How many times can wool be recycled?
Discover how wool can be the key fibre for circular and sustainable fashion
We often hear about how recyclable wool is, but there’s a million-dollar question that no one has answered: how many times can wool be recycled? Here’s what we found out!
Nowadays, wool is the most recycled apparel fibre in the world, and its recycling has been here since the early 1800s (Read more on When did wool recycling start?), but nobody has ever come up with a definitive answer on how many times it can be recycled. That’s why we decided to partner with a prestigious university and conduct a pioneering study that digs deep into the potential of wool recycling – in order to highlight even more that wool is THE key fibre to create effective circular economy models.
Wool has the potential to be recycled multiple times in a closed-loop system
Wool fibre recyclability strongly depends on initial fibre lenght, fabric structure and recycling machine setting.
Recycling does not affect wool’s tensile strenght
Wool can be recycled up to 6 times in a closed-loop system
Our study reveals that wool fibers can be mechanically recycled up to 6 times in a closed-loop system without compromising their core properties. This means that wool garments have the potential to be transformed into new yarns, fabrics, and garments multiple times through the woollen spinning process, provided the fibers remain at least 20mm long (Read more on What is the difference between worsted and woollen textiles?).
However, wool’s recyclability doesn’t end here.
Even when fibers become too short for woollen spinning, they can still be used in open-loop recycling (Read more on What is the difference between open-loop and closed-loop recycling?), where they’re repurposed into raw materials for other industries or lower-grade products within the textile sector. This versatility underscores wool’s significant role in driving circularity (Read more on 5 reasons why wool is the circular fibre par excellence).
The number of times wool fibres can be recycled strongly depends on 3 key factors and the balance between them. Let’s find out what influences Wool’s Recyclability:
Nr. 1
Initial fiber length
Wool fibers' ability to withstand multiple recycling processes largely depends on their initial length. For example, shorter wools, such as merino, as opposed to longer cross-bred wools, can be expected to be less sensitive to fibre breakage during mechanical recycling.
Nr. 2
Fabric structure
The structure of the wool fabric—whether it’s knitted or woven—plays a significant role in determining recyclability. Knitted fabrics tend to experience less fiber breakage than woven fabrics, which leads to longer retained fiber lengths during the recycling process. In essence, recycling post-consumer knitted garments yields better results in terms of fiber quality retention.
Nr. 3
Recycling machine settings
Not all wool recycling systems are equal. Different machines and configurations result in varying outcomes for recycled fibers. The know-how of wool recyclers, including machine settings and process techniques, can significantly impact fiber properties and the environmental footprint of the recycling process.
Wool’s tensile strength remains intact through recycling
The study found that recycling wool does not compromise its tensile strength. In fact, across all the wool samples tested, the fibers retained over 92% of their tensile strength after being recycled, demonstrating that wool remains robust and durable even after undergoing multiple recycling cycles.
Wool’s ability to withstand several recycling cycles - and even beyond in open-loop systems - makes it a game-changer for circular fashion. If you want to learn more, make sure to read our scientific publication in the Journal of Cleaner Engineering and Technology: “Closed loop mechanical recyclability of post-consumer waste wool fabrics based on fibre length retention”
About Manteco, Italian premium textiles and circularity since 1943
After decades in the fashion world, in 2018, we have created the Manteco Academy project, through which we give webinars, in-person lessons and workshops on eco-design, circular economy and sustainability to numerous fashion schools, technical universities and brands worldwide. Thanks to this educative commitment and our heritage, we are often invited as guest speaker at events, panels, podcasts and conferences about sustainable fashion and circular economy.