Collecting fabric “rags” for re-use has a long history -- not for making new textiles, but for making paper. Ancient Chinese historical documents record that the source of fiber for Ts’ai Lun’s paper included discarded cloth and rags. After Gutenberg’s invention of the printing press in Europe in 1455, there was a great demand for paper. At first it was made exclusively from old linen rags, but by the mid-1700s rags made from imported cotton were also used. When the first paper mill in America was constructed in 1690, old linen rags were also the ma-in source of fiber, although as cotton plantations developed in the South, cotton rags were also used. Near my home we enjoy many acres of redwood forest where a paper mill once stood – the paper was made from rags collected locally instead of cutting down the trees.

With the beginning of industrialization and the settling of America, demand for paper exceeded the supply of rags. By 1880, many American newspapers were printed on paper made from wood pulp, and as mechanization made the process cheaper and cheaper, paper made from wood became the standard. It was likely that in pre-industrial times cotton cloth was reclaimed and reused as many times as possible because of its expense and rarity. Until industrialization, cotton was the most expensive form of cloth available. In 1800 it took about 12 to 15 days to produce cotton thread and only 2 to 5 days to produce linen. Since prior to industrialization, women spun thread, wove fabric, then sewed garments for their entire family at home, every scrap of fabric that could be salvaged and reused meant a saving of time and energy for the homemaker.

Today, recycled and reclaimed textiles are being used to make a variety of products.

Recycled fabrics are made from pre- and post-consumer wastes, which are collected, unraveled, then re-spun into yarn for weaving or knitting.

Reclaimed fabrics are fabrics such as scraps for making quilts or rag rugs, or items made from fabric items re-cut to make new items, such as t-shirts cut to make cleaning cloths.

According to the Council for Textile Recycling, nationwide over four-million tons of post-consumer textiles enter the waste stream every year. Most go to landfills, but around a million tons are collected by charity groups. About half of the textile products collected are sold as second-hand items, and the rest eventually goes to rag graders. There they are sorted for different markets and either sent to other countries for sale as used clothing, or chopped up and reclaimed to make items such as blankets.

In addition to our post-consumer fabric waste, 25,000 tons of new textile fiber is disposed of by North American spinning mills, weavers and fabric manufacturers each year.

Technology now exists to make new cotton yarn from gin waste, commercial fabric trimmings, mills ends, and used clothing. Recycled cotton is recovered cotton that would be wasted during the spinning, weaving and cutting processes. Up to 40% of cotton grown is wasted between the harvest and the manufacture of garments. Yarn purchasers have many different grades, thicknesses and strength options to choose from. Any yarn that is overproduced or does not meet the exact specifications of the purchaser is considered waste, even though it is perfectly useable. This is the “waste” that is respun into new yarn. The irregular colors textures of this yarn reveal it’s recycled origins and are not considered flaws.

In the past, this waste went directly into landfills. By recycling cotton wastes, we not only conserve landfill space, we reduce the amount of land, water, energy, pesticides and human labor that goes into cotton production.

According to The Wool Products Labeling Act of 1939, (as Amended 1986), "recycled wool" is the resulting fiber when wool has been woven or felted into a wool product which, whether used by a consumer or not, is subsequently made again into a fibrous state.

Purchase recycled textile products. Recycled or "re-spun" cotton and wool is not yet common, but they are slowly gaining acceptance. In addition to being sold through environmental retailers, a few items are now showing up in mainstream catalogs. There are also fabrics made from recycled PET soda bottles.

Paper made from recycled cotton is readily available in all fine stationary and office supply stores. Post-industrial cotton textile mill and manufacturing cuttings, leftover seed hairs culled from the cotton ball during the ginning of cotton into thread, and cotton linters (the short fuzzy fibers that remain attached to the cotton seed after ginning that are too short to spin) all go in to the pot that makes the pulp from which paper is created.

Recycle textiles. It is unlikely that you have a textiles recycling program in your community; however, if you donate your discarded clothing and other textile items to a second-hand store, they will either be sold in the store or passed on for sale in foreign countries or otherwise processed. There’s no reason to send your textiles to the landfill when it is so easy to drop them off at your local thrift store. Many charities will even come pick them up at your home.

If items are too worn or stained to donate, rip them up for rags or consider how salvageable parts might be reused or passed on for quilting or rug making. Prepare textiles for recycling. Washing textile items and removing stains will make it easier for the charity to sell them.

Written especially for Worldwise by Debra Lynn Dadd © WorldWise, Inc., Department WS, PO Box 3360, San Rafael, CA 94912-3360, Tel 415-721-7400 Fax 415-721-7418
E-mail info@worldwise.com  Website: www.worldwise.com

Additional Resources:
Council for Textile Recycling
MassRecycle
National Recycle Coalition
Secondary Materials & Recycled Textiles SMART