Recycled and Reclaimed Yarns
Recycled yarns — produced from unraveled commercial sweaters or from post-industrial waste — are an increasingly popular sustainable option in hand-knitting.
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Sources
Unraveled sweaters from thrift stores. Mill-end yarns (the leftover from large commercial production runs). Reclaimed cashmere (a particularly popular subcategory, since pure cashmere sweaters are valuable to unravel).
How to unravel commercial sweaters
Look for sweaters with seamed construction (not over-locked or serged). Remove the seams carefully. Unravel each piece into yarn. Wash the kinky yarn and dry hanging to relax the kinks.
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Fibre quality
Reclaimed yarn is typically slightly weaker than the original yarn (the unraveling process is hard on the fibre). Add 10–20% extra yardage to compensate.
Sustainability
Reclaiming yarn from existing garments has the lowest carbon footprint of any yarn source. The fibres are essentially free; only the time to unravel is required.
Abbreviation reference
| Abbreviation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| CYC | Craft Yarn Council |
Tips
- Look for seamed (not serged) sweaters in thrift stores for unraveling.
- Wash and hang-dry reclaimed yarn to relax the kinks before knitting.
- Buy 10–20% more yardage to account for fibre weakness.
In depth
Reclaimed yarn is the most sustainable option in hand-knitting. The combination of low carbon footprint, low cost, and access to high-quality fibres (including cashmere and merino) makes reclaimed yarn an attractive choice for sustainability-focused knitters.