The Definitive (ish) list of Recycled Yarn

There is more to recycled yarn than T-shirt yarn and not all T-shirt yarn is recycled! There are lots of recycled yarns in all kinds of materials, textures, sizes and prices. Unfortunately, they take some finding! Search terms don’t seem to bring up much and throw up many non-recycled yarns. But as it’s a passion of mine to rethink waste I’ve been using recycled yarns for years and I’ve created a list with links here so you don’t have to search for hours like I did.

This isn’t a review of the yarns, just a list and short description, along with some links where to get them. For reviews see Eco Yarn Reviews.

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I’ll start with the bulky yarns and get right down to 4ply! It is by no means complete, new yarns are always being developed and discovered and I may have missed some, please tell me if there’s any you know of that aren’t here.

If you need hooks for the yarn weight, one of my favourite makes is Knit Pro Waves. They are highly affordable and comes in a great range of sizes with comfortable chunky handles. I use these a lot with plarn and chunkier recycled yarns and they make an enormous difference to comfort.

Super chunky Bulky weight

T-shirt yarn is a fantastic choice for chunky projects. Hoooked Zpagetti was the original brand but there are now lots of brands. However t-shirt yarns can still be difficult to get hold of, with expensive postage. A lot of the popular yarn shops don’t stock them. Online I found lots of small sellers and one big worldwide online shop Love Crafts, who stock a few different brands.

If it’s Hoooked you especially love (and there’s so many reasons to love them). You can find their full range on their website. You will also find their popular ranges at Love Crafts.

Paintbox yarns at LoveCrafts have their own brand of Recycled T-shirt yarn, offering great value and a lovely range of choices.

I am super impressed with UK based Woolly Whatknot who stock several brands of recycled T-shirt yarn and Barbante offering outstanding choice of colours across brands. A further gold star goes to her for low-cost postage, making small orders affordable.

When browsing recently, I discovered super cheap recycled T-shirt yarns at LindeHobby and Rito Yarn & Hobby.

An alternative to t-shirt yarn is Ribbon tape, which is lighter in texture but still a super chunky yarn and is also used to make bags, rugs and chunky makes, but can also be used for clothing.

Hoooked Ribbon XL (80% Cotton 20% Synthetic) Hook size 8-12mm Fantastic range of 30 colours.

Wool and the Gang Mixtape (80% Cotton 20% Polyester) 250g roll (8-15mm hook) comes in a small, but lovely, range of colours.

Paintbox yarns briefly had a Recycled Ribbon tape yarn exactly the same as Hoooked but they sadly discontinued it.

If you like the ribbon tape there are more options from Tek Tek Tape and Welcome Yarn Lace that you’ll find in a great range of beautiful colours at Woolly Whatknot.

Ice Yarns have a 100% recycled cotton ribbon yarn, Jumbo Cotton Ribbon, that offers exceptional value.

If you’re looking for a tougher, strong yarn, then another super chunky offering can be found at Woolly Whatknot, it’s Bobbiny Rope (100% recycled cotton) a versatile cord yarn in 3 thicknesses: They have the super thick Jumbo 9mm (16 – 18mm crochet hook) and my personal fav for making awesome baskets, the Premium 5mm (8-10mm hook) . Check out this pic of the Jumbo, how amazing is this!

I’m delighted to see well known brand DMC come into the recycled market with their DMC Nova Vita, made from 80% Upcycled Cotton 20% Polyester. It’s a Super Chunky weight Macramé type woven rope yarn, much like Bobbiny rope mentioned above. It’s perfect for baskets, plant pots and home décor items. Comes in a 250g (8.8oz) skein and a gorgeous range of colours.

Chunky/Bulky weight

Bobbiny Rope also have a smaller offering too, the Junior 3mm (6-8mm hook)

Bergere de France Recyclaine (58% Acrylic 30% Synthetic 12% Wool) Discontinued, replaced by the one below.

Bergere de France 100% Recyclé 8, 51% Acrylic 38% Wool 8% Polyamide 3% Other, 100g (3.5oz), Super Chunky, knit or crochet using 8mm for quick chunky rustic makes.

Lang Yarns Neon, 67% Polyester 33% Virgin Wool, 50g (1.8oz), Chunky weight, 6.5-8mm hooks. Made from consumer plastic, combined with virgin merino wool, this is a sturdy yarn for making warm accessories and jumpers. Super bright colours.

Wool and the Gang New Wave, a slimmer tape style in worsted/chunky weight. Hook size 5-8mm Made from plastic bottles! 53% Cotton 47% Polyester.

You will see a type of yarn called ‘Barbante’ come up in this weight range. This is a typical plied type of recycled yarn but thicknesses vary by brand. Some brands call this Macrame yarn others have a separate product described as Macrame Cord. They can be the same thing and also completely different! I’ve found a bit of everything here though to cover them all.

Hoooked offer 2 types of Barbante, Chunky and Aran/Worsted.

The Chunky weight Spesso Eco Barbante Chunky Cotton (85% Cotton 15% Synthetic). Hook size 8-10mm. comes in a small range of lovely colours. Ideal for Macrame and chunky makes, like baskets. Lovecrafts stock a lot but not the full range of colours.

Welcome Yarn Barbante (80% Cotton, 20% other fibers) comes in 2 thicknesses 2mm (3-6mm hook) and XL in 4mm (8-12mm hook) thicknesses in a great range of colours and 2 sizes of balls too.

Tek Tek Barbante (98% recycled cotton and 1% polyester, 1% polyamide) 2mm (3-6mm hook) 3mm (5-8mm hook)

Bobbiny in 100% recycled cotton 3mm and XL 5mm is marketed as a macrame cord rather than a Barbante yarn. But being 100% Cotton this may be a firmer yarn.

Welcome Yarn, Tek Tek and Bobbiny can all be found at Woolly Whatknot .

Recycled Fabric Ribbon

If you’re looking for texture and incredibly beautiful colours, then recycled sari ribbon could be just what you’re looking for. Check out Yarn Yarn for great choice. They make their sari ribbon from leftover fabric from sari manufacturing, produced by women’s co-operatives and craftspeople in rural deprived areas of Northern India. So not only is the beautiful sari ribbon highly versatile for knitting, crochet, weaving, textile art and even jewellery making, it is handmade, hand dyed and it’s about as Ethical as it gets.

Another fabric yarn from Yarn Yarn is a Recycled Eyelash Cotton fabric yarn, that is brimming with beautiful texture and has the same impressive ethical credentials as their sari ribbon.

You will also find a vast array of choice in recycled Sari ribbon of varying thicknesses and beautiful colours at Darn Good Yarn. All made from ethically sourced recycled fabrics made by women’s co-operatives in India.

Spun Sari and Banana Yarns

By the same artisans who produce sari ribbon yarn, and therefore also ethically produced, we also have recycled spun sari yarn and banana yarn,. These are generally chunky weight but can also be Aran and finer weights. They can also vary from skein to skein! Being hand-spun, expect inconsistencies. Generally, a supplier will have batches of similar weight. There are many of suppliers these types of yarns. Too many to list here, but if you go head over to my Banana Yarn Review, you’ll find suppliers listed there. If you’re looking for recycled yarn that is ethical and unique, these are the yarns for you.

Silk Roving Worsted Weight Yarn by Darn Good Yarns, made from recycled sari silk, comes in a truly gorgeous array of hand dyed colours and they’re ethically sourced from artisans in India too.

Please note my experience of recycled silk and banana yarns is that the dyes run so you might need to rinse them several times before use.

Aran/Worsted Weight

Borderline between chunky and worsted/aran weight is the new yarn from Hoooked (launched March 2020), the gorgeous Wavy Blends. It is a gradient cake yarn in 80% recycled cotton yarn and 20% other recycled fibres (Hook size 4-6) and comes in several beautiful colourways. This is a firm feeling yarn, perfect for bags, rugs and home decor.

Paintbox Recycled Cotton Worsted. It’s 100% recycled cotton, a truly fantastic addition to the Paintbox’s recycled range. Currently in a lovely range of colours too. Having used this I can tell you it’s closer to DK weight and has a rustic appearance.

Sadly NOW DISCONTINUED! King Cole Big Value Recycled Aran Cotton (85% Cotton 15% Other fibres) – a really great aran weight yarn. Soft and strong and in a range of 18 colours, it was exceptionally good value too. I loved this yarn and used it a lot.

BUT it’s been replaced in 2023 with a very similar, more expensive, product called King Cole Big Value Recycled Dishcloth Cotton (85% Cotton 15% Polyester, 160m (175yds)/100g (3.5oz). It has a small range of colours that have some of the same gorgeous bright colours as it’s predecessor but nowhere near as much.

Launched in 2020 is King Cole Forest, an aran weight, 100g ball. A blend of recycled cosy fibres 35% Wool, 20% Acrylic, 20% Polyamide, 25% Viscose. Comes in pretty heathered natural shades. I’d be loving this without the wool content! Annoying having a wool allergy. But it’s popular according to it’s reviews so looks like a great buy.

Hoooked have their second offering in this type of yarn the Eco Barbante Milano (85% Cotton 15% Other) a super practical thickness in aran/worsted with a 4-6mm suggested hook size. Has a good range of colour choices including multi coloured mixes and 2 choices of ball sizes. Go to Hoooked for the full range.

Drops Paris Denim, 100% recycled cotton from jeans. Just 4 colours of Jean wash available. Incredibly low priced and good value.

Premier Yarns Rodeo is a 85% cotton 15% polyester blend in super popular aran weight, making a great choice for a more eco friendly alternative to ordinary cotton if you can get it.

Cascade Yarns Rebound is a 70% Polyester 30% Cotton mix yarn, all recycled fibres. Classic neutral tones. I’ve tried this one, and really liked it. But Lovecrafts stopped stocking it and I couldn’t get it anywhere else. May be discontinued now.

Bergere de France Recycline (50% Other 30% Acrylic 20% Wool) just a few nice Earthy colours, great rustic texture. DISCONTINUED Replaced by the new one below.

Bergere de France 100% Recyclé 4 51% Acrylic 38% Wool 8% Polyamide 3% Other, 50g (1.8oz), Aran weight. Has replaced the Recycline shown above.

Berroco Remix (30% Nylon 27% Cotton 24% Acrylic 10% Silk 9% Linen) 5mm hook recommended. A versatile wool-free mix of recycled fibres great for gorgeous textures. Pretty range of lightly flecked colours but a tad expensive, so keep an eye out for offers if you want to try this one. It’s a very popular yarn that’s been around for a few years now.

Fabulous big brand Lion Brand, is really storming ahead now in the recycled market in 2024 with their Sustainable Stitching range of yarns:

Re-Up (70g, 117 yards) and Re-Up Bonus Bundle (398g/14oz, 595m/651y) in Aran/light worsted weight
70% Recycled Cotton 30% Recycled Polyester. It’s a super practical thickness and a highly affordable eco friendly switch for cotton blends and it comes in a really lovely range of colours too! But it looks like it’s only the Bonus Bundle Lionbrand sell on their site now (2024). It was never widely available in the UK anyway, but there’s some of the smaller skeins still to be found on Amazon.

Re-Spun Bonus Bundle (a whopping 284 grams 658 yards) is a 100% recycled polyester yarn spun from recycled plastics. The soft feel makes it perfect for everything from garments and accessories to home décor. Aran #4 weight (it’s quite thin for a #4, best described as n between a #3 and #4 weight).

Re-Tweed (100g, 202 yards) is a 40% Wool, 40% Polyester, 20% Acrylic blend that comes in an array of muted natural colours. Aran #4 weight.

Wool-Ease Recycled (85g, 196y/179m) 80% Recycled Acrylic, 20% Recycled Wool

Sirdar Simply Recycled Aran discontinued but still available in smaller online shops.

Launched in December 2021- Yarn and Colors Gentle. A 100% recycled cotton in a fab range of colours! YES, this is very good news for colour fans, we have an eco rainbow and a whole lot more too!!! They come in 50g (1.8oz) balls so there’s not much yarn to play with but with an affordable price tag that’s ok. Besides smaller yarn balls are ideal for mixed colour projects and amigurumi.

DK

Another brand new offering: Yarn and Colors Amazing, a 100% recycled Acrylic DK yarn that comes in a gorgeous range of colours in 100g balls. It is exceptionally good value but is quite scratchy. I am reviewing this yarn soon. Subscribe to my email list if you’d love to hear about it (and other fabulous new posts and patterns too!).

Grundl Green Line Second Life – a thicker DK (European Sport Weight that falls between DK and Aran weight) 86% recycled polyester from plastic bottles 14% acrylic. Gorgeous range of bright colours at LoveCrafts UK (but not US yet, sorry). This is quite a firm and robust feeling yarn but while I wouldn’t describe it as soft, it isn’t itchy, and is a great alternative to acrylic with amazing stitch definition! Disappointed to see Lovecrafts drop this yarn already (2024).

Cascade Yarns ReVive – DK weight 100% recycled Wool, 100g (3.5oz). Good range of colours. This yarn has excellent green credentials for creating sustainable wearables and accessories.

King Cole Big Value Limited Edition 100% Recycled Acrylic, 100g (3.5oz), DK weight. It’s 100% recycled acrylic!!! Wow, I waited a long time for such a yarn, so was overjoyed to see this. The colours are few and are limited edition, so will only be around for a short time, before being replaced by new ones (hopefully). It’s a good swap for an eco-friendly alternative to DK acrylic. See my review here.

Super budget friendly Hoooked Soft Cotton (80% cotton, 20% other fibres) in a fantastic range of colours. I’m delighted to see this very much needed new addition. Well done Hoooked! I love this yarn. It’s a bit splitty but it has gorgeous stitch definition and is fantastic for crochet homewares. A review of this one coming soon. Check out my other Eco Yarn Reviews.

Another from Hoooked is their beautiful Somen a 60% recycled cotton 40% Linen mix. Perfect for lighter garments. Lovecrafts have stopped stocking it at present (2024) but Hoooked still sell it.

Re-use by Rosarios 4, 100% recycled cotton DK weight in a small lovely range of colours. Suggested hook size is 4.5 – 5mm so it may be closer to Aran/worsted weight.

Stylecraft brought a new yarn out in 2021: Re-Create DK, a 100% recycled blend of 40% wool, 30% acrylic and 30% polyester (from plastic bottles). A small range of pretty heathery colours and recommended for garments and accessories.

Wool and The Gang Billy Jean yarn, 100% cotton DK yarn made from denim remnants. Only in 3 denim colours

Retwisst Slim Cotton (80% Cotton 20% Polyester) – a recycled DK cotton (hook 3-4mm) in a great range of bright pretty colours offering exceptionally good value.

Tweedy by Hedgehog Fibres DK (50% Falkland Merino Wool, 37.5% Recycled wool 12.5% recycled thread waste) – 100g. Woolly and soft. Just one neutral beige colourway with pretty specks of bright colours. This company will recycle your waste yarn ends into this yarn. You can send them to them by post, see their website for details.

Bergere de France Ecoton DK (48% Cotton 48% Acrylic 4% Other) 50g 3.5-4mm hook. Small range of pretty pastel colours.

Berroco Remix Light (30% Nylon 27% Cotton 24% Acrylic 10% Silk 9% Linen) 3.75mm hook recommended. A versatile wool-free mix of recycled fibres great for gorgeous textures. Pretty range of lightly flecked colours. Luxury yarn so is expensive.

Phildar Phil Eco Jean (48% Cotton 47% Polyester 5% Other) 50g Made from recycled jeans. Only in a small range of denim colours. Needle/hook 4mm.

Erika Knight Studio Linen (85% recycled linen 15% linen) 50g Range of grey/pastel tones for classic, elegant styling. DK 3.75mm hook.

Lana Grossa Solo Lino (80% recycled Viscose 20% Linen) DK (Hook 3.5mm) Pretty range of colours.

Lana Grossa Solo Lino Melange (80% recycled Viscose 20% Linen) Tube yarn that has an airy tape appearance but lighter weight than the chunkier tape yarn (Hook size 5mm). Pretty range of colours. Ideal for garments with drape.

Rico Essentials Recycled Cashmere (95% Cashmere 5% Wool) 25g Perfect for eco conscious luxurious makes in a small range mainly pinks and grey tones.

Rowan Denim Revive (95% Cotton 5% Other) 50g Small range of lovely colours.

4ply/Sport weight (#2)

The choice in 4 ply is considerably less but I hope with the current trend in upcycling and reuse, that yarn companies will make more in this thickness.

Drops Love You 6 (discontinued) and 9 recycled cotton come in a pretty range of colours. This is a fantastic strong yarn that I use a lot for flowers. Check with Garnstudio for stock and suppliers, there are quite a few.

Cascade Yarns Reverb (70% Recycled Polyester 30% Recycled Alpaca), 100g ball. A wonderful eco-friendly option for wool blend yarns in this thickness.

Cascade has brought out another new eco yarn late 2021- Cascade Yarns ReFine, 75% Merino Wool 20% Nylon 5% Viscose, 100g (3.5oz). A lovely practical blend ideal for garments and socks, it comes in a beautiful range of colours too.

I recently discovered a very pretty one through another crocheter, Banana Moon Studios. Trend Setter Recycled Linen Hand Dyed (84% Recycled Linen, 16% Linen) Sport weight, and it looks beautiful. Check out the review of it by Banana Moon Studio.

Darn Good Sport Weight Silk Yarn. This 100% silk yarn is hand-spun from recycled silk waste by women’s co-operatives in India. Comes in a small range of pretty, eye-catching colours.

Lace Weight Silk Yarn at Darn Good Yarn, made from recycled, ethically sourced, hand-dyed by artisans in India. It comes in a stunning range of colours that you will fall in love with!

Macrame thread/cord

A range of recycled undyed and bleached recycled cotton yarn and macrame cords in various thicknesses are available at UK based Airdale yarns. Perfect for dyeing your own.

Retwisst have recycled Macrame cord in a range of beautiful colours including a fab cake range too. It’s 80% cotton 20% polyester (2-4mm crochet hook) This could be a great alternative to DK

So there we are, quite a few different yarns in all shapes and sizes! Hope this helps you source the perfect recycled yarns for your projects and encourages you to try recycled yarns. Let me know what you think and please PIN it (you can pin any photo) and SHARE it to help others find it. Together we can make a difference 💚

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