Cascade Yarns was founded in the late 1980's. Wanting an affordable location, Bob Dunbabin chose a vacant storefront, in Pioneer Square, Seattle, for the office and warehouse for Cascade Yarns. The space was modest, squeezed between a mission for the homeless and the main north-south rail line. To Bob, the modest but logistically well located space suited the company's needs. Bob believed that knitters cared more about the quality of the yarn, than the prestige of the office location. Bob would use the savings from the location to provide a better yarn at a better price. The real estate market in Seattle changed and Cascade Yarns has moved 4 times, but the dedication to quality and value in the yarn remains.

In the 1980's most premium yarns came from England or Italy. Bob looked instead to South America. There he worked with Cascade Yarns supplier to upgrade their equipment and improve the process of production. To Bob, it didn’t matter where a yarn was made, so long as the materials were good, the spinning equipment right, and the workers happy and well trained. Cascade Yarns continues to work closely with its business partners to insure the highest quality of production is maintained. In short, the proof is in the knitting.

Cascade Yarns remains a family business. Bob's son Rob and his daughter-in-law Shannon purchased the business in January of 2011. Shannon and Rob continue to follow Bob's mission of offers yarns that exceed expectations of both price and quality.