Eco2cotton™ - Jimtex Yarns & Martex Fiber Southern

Jimtex Yarns and Martex Fiber have introduced Eco2Cotton™ Brand yarns and fibers made from the recycling of new, pre-consumer (post-industrial) cotton knit cuttings, discarded during the apparel cut and sew process for t-shirt making. The cuttings are reprocessed and blended into fiber similar to new cotton, and can be re-spun into yarns or mixed with other fibers. According to the release from Jimtex, ‘a blue t-shirt contains only 60 percent of the cotton grown to produce it: the remainder goes to waste. Eco2Cotton yarns recapture blue cotton scraps, blend it with a small amount of acrylic or polyester, and then make blue yarn’. Although Jimtex emphasizes its “new” feedstock, to appeal to America's obsession for material never-exposed-to-humans, actual discarded clothing could also be used for creating 'new' yarns. If color sorted, the result could be a myriad of yarn colors and textures made from used clothing.

Ever hear of a rag picker? Not that long ago, people earned a living collecting discarded clothing that could be re-processed into a variety of “up-cycled” yarn types. The down cycled product of 'rag picking' was white paper, made largely from discarded white cottons. The very best papers still have “rag content” around 25% or higher.

Bandages too were made of recycled white clothing and linens. In fact, it was only in response to WWI-era shortages of white cotton fiber bandages that bleached wood fiber “tissue” was introduced as a substitute for cotton bandaging. Once non-woven battings became inexpensive to produce from wood cellulose, clothing scraps were destined for the landfill. Later, non-woven “paper” products came to be made with petrochemical feedstock as well: enter the super-absorbant diaper.

Congradulations to Jimtex, for taking the progressive step backward: turning a waste that was once a feedstock back into a commercial product.

Eco2cotton™ yarns are offered in solid colors as well as heathers, with hints of multiple colors. Uses include socks, sweaters, t-shirts, hats, fleece, apparel, upholstery, and kitchen and bath textiles pillow fill, non-wovens, sponges, under-carpet pad, automotive sound insulation, and mattresses.