The making of Elixir - BWM's Chunky Recycled Natural Fibre Yarn

We have a NEW yarn at Bendigo Woollen Mills, that is soft and fun to work with. It's also got a low environmental footprint as it's recycled. So we thought you might like to have a little insight into the making of Elixir Yarn - Bendigo Woollen Mills' new chunky recycled Natural Fibre yarn.

Aren't all natural fibre yarns an environmentally-friendly choice?

Anyone who creates their own garments using natural fibre yarns already knows the importance and value of 'slow' fashion.

It is, of course, the antithesis of fast fashion, which is characterised by the rapid production, low cost (due to use largely synthetic fibres) and being hugely wasteful, due to it often being discarded after a few wears.

Garments you create take time, effort, love - and so are often treasured and kept and worn for many years...so making any garment from a natural fibre yarn is already a great choice.

Why is Elixir is an extra-good environmentally-friendly yarn choice?

By using a recycled natural fibre yarn, you're also crafting with a yarn made from materials that would otherwise have been waste materials. 

In the case of Bendigo Woollen Mills, we've used excess fibres, tangles, knots and more from our yarn production that would normally be discarded.

To created Elixir we have then recarded (essentially mixed and combed out into fluffy goodness), respun the yarn, dyed the yarn and turned it into Elixir!

Better still, this entire process has happened right here in Australia, at our Bendigo and Wangaratta Woollen Mills. 

This means that there's less impact in 'miles' of transport. Plus, this is a relatively low-impact process in the 'recycling' because we're not having to turn one product into something completely different, as happens with much product recycling.

So what's inside Elixir?

As we craft natural fibre yarns, it's a blend of these. Elixir will be almost entirely wool, but with a possible sprinkling of bamboo, cotton, silk or alpaca.

So what can you make with Elixir?

Anything, really! It's soft and squishy, so it's suitable for everything from garments to homewares.

As it's a chunky 16 ply weight, just ensure you find a pattern to suit. We've developed some patterns especially for Elixir. Or if you want to make up your own, we'd recommend using a 7mm needle/hook or above.