Recycled cashmere represents one of the highlights of the Italian sustainable textile industry. It is the result of a meticulous process that transforms used knitwear into a fine yarn, ready to be used to create new, high-quality garments. Behind this result lies an extremely careful selection and processing process, requiring technical expertise, experience, and sensitivity to the material.
Here is the recycling process from old knitwear to spinning, step by step.
1-The origin of used knitwear
The raw material for recycled cashmere is discarded knitwear, collected through specialized channels, textile recovery organizations, and vintage stock dealers.
The main origins are:
Europe (especially Italy, France, and the United Kingdom): high-quality second-hand markets, where cashmere is widespread and well-preserved.
North America: garments often from premium brands, made with high-quality yarns.
Central Asia and China: 100% cashmere garments from the same areas where the Hircus goat is raised.
Not everything that arrives is suitable: it is essential to identify garments made of pure cashmere, avoiding blends with wool, silk, or synthetic fibers.
2-Manual sorting
Once they arrive at the lab, the garments are inspected by hand:
Composition check: verified through tactile experience, visual examination, and, if necessary, laboratory tests.
Sorting by color: the garments are sorted by shade (ecru, gray, beige, blue, black, fashion colors). This step is essential to reduce the need to dye the new yarn.
Sorting by quality: soft, slightly worn knits are treated differently from more compact or felted ones.
3-Fraying and fiber reduction
The selected garments are cut and removed from buttons, zippers, and seams.
Next comes the fraying process:
The knits are fed into special machines that separate the fibers, returning the fabric to a cashmere staple state.
During this phase, the fibers are worked extremely delicately to avoid excessively breaking them, maintaining their original length as much as possible.
4-Cleaning and Regeneration
The resulting fiber is washed in water (without harsh chemical processes) to remove dust, impurities, and residues.
Recycled cashmere is washed delicately and uses specific detergents, preserving the fiber’s natural properties.
5-Carding
Once dry, the fiber is carded, a mechanical process that:
Aligns the fibers in the same direction.
Removes further impurities.
Creates a uniform sliver ready for spinning.
6-Spinning
The carded sliver is spun on ring or continuous spinning machines, transforming it into a uniform yarn.
The twist is adjusted based on the final use (fine knitwear, accessories, fabrics).
At this stage, if necessary, small percentages of virgin fibers may be added to improve strength and durability.
7-Winding and quality control
The resulting yarn is wound, visually inspected, and tested for:
Count (Nm)
Tensile strength
Uniformity of twist
Any residual impurities
Only after passing all tests is the yarn ready for use in its natural state.
Technical Data Sheet – Recycled Cashmere Yarn
Fiber Origin: Discarded knitwear, mainly from Italy, France, the United Kingdom, the USA, India, Pakistan, and China
Processing Process: Manual Selection → Fraying → Washing → Carding → Spinning → Winding
Composition: 100% Recycled Cashmere
Fiber Fineness: 15–18 microns (depending on the lot and origin)
Average Fiber Length: 28–32 mm (average value for high-quality recycled cashmere)
Available Counts: Nm 2/13 (other counts upon request)
Colors: Natural colors available from selection (request color card)
Recommended Use: Machine Knitting, 7–8 gauge, accessories
Production: Made in Tuscany, Italy
Certifications: GRS (Global Recycled Standard) certification available
Here is the recycling process from old knitwear to spinning, step by step.
1-The origin of used knitwear
The raw material for recycled cashmere is discarded knitwear, collected through specialized channels, textile recovery organizations, and vintage stock dealers.
The main origins are:
Europe (especially Italy, France, and the United Kingdom): high-quality second-hand markets, where cashmere is widespread and well-preserved.
North America: garments often from premium brands, made with high-quality yarns.
Central Asia and China: 100% cashmere garments from the same areas where the Hircus goat is raised.
Not everything that arrives is suitable: it is essential to identify garments made of pure cashmere, avoiding blends with wool, silk, or synthetic fibers.
2-Manual sorting
Once they arrive at the lab, the garments are inspected by hand:
Composition check: verified through tactile experience, visual examination, and, if necessary, laboratory tests.
Sorting by color: the garments are sorted by shade (ecru, gray, beige, blue, black, fashion colors). This step is essential to reduce the need to dye the new yarn.
Sorting by quality: soft, slightly worn knits are treated differently from more compact or felted ones.
3-Fraying and fiber reduction
The selected garments are cut and removed from buttons, zippers, and seams.
Next comes the fraying process:
The knits are fed into special machines that separate the fibers, returning the fabric to a cashmere staple state.
During this phase, the fibers are worked extremely delicately to avoid excessively breaking them, maintaining their original length as much as possible.
4-Cleaning and Regeneration
The resulting fiber is washed in water (without harsh chemical processes) to remove dust, impurities, and residues.
Recycled cashmere is washed delicately and uses specific detergents, preserving the fiber’s natural properties.
5-Carding
Once dry, the fiber is carded, a mechanical process that:
Aligns the fibers in the same direction.
Removes further impurities.
Creates a uniform sliver ready for spinning.
6-Spinning
The carded sliver is spun on ring or continuous spinning machines, transforming it into a uniform yarn.
The twist is adjusted based on the final use (fine knitwear, accessories, fabrics).
At this stage, if necessary, small percentages of virgin fibers may be added to improve strength and durability.
7-Winding and quality control
The resulting yarn is wound, visually inspected, and tested for:
Count (Nm)
Tensile strength
Uniformity of twist
Any residual impurities
Only after passing all tests is the yarn ready for use in its natural state.
Technical Data Sheet – Recycled Cashmere Yarn
Fiber Origin: Discarded knitwear, mainly from Italy, France, the United Kingdom, the USA, India, Pakistan, and China
Processing Process: Manual Selection → Fraying → Washing → Carding → Spinning → Winding
Composition: 100% Recycled Cashmere
Fiber Fineness: 15–18 microns (depending on the lot and origin)
Average Fiber Length: 28–32 mm (average value for high-quality recycled cashmere)
Available Counts: Nm 2/13 (other counts upon request)
Colors: Natural colors available from selection (request color card)
Recommended Use: Machine Knitting, 7–8 gauge, accessories
Production: Made in Tuscany, Italy
Certifications: GRS (Global Recycled Standard) certification available