Recycled wool
Also known as: Reclaimed wool, Shoddy, Mungo
Wool made from shredded old textiles — the Prato tradition goes back to 1813 (inventor: Benjamin Law).
Description
Wool recycling is one of the oldest circular traditions of the textile industry: in 1813, Benjamin Law invented the shoddy process in Batley, England — the mechanical shredding of soft old textiles into reusable fibres. Later mungo was added (harder fabrics such as felt) and extract (wool recovered from wool-blend textiles). After the decline in England, the industry moved first to Prato in Italy and later to Panipat in India.
To this day, Prato is the world centre of wool recycling: used textiles are sorted by colour, opened up in large shredding machines and the fibres are re-spun in their original colour — which avoids dyeing steps and huge quantities of water. Because staple length is shortened, recycled wool is usually blended with virgin wool or other fibres (typically 30–70 %). Brands like Manteco (Prato) and Woolmark offer certified recycled-wool qualities. Key standards: GRS and RCS.
- Tradition since 1813 (Benjamin Law) — today mainly Prato and Panipat
- Colour sorting replaces dyeing — massive water and chemistry savings
- Shorter fibres — usually blended with virgin wool
- Certifications: GRS, RCS, Woolmark Recycled
Properties
| Fibre type | Recycled fibre from wool textiles |
|---|---|
| Origin | Italy (Prato), India (Panipat) |
| Application | Winter coats, blankets, felts, jackets |
| Certificates | GRS, RCS, Woolmark Recycled |
Related product categories
Sources & references
2- Wikipedia: Shoddy Wikipedia — Freie Enzyklopädie https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoddy
- Global Recycled Standard Textile Exchange https://textileexchange.org/global-recycled-standard/
