Engineers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technol
ogy (MIT) have developed a new recyclable yarn that
offers stretch and strength similar to spandex, providing a
more sustainable alternative for producing lightweight and
stretchable textiles. The new yarn is made entirely from
polyethylene, a plastic commonly used in everyday prod
ucts such as milk bottles, grocery bags, and packaging. It is
designed to be woven into fabrics for comfortable, flexible
clothing while also supporting easier recycling at the end of
the product’s life.
Unlike spandex, the polyethylene yarn is fully recyclable
because it is made from a thermoplastic material that can be
melted and reshaped into new products. Garments made
from this yarn can be collected after use, melted down, and
turned into new yarn or molded into accessories such as
buttons. During testing, researchers recycled and respun
the yarn ten times without reducing its strength.