What recycled cashmere really is (and why it's not a cheap alternative)

Recycled cashmere is one of the most misunderstood materials in the fashion world.
Many associate it with something “secondary,” an economical choice, a compromise compared to new cashmere.
The reality, however, is very different.

Recycled cashmere is not a low-cost alternative.
It is a technical, cultural, and productive choice that stems from over a hundred years of experience in the Tuscan textile district.

In this article, I will explain what it truly is, how it is made, and why its value is not inferior—in fact, in many cases, it is superior.

What is recycled cashmere

Recycled cashmere (or regenerated cashmere) is a fiber obtained from the selection and processing of existing cashmere garments.

It is neither a synthetic fiber nor a "reconstructed" blend.
It is true cashmere that has had a first life, is carefully selected, opened, carded, and spun again.

The process mainly takes place in Tuscany, in the Prato district, where the culture of textile recycling is an industrial and artisanal tradition consolidated over generations.

The process is as follows:

1. Collection of used garments

2. Manual selection by composition and color

3. Mechanical opening of the garment until it returns to fiber

4. Carding

5. Spinning

6. Knitting

Every stage is delicate. Every error compromises the final result.

Why it is not a cheap product

One of the most common beliefs is that recycled cashmere should cost less.
In reality, producing it well can be more complex—and therefore more expensive—than processing new cashmere.

Here's why.

1️⃣ Selection is manual

There are no machines capable of recognizing cashmere by touch like an experienced rag picker.
Each garment is checked by hand.

From 100 kg of collected garments, often only 10–15 kg of truly usable fiber are obtained.
The yield is very low.

2️⃣ The fiber is shorter

During the opening process, the fiber shortens compared to new fiber.
This requires:

• more careful twists

• specific adjustments in spinning

• slower processing

Recycled yarn requires technical expertise.

3️⃣ Each batch is different

New cashmere is standardized.
Recycled cashmere is not.

Each batch has:

• a different yield

• a different behavior

• a unique color

This means greater quality control and greater expertise.

It's not a compromise. It's a choice.

Recycled cashmere is not born to save money.
It is born to:

• reduce environmental impact

• enhance existing materials

• preserve an artisanal tradition

• create unique natural colors

• build a local and transparent supply chain

It is a form of contemporary, more conscious luxury.

Many customers, once they feel a high-quality regenerated yarn, realize that:

• the handfeel is full

• the warmth is identical

• the structure is more stable

• the natural mélange is deeper

Recycled is not "less." It is different.

The true value: culture and territory

Recycled cashmere is the result of a unique short supply chain in the world.

In Tuscany, all stages are located within a few kilometers:

• selection

• carding

• spinning

• knitting

• finishing

This means control, expertise, quality.

It's not just a technical matter.
It's a cultural matter.

Learn more in the podcast

If you want to discover even more details about the process, the people, and the Tuscan supply chain, you can listen to Season 1 of the "The Cashmere Journey" podcast in English on YouTube:

👉 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_LHLJUMKPQ&list=PLFyPJyKp8KjELMq4rXEiPIQPIe2-rZb8d&index=21

In the podcast you will find:

• the complete story of the selection

• the differences between new and recycled cashmere

• the topic of the real price

• the truth about greenwashing

• the future of regenerated fiber

Recycled cashmere is not a shortcut.
It is a complex, technical, and artisanal process.

It is not an economical product.
It is a choice of value.

And above all, it is a story that deserves to be told—and understood.