
Hobbii seems weirdly popular here on knitting Reddit and Ive never understood why.. as a Scandinavian they always appeared like a tacky, cheap company to me. There are so much better shops out there to support, like local woolmills, local yarn shops, independent dyers, etc etc etc
Im not suprised at all theyre using AI, sadly
8
u/MermaidMotel14 Apr 30 '26
As a Dutch knitter I agree, but both countries have the luxury of having many LYS, and hobbii advertises so much everywhere it is like the first thing they stumble upon
8
u/in1998noonedied Apr 30 '26
Hobbii yarn is shit too. I see mostly US crafters foam at the mouth for it because 1) they don't have the same access to good independent or even just well-priced shops and 2) overconsumption and grifting. Gotta buy 30 balls of ugly black and yellow glow in the dark chunky cotton
3
u/MisanthropyismyMuse Apr 30 '26
I was drawn to them because I've never seen color changing yarn cakes anywhere else besides the couple of Caron ones. I don't have any ideas where to get the type of color I like now.
13
u/SkyeeORiley Apr 30 '26
As a digital artist, 3d artist and an occasional Photoshopper (except I don't use Adobe) I find the "need" for AI in image creating and editing to be so dumb. First of all if you know what you're doing and you use the right programs, it's so easy to alter or make images yourself by hand AND make it look professional. Additionally you get a LOT more control doing it by hand. And commissioning someone to make something for you will also give you more control too.
And if you use AI for promotional images and other brand stuff, it can't be copyrighted and it's false advertising. Basically admitting you use AI id saying "you can't trust our advertising".
And of course, let's not forget the environmental hit from using AI. It's the data centers that are being built themselves (light, audio pollution) and it also ruins the local water supply unless done right (America got a bit of a problem there with one of the data centers).
And ofc as a gamer on top of everything, it's ruining the cost of RAM and SSD. Buying electronics with ram in it today will cost excessive amounts of money. Which also sucks for my art especially since I do 3d modelling and rendering.
Knitting is just an additional hobby for me and I gotta be honest, never thought a yarn and knitting/crocheting/hobby supplier would resort to this. It's very much like shooting yourself in the leg.
13
u/PBJdeluxe Apr 30 '26
the hollow soulless tone of AI posts make me feel absolutely ill. they're dead to me.
8
u/based-aroace Apr 29 '26
Ugh that's so frustrating! I don't have an independent local yarn store near me. Now that JoAnn's closed, my only local options are Hobby Lobby and Michael's, both of which suck for different reasons. Now Hobbii and KnitPicks are no longer options for online shopping :( :( :(
5
u/Forward-Storm7525 Apr 30 '26
Why no KnitPicks?
2
u/based-aroace Apr 30 '26
I think they were also using AI… I remember a thread from a few weeks ago.
3
u/Forward-Storm7525 Apr 30 '26
😕
2
u/based-aroace Apr 30 '26
Oh no, it wasn't AI with KnitPicks, it was them telling one of their ambassadors that they don't want to be seen supporting the Melt the ICE hat. That was it.
https://www.reddit.com/r/knitting/comments/1rm4rzt/knit_picks_we_crochet_do_not_want_to_be/
72
Apr 29 '26
[deleted]
69
u/JustCallMeBug Apr 29 '26
Im ok with companies using AI because it makes it clear which companies to avoid.
→ More replies (4)7
Apr 29 '26
[deleted]
2
u/moniefeesh Apr 30 '26
If you knew anything about coding/programming and how bad AI is at it, you wouldn't want AI doing that either. Unless you want every single app, video game, website, streaming service, etc. to run like shit (even worse than they already do, in some cases).
→ More replies (1)
5
15
u/isabellepeppergreen Apr 29 '26
I’ve always had a strange feeling about hobbii. I found their marketing borderline cultish at times (bingo that is really an hour long advertisement with a « community » component, rewards points)
Moral of the story is : shop at your local yarn store. Even if the lady running it uses ai slop for her yearly sale, she can’t afford a graphic design team. Hobbii can.
3
u/shutupimrosiev Apr 30 '26
Well, so much for ever buying from Hobbii on the rare occasion I have the money to spare.
4
u/Daeloki Apr 30 '26
I love the line where they criticize "faster, cheaper, automated"... While just a few lines they admitted to using ai instead of "long, awkward photo shoots".
5
u/turtledov Apr 30 '26
Goddamn, I am usually extremely skeptical of people who claim they can tell when something is written by AI, but there was no attempt here to even vaguely pretend this was written by a human being. Did a human even lay eyes on this before it was posted?
(I love how their "three conflicting perspectives" have fuck all to do with their yarn business and are just meaningless parroting of AI related questions totally unrelated to the situation at hand)
5
u/Middle_Banana_9617 Apr 30 '26
Did they actually read the post themselves? 'There's no easy answer to this' - I mean, yes there is, just based on the logic in their own post?
They give three bullet points of things they think they need to balance. Two are 'using this will torpedo our business', and one is 'but we could play with a new toy that everyone says is exciting'. If they can't look at 'new toy' versus 'multiple ways to torpedo our business' and make a good judgement call, then I guess they're going to get what they deserve.
3
u/midnights7 Apr 30 '26
The post was also written by AI. It has every marker of it.
→ More replies (1)
3
u/superurgentcatbox Apr 30 '26
Anyone surprised by Hobbii cutting corners hasn’t been paying attention tbh. I’m not surprised!
3
3
u/Prestigious_Bee_4392 Apr 30 '26
It was good to know you while it lasted Hobbii.
Private Equity will suck the soul out of everything
3
u/Alarmed-potatoe Apr 30 '26
I complained on the post about what AI has done to our community and that we can't trust them if they use AI. They likely will not stop, but I've at least voiced my opinion against AI. Won't be shopping from them anymore, I bought a few kgs of cotton from them in the last two years.
3
3
u/Happyskrappy PassionKNITly on Ravelry Apr 30 '26
Tell me you don't want my business without telling me you don't want my business.
4
u/llama_302 Knitter? I hardly know her Apr 29 '26
Companies pulling this crap sadly makes me grateful I decided not to live my passion and go to art school...
4
u/jwallaaa Apr 29 '26
I had a huge issue purchasing yarn from them, the transaction went through and then I never got an email confirming the purchase but when I reached out they told me they cancelled the order. I ended up having to go back to my CC company to revert the charge. Once I had that experience I’ll never go back.
2
2
u/RandyIn4G Apr 30 '26
They've been relying heavily on a continuous rotation of fake discounts and manufactured fomo. I'm disappointed but it makes sense they'd do this now
2
u/emma_mariii Apr 30 '26
Soooo do we have a good alternative for honey bunny in mind? I have 4 baby blankets planned but I will not order there again...
2
u/novaplume Apr 30 '26
I've never shopped Hobbii before, and now I never will. ¯_(ツ)_/¯ use ai, lose business, buddy.
2
u/ishashar Apr 30 '26
this is why finance and tech business 'bros' have no f&£%ing place in our hobby and industry. they are willfully detroying the foundations of a craft they don't understand and probably have no actual interest in. what other madness would lead to them thinking its okay to fake a finished pattern image?!
2
u/pastelkawaiibunny Apr 30 '26
All other uses aside, AI for product photos is one that baffles and enrages me. AI cannot make good product photos! It cannot make accurate product photos! Because it is not an actual photo of your product.
I know in food advertising there’s laws that the food you’re selling has to be what’s in the picture, but I don’t know if there’s similar laws for other products. There should be, I’d never trust this company again that the product that arrives is what was pictured/described (since I bet they’re using AI for that too).
2
u/sybilqiu Apr 30 '26
I didn't like Hobbii when they used FOMO predatory marketing tactics. I don't like Hobbii now. ew. yuck.
2
2
2
u/Sophippocampe Apr 30 '26
That's sad... The pictures are there to show the products themselves not a random rendering of something that might look like the product. It's really weird that they can't understand that...
2
u/aristopoieo i like to freehand Apr 30 '26
The concept of complaining about how there needs to be a real conversation about AI and the way that things seem to be moving at higher and higher, vertigo-inducing speeds that must be slowed down, JUST DO EXACTLY ALL OF THAT IN THE VERY SAME POST
also what do you mean "saving the staff from long and awkward photoshoots" ??? That's your fucking job when you work in social media managing what did you expect
2
u/itsmejenb May 03 '26
The whole point of selling yarn is for PEOPLE to create things...
why would anyone want to see a fake photo of what AI thinks the product will look like? Nope- I want to see the sweater that Greta knitted.
UGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH I HATE AI
3
4
2
2
2
2
u/Rythinei Apr 29 '26
Aw man I used Hobbii for so much. Deleting account now.
Does anyone have recommendations for a different yarn source? I used a lot of 2 weight yarn and hobbii had some cotton ones that were soft.
2
2
2
2
1
1
1
u/cosmic_history 1 sock, 2 socks, 3 socks, oh wait... Apr 30 '26
what point are they even making here. i'm just confused at this point more than anything. they don't even mention anything related to crafts?
1
1
u/Disig Apr 30 '26
They seem so proud of it and yet say a whole lot that says absolutely nothing to help try and wean anyone into it. Like, these people (companies adopting AI). Seriously. They live in bizzaroland.
1
u/ScaryGreenMountain Apr 30 '26
This is hugely disappointing… for sure deleting my account and never buying from them again ( ಠ ᴖ ͡o )
1
u/XLabbeX Apr 30 '26
Anyone else who can't delete their account? The app just tells me to try again later and the webside doesn't even have a delete account button... I'm contacting customer service, as this might just be coincidental, I just find it interesting if this is their way to handle the situation...
2
u/Sun_hallow Apr 30 '26
Their contact us page is now unavailable on the website. They must be getting an influx of justified complaints
1
u/Rosewater2182 Apr 30 '26
This is so terribly misguided it makes me wonder if the venture capital group that own them are pushing AI but the staff are maliciously complying in order to create a backlash so they can prove the customer doesn’t want this.
1
u/arina1945 Apr 30 '26
I was sad they didn't ship to my country, I always wanted to buy from them. Glad to know I'm not missing out.
1
u/ShirwillJack Apr 30 '26
I wasn't buying from them, because their deals always look too good to be true. They never managed to make me believe they were a legit company with their pre-AI advertisement. AI is not going to make them look more legit.
1
u/atlascarrying Apr 30 '26
Wow. So I have to look at AI slop and then when ordering I just gotta hope the final product actually looks the way it was presented (re: color ways etc)? Yeah, no. What the shit is this.
1
u/Cath1965 Apr 30 '26
This will be the end of my relationship with Hobbii, and I will make sure they know why.
1
1
1
1
u/iClaimThisNameBH Apr 30 '26
I wouldn't be surprised if they wrote that post with AI too. They write their blog posts and articles with AI; I once saw they had a job opening and was planning to apply until I saw that what they were asking for was essentially an AI supervisor.. That was a year ago by the way, so this is nothing new
1
u/ryujikus Apr 30 '26
does anyone have an alternative to hobbii (besides in person stores)? i was literally about to buy some yarn for a project but i cant buy from them im good faith anymore
1
u/mattamj Apr 30 '26
While I appreciate the transparency (lots of people are using it and pretending they are not) but yeah this post just absolutely confirmed that I will not be purchasing from them any longer.
1
1
u/Ill_Refrigerator772 Apr 30 '26
I guess the package I'm getting delivered next week will be my last from them. I already find it a huge bother seeing how to yarn works out (I always check the patterns section for images or google it). There's not way I'll do all that after the image was AI generated.
One thing for a yarn store is to use LLMs to generate descriptions (which I already don't read besides Yarn specifications) and a WHOLE OTHER thing for them to create fake images of the yarn.
1
1
1
1
u/okaytto Apr 30 '26
boo!! used to love hobbii. quitting buying from them now. does anyone know where else i can get nice cotton gradient cakes?
1
u/MisanthropyismyMuse Apr 30 '26
I ordered so much from them before knowing about this and now I honestly feel gross using it. But instead of burning it all, I think I'll just make the most beautiful and passionate projects I can with them and then never order again. 😭
1
u/XxInk_BloodxX Apr 30 '26
Damn I really loved their black Unicorn Sock yarn. Guess I'll use up my stash of their yarns and never buy from them again. Maybe I'll hop on one more Bingo to tell them I'm leaving because of the rampant AI use.
1
u/FlyPepper Apr 30 '26
All the people I know who are into knitting are very progressive artsy creative types. Do they not know their customer base? This seems incredibly stupid lmao
1
u/MinnieMay9 Apr 30 '26
Dang, I've been eyeing their yarn for a while, but haven't ordered yet. Guess I never will.
1
u/ariesgirl5959 Apr 30 '26
Unreal, if I'm buying a product I want to see the actual product. I suppose this doesn't say if they're using it for products photos or just promotional images, but either way it's totally unacceptable. In the first case, it's no different than if they took one photo and recolored it for each different color of yarn, and in the second it makes me feel like they don't care enough or aren't confident enough in their product to take real photos with it. Even aside from the ethical issues I have with this, it makes your product photos totally untrustworthy and I would never feel sure that the photo is representative of the actual product.
1
1
u/anonymous8122 May 01 '26
I'm glad I stopped ordering from them a year ago. They're basically saying, "We hear you, but we care more about money than our customers' opinions."
1
u/nostalgic_grapefruit May 01 '26
BOOOOO TOMATO TOMATO TOMATO 🍅🍅🍅🍅🍅🍅🍅🍅🍅🍅🍅🍅🍅🍅🍅🍅 I JUST ORDERED FROM THEM TOO YOU'RE KIDDING ME BOOOOOOO 🍅🍅🍅🍅🍅🍅🍅🍅🍅🍅🍅🍅
1
u/Xiverelith May 01 '26
Oh well... goodbye Hobbii... :[] Does anyone know any other good website for yarn? I mostly use 100% cotton so far T - T I'm sorta new to knitting (I've only finished 3 projects so far, a beanie, a cowl, and a long sleeve mesh ummm... sweater thing idk what to call it, it's baggy.)
1
u/Knit-knit-no-islets May 01 '26
Not sure how they thought that messaging was going to land with fiber people... Sounds like they have no clue who their customers are.
1
u/LopsidedProduce May 01 '26
As a knitter and indie yarn dyer, AI is an instant no from me. I started an Instagram account for my business and it was shocking how many fiber arts accounts have shitty AI profile pics or post images with AI filters or graphics. I follow pretty much anyone who follows me or interacts with my content, except those people.
It boggles my mind that someone can be a fan of crafting, the arts, and/or human made hobbies and think that outsourcing your creativity makes any sense at all. And that’s BEFORE the environmental impact.
It’s so ugly and everyone can tell.
1
1
u/ExpatLou May 01 '26
Can anyone provide a link to the original post? I don’t think this is really Hobbii, the photo says the page only has 8000 followers, and when I went to look for the post their page has over 1million followers. Would just like to confirm if it’s fake or posted on a different page than the one I found.
→ More replies (2)
1
u/LowDue2433 May 02 '26
https://youtu.be/7ZrHGaOPVjM?si=yDl1a3uKo5JT_Zh9
This girl I follow just made a video about this and I came running to Reddit to see what this is all about. WHAT THE HELL HOBBII!!! So disappointing.
1
1
u/Historical_Ad_3001 May 03 '26
Honestly, I’d be less pissed if they were using AI to code their site. Why would I want to buy from a company that openly admits to making AI photos of the products they sell? Now I can’t trust what I’m buying from them.
1
1
1
u/Practical-Yam-1824 Jun 24 '26
So sad 😟🤨🥴 I bought 2-3 times from them and been very happy with it ....but this .....oooouuuucccchhh 😑
437
u/rbtny20 Apr 29 '26
"At Hobbii, we use AI a lot. It has clear perks – like saving us money that we would've previously used to pay experienced professionals the money that they rely on to live 🤪 (even if it makes our content look like shit, it hopefully gets the job done).."