Take your pick from our range of 90+ stunning shades from neutrals to bright tones.
This high-quality mill waste cashmere yarn is perfect for general repairs, invisible darning, colourful visible mending or even a spot of knitwear embroidery.
Mill-Waste Yarn
Spun and dyed in various luxury textile mills in the U.K and Italy - it's actually leftover surplus yarn from the textile production process and without being rescued it's likely it would end being wasted and sent to landfill.
It contains no added synthetic fibres unlike most darning wool or mending yarns, which are often a mix of wool and polyester/nylon which makes it hard-wearing but sadly it releases micro-plastics in the wash and doesn't biodegrade. We prefer to source pure yarn which helps to reduce our impact on the planet!
Please be aware all these shades are deadstock yarns sourced from British & Italian mills and therefore over time some shades may be discontinued.
Thickness
Within this range there is some variation in the thickness - those labelled '2-ply' are slightly finer/thinner than the other 3-ply yarns within the range.
If you require a slightly thicker yarn for your mending project, you could always use any of these yarns doubled or even tripled up.
Each card contains approximately 10 m (33 ft) of yarn.
Every effort has been taken to ensure these photos are an accurate representation of the colours, but since every computer monitor and mobile device is different, we cannot guarantee the colour will be an exact match to what you see online.If you would like to purchase a small sample, then please click here!
Mill Waste Cashmere Darning Yarn - Single Colour
Need a little helping hand to choose what you need for a specific mending project? Here's our five top tips:
1. Match like with like - select the same fibre as the garment you're repairing that way the repair and garment should wash and wear in much the same way as the rest of the garment. Take a look at the clothes label inside the garment to find out what it's made from.
2. The same advice applies to thickness too! Pick a yarn or thread that's a similar thickness to the garment or alternatively work with it doubled/tripled to match the weight. Also bear in mind that sometimes you can also split thread and yarns apart to make them thinner.
3. When it's not possible to find the same fibre, choose a fibre from the same group (animal, plant or synthetic) as it will have similar properties and therefore wash and wear in a similar way e.g. merino would be an excellent alternative for cashmere as it's an animal fibre like cashmere and is very close in texture etc.
4. To find a colour match - take the garment into natural light and look at any spots in need of repair. Some areas like the armpit, elbow or collar may be more worn and therefore the colour will be more faded/lighter. Ask yourself what does the colour look like? Is it a solid colour or does it have flecks of different colours aka a melange or marl? What’s the specific colour tone? For example: blue with a hint of green, or a pinkish purple as opposed to a bluish purple. If you can’t find an exact match, always opt for a colour that’s slightly darker than lighter, as the mismatch will be less noticeable. Remember, we do offer a sample service for all our mending threads & darning yarns - click here to find out more!
5. Yarn with added nylon is technically stronger/more durable than pure yarns, but that’s not necessarily a good thing! Your repair may last longer, but it can add stress to the surrounding fabric and result in fresh holes to mend. Not only that, but these fibres are made from oil and shed microplastics in the wash leading to pollution in our rivers and oceans. If you’re worried about how long your repair will last, then some perhaps choose a fibre that’s naturally a tad stronger e.g. mohair or linen. Remember, repairs do not have to be bombproof…they will evolve and wear out over time just like the rest of your garment and that’s okay. New holes = new repair opportunities.
