Knitting Pattern: Manta Ray Shawl

Knit for Wildlife uses knitting to bring wildlife stories into everyday culture.

Rather than keeping conservation confined to reports, exhibitions, or campaigns, the initiative works through garments that are worn and seen in daily life; in cafés, on public transport, at work, and on campus. The aim is visibility: Keeping wildlife present in places where conservation is not usually discussed.

This pattern is part of an open-access series developed in collaboration with Love the Oceans, a marine conservation organisation based in Mozambique. Their work includes coral reef protection, marine megafauna research, and community-led conservation, providing real-world context behind each species represented.

Manta rays are among the most vulnerable marine megafauna. They mature late, reproduce slowly, and depend on large, healthy ocean areas. They are targeted for their gill plates in international trade, are frequently caught as bycatch, and are increasingly affected by habitat degradation, declining water quality, and coastal pressure. As a result, manta and devil rays have been recently uplisted under CITES, reflecting their growing risk of extinction and the need for the strongest possible international protection.

All patterns in this series are released for free to support use, sharing, and cultural reach.

Knit for Wildlife is endorsed by the UN Ocean Decade for its contribution to ocean literacy through creative, community-based approaches.

USAGE & RIGHTS

This pattern is released as open access for personal, non-commercial use. Sharing is welcome when crediting Knit for Wildlife. Commercial use, resale, or redistribution is not permitted.
© Knit for Wildlife.

About the Designer

Libby Rush (UK) is an avid knitter, spinner, and dyer with a strong interest in fibre arts and community-based making.

For the Knit for Wildlife residency, Libby chose manta rays as her focus and created a manta ray shawl as part of the open-access pattern release. Her contribution centres on making garments that are intended for everyday use, allowing wildlife stories to move through ordinary public spaces rather than staying within conservation-specific contexts.

Resources

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Design

• Video (YouTube)
• Video (YouTube)

Learn more

• Love the Oceans (Mozambique)
• Manta rays and conservation status