Introduction:
As a curator of a carefully managed yarn collection (Stash to the un-enlightened), I have been shifting my purchases over the last couple of years towards more eco-conscious choices. My journey has become one where creativity meets sustainability, and as more and more people have a heightened environmental consciousness, more and more crafters are embracing the beauty and benefits of recycled yarn.
As the saying goes, "One person's trash is another's treasure." This sentiment rings especially true in the realm of yarn crafting. Recycling yarn not only reduces waste but also gives new life to fibres that would otherwise end up in landfills. According to a study published in the Journal of Cleaner Production, the textile industry is one of the largest polluters globally, with vast amounts of yarn and fabric waste generated each year. By choosing recycled yarn, crafters play a vital role in minimising this environmental impact while indulging in their passion for creating beautiful handmade pieces.
But what is recycled yarn? Simply put, it's yarn made from pre-existing materials, often sourced from discarded garments or industrial remnants. Through innovative processes, these materials are salvaged, sorted, and transformed into new yarn, ready to be crafted into scarves, sweaters, blankets, and more. This sustainable approach to yarn production not only conserves resources but also reduces energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, making it a win-win for both crafters and the planet. With the growing availability of recycled yarn options on the market, crafters have an abundance of choices when it comes to colours, textures, and fibre compositions.
In this post, we'll dive into the benefits of using recycled yarn in your knitting and crochet projects, we’ll look at different types of recycled fibres and what you might want to think about in choosing the yarn for your next project.
Types of Recycled Yarn:
There are two main ways that fibre can be recycled into yarn, each has its benefits.
Post-production recycling and post-consumer recycling are two distinct processes within the broader spectrum of recycling, each playing a crucial role in reducing waste and promoting sustainability.
Post-Production Recycling:
Post-production recycling, also known as industrial or pre-consumer recycling, occurs within the manufacturing process before a product reaches consumers. This type of recycling involves repurposing excess materials, trimmings, or defective products generated during manufacturing into new raw materials or products. In the context of yarn production, post-production recycling might involve reclaiming surplus fibres or yarn scraps from textile factories and spinning them into new yarn.
Post-Consumer Recycling:
On the other hand, post-consumer recycling involves reclaiming materials from products that have been used and discarded by consumers. It's the familiar process where items like plastic bottles, paper products, and clothing are collected through recycling programs, sorted, and processed into new materials. In the case of yarn, post-consumer recycling might entail gathering old garments or textiles, shredding them into fibres, and spinning those fibres into new yarn.
Key Differences:
Source of Materials: The primary distinction between post-production and post-consumer recycling lies in the source of the recycled materials. Post-production recycling deals with waste generated within the manufacturing process, while post-consumer recycling deals with waste generated by end-users.
Quality and Contamination: Post-production recycling often involves cleaner, higher-quality materials since they originate from controlled manufacturing processes. In contrast, post-consumer recycling materials may be more varied and can contain contaminants like dirt, dyes, or other fibres from mixed fabrics.
Environmental Impact: Both post-production and post-consumer recycling contribute to waste reduction and resource conservation. However, post-consumer recycling tends to have a more direct environmental impact by diverting materials from landfills and reducing the demand for virgin resources.
In the realm of yarn crafting, both types of recycling offer unique benefits. Post-production recycled yarns may provide consistent quality and unique textures, while post-consumer recycled yarns offer the satisfaction of knowing you're giving new life to old materials. By understanding the differences between these recycling methods, you can make an informed choice, taking into account your sustainability goals or concerns and your creative preferences. Whether you're knitting a cosy sweater or crocheting a colourful blanket, incorporating recycled yarn into your projects is a meaningful way to craft with a conscience.
One thing to explore with post-consumer yarn is whether it is a mechanical or chemical process that has been used to make the new yarn. A mechanical process would be something like shredding old jeans and then re-spinning the fibre into new cotton, whereas a chemical process could be dissolving fibres and creating a new polymer which is how some recycled acrylic yarns are made from plastic bottles. Obviously, the chemical process adds materials into the process and these can have their own environmental impact.
Yarn Reviews and Recommendations:
I have explored and sampled quite a few recycled yarns as well as making them myself, so here is what I have discovered. (some links are affiliate links, I may receive a small commission if you purchase at no extra cost to yourself)
Recycled Cotton:
Jolly Good Yarn https://www.jollygoodyarn.com/ Sources post-production T-shirt yarn and recycled Cotton DK yarn from post-production and post-consumer sources. Both come in a wide range of colours and are great to work with. The Crochet basket and Amigturumi Rhino are from these yarns.
The T-shirt yarn is a pretty consistent yarn with very few knots. It did get a bit thin in a couple of sports, but I pulled those bits through to the back, made a loop and carried on working, sewing in the thin bit at the end. It’s a good quality fibre and works up really well. The DK yarn is very similar to other DK Cottons, not as “smooth” as some other baby style cottons, and is made up of lots of separate stands twisted together (ply) so can separate a bit, but great for amigurumi or bags etc
Stylecraft offer a great recycled range called ReCreate. Available in DK and Chunky, it has the great consistency of a Stylycraft yarn but with a greener tint. The yarn is made form 40% wool from recycled garments, 20% acrylic from garments and 30% p-olyester from plastic bottles.
Both weights are available from Lovecraft (affiliate links) with free delivery over £40
And Chunky https://www.lovecrafts.com/en-gb/p/stylecraft-recreate-chunky?utm_medium=affiliate&a_aid=6c288762
I have used these yarns to sample my beginner's patterns. It’s a really easy yarn to use and super soft.
Lovecrafts do a pretty big range of other recycled yarns too, including Cascade yarns ReVive range of recycled wool and Kingcole’s Wildwood Chunky. (Affiliate Link) https://www.lovecrafts.com/en-gb/search?q=recycled%20yarns&utm_medium=affiliate&a_aid=6c288762
I’ve also used a great “roving” style chunky yarn from Hobbycraft called Change It up
It is made from plastic bottles, has much less twist than other ply yarns but made a super soft crochet Kitty Hat (complete with upcyled buttons on the ears) It has lovely flecks of through it giving a great pop of colour
Make your own:
If you are concerned about limiting your consumption and waste you can always make your own yarn from garments that you no longer wear. Making t-shirt yarn is fun and easy (although you do have to work around the seams) and old handknit jumpers can be unravelled to be made into something new. You can even collect up your tiny snips of yarn, card them back into fluff and re-spin them.
Things to consider when you are buying yarn:
No one can have zero impact on the environment when they make consumer choices, you need to choose what is important to you and make your choices consciously. Some things to think about, and how you can support that issue are below:
Animal Welfare: Choose plant-based fibre, cotton, or bamboo, or source your wool from fleece flocks from farms with high animal welfare. Or use man-made fibres
Water use: Go for recycled cotton or man-made fibres, or animal fibres
Microplastics: go for natural, plant or animal-based fibres
Landfill: Choose post-consumer recycled fabrics, reuse your own textiles
Further Reading:
Interesting article from Knit Pro on using Recycled yarn
The CraftyTherapist reviews eco-yarns and has crochet patterns too. Great reads: https://thecraftytherapist.com/
S
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