From Waste to Resource: The Complete Cycle of a Recycled Thread

Sometimes, sustainability begins with a simple question: What if what we call waste still had value?

Where some see leftovers, we see living material.

Every fibre, every colour, every strand can once again become part of the textile cycle.

This is the story of a recycled yarn: a journey that begins among discarded materials and ends in innovation.

From waste to resource

Every year, the textile industry generates millions of tonnes of waste. Only a small part is recycled. At Hilaturas Jesús Rubio, we decided to transform that reality by turning discarded materials into valuable resources.

Our recycled yarns may come from industrial scraps, used garments, or plastic materials such as bottles and fishing nets. Each type of waste requires a different treatment, but they all share the same purpose: to close the loop and reduce environmental impact.

Selecting the right raw material according to its application – whether in fashion, upholstery, automotive, or technical textiles – is the first step to ensuring quality and performance.

A second life for fibre

Recycling does not mean improvising. Before spinning, each material is classified by composition, colour, and condition. In this way, we reduce the use of dyes, eliminate impurities, and ensure a homogeneous base.

Afterwards, the fibre is opened, cleaned, and carded until it regains its natural elasticity.

The result is a blend ready to be reborn as yarn, with the strength and softness required to reintegrate into the textile chain.

Where transformation happens

In the spinning phase, the recycled fibre is turned into a new yarn through high-precision mechanical processes.

We combine different systems – such as open-end, ring or mixed spinning – depending on the type of fibre and the final use, always seeking the right balance between performance, texture and sustainability.

Each yarn is customised in colour, twist, and thickness, and goes through tensile, regularity, and friction tests to ensure its technical behaviour is as reliable as that of any virgin fibre.

Quality and traceability without compromise

A recycled yarn only makes sense if it maintains its technical integrity.

That is why we apply strict control at every stage of production and certify our processes under international standards.

The GRS (Global Recycled Standard) and OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 certifications guarantee both the origin of the material and the absence of harmful substances, ensuring clean, responsible, and traceable production.

From bobbin to fabric

Once on the bobbin, the recycled yarn becomes the raw material for new stories:

• In fashion, it brings life to knitted or denim fabrics.
• In decoration, to durable upholstery;
• in industry, to technical or fire-retardant components;
• and in agriculture or healthcare, for reinforcement or filtration solutions.

Each application proves that recycling does not mean giving up performance, but rethinking how to produce intelligently and with purpose.

Innovating through proximity

Manufacturing in Spain is a decision that brings together sustainability, control, and proximity.

Local production reduces emissions, ensures traceability, and maintains quality from start to finish.

Moreover, constant innovation in new materials – combining recycled fibres with natural or technical ones – allows us to create more versatile, stable, and durable yarns, tailored to the needs of each sector.

Educate, inspire, transform

Textile recycling also grows through knowledge.

That is why we collaborate with design schools, workshops, and universities, sharing our experience and encouraging circular creativity.

We believe that every new generation of designers has the power to imagine fabrics that respect the natural cycle of materials.

Asking before choosing about origin, certifications, or technical performance is today more than ever a form of commitment.

Closing the loop

Every recycled yarn leaving our facilities represents a small victory: that of a more human, efficient, and conscious production model.

Technology, sustainability, and craftsmanship intertwine in a single gesture: transforming waste into resources.

From waste to resource. From yarn to commitment. And in every strand, a new opportunity to begin again.