From Used Sweater to Yarn: The Journey of Regenerated Fiber

What really happens to an old cashmere sweater once we stop wearing it?

Does it end up in a landfill?
Is it destroyed?
Or can it be reborn?

In the heart of Tuscany, in the textile district of Prato, there is a unique process that allows a cashmere garment to live a second life. It is not magic. It is technique, experience, industrial culture and artisanal know-how.

This is the journey of regenerated fiber.

But first, check out our recycled cashmere yarns by clicking here.

And when you’re done reading this article, learn more by listening to the recycled cashmere podcast by clicking here.

1️⃣ It All Starts with Selection: The Work of the Textile Sorter

The first step is the most delicate: selection.

Used garments arrive in large quantities. Not everything labeled “cashmere” is truly 100% cashmere. Many pieces are blends, others are worn out, and some have unclear compositions.

This is where a historic figure of the Prato district comes in: the textile sorter (known locally as the cenciaiolo).

The sorter recognizes cashmere by touch.
No advanced machines — just experienced hands.

They check:

• real fiber composition

• presence of synthetic fibers

• fiber quality

• level of wear

• color

Selection is manual and extremely slow.
From 100 kg of collected garments, only a small portion becomes usable raw material.

This is the first reason why recycled cashmere is not an “easy” material.

2️⃣ Sorting by Color: The Secret Behind Natural Melanges

Once selected, garments are divided by color.

This is not just “red” or “gray.”
It includes:

• deep burgundy

• light camel

• melange gray

• forest green

• natural browns

Color sorting is essential because high-quality recycled cashmere is often produced without re-dyeing.

The final color comes from blending already-colored garments.

This creates unique tones that cannot be industrially replicated.
Each batch is slightly different.
Each color tells a story.

3️⃣ Opening: Returning the Garment to Fiber

After selection, the sweater is no longer a garment.
It is mechanically opened back into fiber.

The knitted structure is broken down and reduced to loose fibers.

This stage is extremely delicate.
Too much mechanical force breaks the fibers.
Too little reduces efficiency.

Technical expertise makes the difference between mediocre yarn and excellent yarn.

During this phase, the fiber becomes shorter compared to virgin cashmere.
This affects all subsequent steps.

4️⃣ Carding: Cleaning and Aligning the Fibers

The opened fiber is then carded.

Carding serves several purposes:

• further separating the fibers

• removing remaining impurities

• aligning and homogenizing the mass

• preparing the material for spinning

The carding stage is the heart of the process.
A mistake here compromises yarn uniformity.

This is where quality begins.

5️⃣ Spinning: Transforming Fiber into Yarn

The carded fiber is transformed into yarn.

This is a highly technical stage, especially with recycled cashmere.
Why?

Because the fibers are shorter than virgin cashmere.
This requires:

• adjusted twist levels

• controlled tension

• slower production speeds

• careful monitoring of yarn strength

A good recycled yarn should not feel weak or irregular.
It must be stable, compact and pleasant to the touch.

The difference between excellent and mediocre recycled cashmere lies here.

6️⃣ Quality Control: Every Batch Is Unique

Virgin cashmere tends to be standardized.
Recycled cashmere is not.

Each batch is different.

Producers must check:

• yarn count

• uniformity

• presence of knots

• performance during knitting

• behavior under tension

This requires an artisanal mindset even in an industrial setting.

Full standardization is impossible.
But this uniqueness is precisely what makes recycled cashmere special.

7️⃣ From Yarn to Knitwear

The regenerated yarn is then used in knitwear production.

Important variables include:

• machine gauge

• stitch structure

• knitting tension

• finishing treatments

Recycled yarn behaves differently from virgin yarn.
Those who work with it must understand its characteristics.

The final finishing process (controlled washing and steaming) stabilizes the garment and enhances its hand feel.

8️⃣ A Short Supply Chain, Unique in the World

The true value of this journey is not only technical.

It is geographical.

In the Tuscan textile district, all production stages happen within a few kilometers:

• selection

• opening

• carding

• spinning

• knitting

• finishing

This ensures:

• continuous control

• direct communication between companies

• rapid adjustments

• consistent quality

It is not just a production process.
It is an ecosystem.

9️⃣ Why This Process Is Truly Sustainable

Sustainability is not a slogan.

In recycled cashmere, it means:

• no new goat farming

• drastically reduced environmental impact

• reuse of existing material

• local supply chain

• reduced transportation

But above all, it means preserving and enhancing historic textile expertise.

An old sweater is not waste.
It is raw material.

The journey of regenerated fiber shows that value does not lie only in novelty, but in transformation.

Recycled cashmere is not a compromise.
It is a balance between tradition, technique and responsibility.

And every yarn carries a story that began long before its second life.