Exploring the World of Recycled Wool: Your Ultimate Guide
Exploring the World of Recycled Wool: Your Ultimate Guide
Wool Recycling: How it’s Done and Why You Should Consider It
Wool is a versatile natural fibre that is widely used in the production of a variety of products, including jumpers, socks, blankets, carpets, and cushion covers. While wool offers many benefits such as softness, warmth, water repellence, and fire resistance, it eventually wears out. Fortunately, wool is a fibre that is easy to recycle, and in this post, we’ll explore how wool is recycled, what it is made into, and why you should consider recycling your old woollen garments.
What is recycled wool and how is it made?
Recycled wool, also known as shoddy or rag wool, is made from old woollen products that have come to the end of their life. Even wool that is in poor condition can be recycled. There are two main methods of wool recycling:
- The closed-loop wool recycling system
The closed-loop wool recycling system is the world’s largest wool recycling operation, located in Prato, Italy. Here, old garments are sorted by hand, and quality checks are performed before the fabric is processed through a mechanical shredding machine, resulting in recycled wool fibre. This fibre is then mixed to create colours, and at the spinning mill, bales of wool fibre are turned into yarn. At the weaving mill, the yarn is used to create fabric, which is then worked at the finishing mill to achieve its final look. Finally, the fabric is ready to be used by manufacturers to make new garments.
- The open-loop wool recycling system
The open-loop recycling system involves breaking down old woollen products and using them to make new products such as mattresses or insulation.
In addition to these two methods, re-engineering old or unsold products into new ones is another method of wool recycling. This process, also known as upcycling, gives woollen products a new life and saves them from recycling.
What is made from recycled wool?
Recycled wool is used to make a variety of clothing and homeware products, including jumpers, coats, sweaters, socks, gloves, blankets, throws, and rugs.
How to recycle wool clothing
If you have old jumpers or woollen clothes you no longer need or want, consider donating them to your local charity shop or homeless shelter. If your clothes are in poor condition, consider keeping them to repair or having them repaired by someone else. When your clothes are ready for recycling, you can donate them to your local textile recycling shop or textile recycling bank. For further information, you can contact your local council.
Composting your wool clothing is another option, as all-natural wool is biodegradable. Before considering this option, ensure that the garment is 100% wool and remove all non-wool parts before cutting it into small pieces and adding it to your compost bin.
Why buy recycled wool clothing?
Buying recycled wool clothing benefits the environment by extending the lifespan of fibres that have already been produced. Although clothes made from recycled wool are more expensive than regular woollen garments, they are durable and worth investing in if they are within your budget.