Firm’s latest initiative is a good yarn

Fine knitwear firm John Smedley has launched a new initiative, which will see recycled wool incorporated into its forthcoming collections.

To celebrate Wool Month this month, the historic Derbyshire manufacturer, which this year celebrates its 240th anniversary, has partnered with iinouiio – a Yorkshire-based textile recycling mill, which turns waste merino yarns into new fibres.

Waste yarns are collected from the factory floor at John Smedley’s factory at Lea Mills, near Matlock.

They are then sent to iinouiio, which shreds the wool back to its original form, blends it with virgin merino and then re-spins it into new yarns.

The regenerated wool is then incorporated into new garments.

In a statement, John Smedley, which is a holder of two Royal Warrants, said: “We have built our name on crafting the finest merino knitwear in England for centuries and we remain the oldest, still operational factory in the world.

“This circularity project forms part of our long-term commitments to responsible production and our mission to fulfil emission-reducing targets.

“It is the largest-scale overhaul to our sourcing and supply chain that we have undertaken in our 240-year history.”