September 11, 2021

Behind the Scenes of Recycled Wools

This season, I've partnered with the Calamai family, who've been recycling fibers in Prato, Italy since 1878. The family's fourth generation keeps the business alive and thriving with a growing demand for eco-friendly fabrics by collecting unwanted blankets, sweater and fabric scraps to be reclaimed.

The reclaimed items are first sorted by color, then shredded, then run through a mechanical blending process to render any desired color outcome without the need of any additional dye, water or chemicals. The reclaimed materials apply their original color to the new material!

There is no compromise of strength, comfort or aesthetic with recycled materials. The U.S. alone sends 26 billion pounds of clothing to landfills per year. Reclaiming fibers diverts 3 million tons of clothing from landfills per year, with the potential for much more. Recycled fabrics minimize energy and resource consumption, waste, and environmental impact.

Waste is our biggest resource. The most sustainable materials are the ones we already have!