Recycle old cashmere: Sustainable fashion and eco-friendly practices

Every year thousands of cashmere garments end up in landfill sites for no good reason at all, says French non-profit, Collective Cashmere Lab. Apart from the considerable pollution aspect of landfill sites, throwing cashmere away is a complete waste of a material which can be recycled, reducing the need to produce fresh cashmere.

China is the largest producer of cashmere, followed by Mongolia, Afghanistan, Iran, Turkey and Kyrgyzstan. The finest, most expensive and rare cashmere (pashmina) comes from Kashmir. Cashmere is produced by Capra Aegagrus Hircus/Hircus Blythi goats, which grow a double fleece consisting of a soft, fine undercoat and a straighter, coarser outer layer called guard hair.

The undercoat is grown during the winter to keep the goats warm, and shed in spring when the goats moult. It has to be mechanically separated from the guard hair ('de-haired'), a process which is easier if it has been removed from the goats by hand rather than by shearing the whole fleece. Gathering cashmere by hand is time-consuming and labour-intensive, which is why cashmere is expensive.

Cashmere garments are sought after for their softness and warmth. The fibres are naturally crinkled, meaning that even very fine knits trap tiny pockets of air which trap warmth and keep it close to the skin. 

Cashmere has been valued for these properties since at least 3BC, and continuing high demand for virgin as opposed to recycled cashmere has resulted in grasslands in China and Mongolia disappearing due to being overgrazed, leading to herds of goats starving. 

This in turn means air pollution has increased and water rationing has been introduced. Average annual temperatures are increasing faster in these areas than in other parts of the world. There are also doubts about the treatment of the goats, which is not always monitored as it should be. 

As a result, clothing manufacturers are increasingly using recycled cashmere, as well as accepting cashmere garments for recycling. In France, Notshy Cashmere gives €50 vouchers to people depositing any brand of cashmere in their shops. Bobbin & Tricot offer 15% off items in their online shop. 

Eric Bompard is another company which accepts cashmere for recycling and offers discounts in return.

The Collective Cashmere Lab in Paris also accepts all pure cashmere items, even if they are ripped, stained, or worn into holes. "It is a passion project for me," says founder Eric Bouaziz. "I grew up in Morocco, where my father had a textiles factory, so you could say I grew up in knitted goods. Then for 25 years I was the director of a knitting enterprise, importing textiles to France. The company closed during Covid and I moved into a new career in logistics."

He began recycling used textiles, but very quickly realised that there were no specialist cashmere recycling centres in France. "So I contacted people in Italy where they already recycle cashmere, and that gave me the idea of setting up this Collective in Paris."

Businesses who donate used/unsold cashmere get tax breaks because these donations are classed as gifts to charity. "We have collected 1.5 tonnes of used cashmere so far. We sort it by colour. Pale and bright colours can be re-dyed if required. We then use special machines to comb the fibres free. 

"Cashmere is very fragile, so this takes experience. We then send the combed cashmere to another centre which mixes it with 30% new cashmere before spinning it into fresh thread. We then sell this to manufacturers wanting to make new garments from recycled cashmere. This covers the expenses of recycling."

Send your used cashmere to Collective Cashmere Lab, 38 Rue du Docteur Parat, 93230 Romainville.