If you're looking to buy, retailers like Darn Good Yarn and Knit Picks offer specialized recycled options made from materials like salvaged denim or textile scraps.
This process highlights how the same material can fluctuate in price—from a $100 brand-name sweater to a $0 donation, then back to a $50 investment in high-quality yarn. The Environmental Impact
It keeps millions of pounds of fabric out of landfills.
Clothes are sorted by color, then passed through machines that shred them back into fiber.
Manufacturing recycled fibers typically requires less energy and water than creating new fibers from scratch.
The "story" of recycled yarn is a transformation of waste into value, taking many forms from industrial-scale recycling to personal DIY projects.
On an industrial scale, companies like in Chile turn textile waste into high-quality yarn.
A knitter might buy a high-quality wool or cashmere sweater for just a few dollars.