You’ve heard about sustainable fashion and clothing, but what exactly is sustainable knitting? If you’re into this rewarding revival craft, then it’s certainly an interesting new direction to learn about, especially as the fashion industry seeks to become cleaner, greener and more ethical.
How fashion is becoming more sustainable
Many niche and upcoming brands are making use of recycled polyester, wool and mixed fibre blends to create new knitted items, breathing new life into unwanted clothes by repurposing their yarn. One example is a brand called Snow Peak in Japan which is a high-end outdoor clothing manufacturer with seriously sustainable credentials. This company is already looking at ways to bring recycled fibre into its products, using recycled polyester resin to create new t-shirts. By using cutting-edge flat knitting machines to commercialise the process, the resulting clothing is high-end, but kind to the environment.
In Japan alone, over a million tonnes of clothes are thrown away every year, so Snow Peak is just one brand working to gather them, recycle them, separate and refine usable fabrics and spin polyester and wool into new yarn. This creates a sustainable clothing production loop that minimises landfill and allows the true value of the material to be unlocked .
Knitting kits that support the environment
One way to become more sustainable in your own crafts is to seek out wool and yarn blends that use recycled textiles to create new products. There are various knitting kits that are starting to incorporate yarns and wools with recycled elements, and many of these are of excellent quality. These Knitting Kits are great if you are new to the craft, looking for a lovely gift to inspire a friend or loved one, or simply want to experiment with new projects without needing to buy large amounts of raw material.
Another good way to enjoy sustainable knitting is to consider gathering your own wool and yarns from existing clothing or projects that can be repurposed. It’s often possible to pick up high-quality vintage pieces from charity shops and second-hand hauls and use them as a starting point for something new and beautiful, with the knowledge that you are bringing something back to life without waste or damage to the environment. As ever with craft, there is so much potential to do good and benefit the planet whilst enjoying yourself and having fun!
