GoKawiilMIT researchers develop recyclable stretch yarn made entirely from polyethylene
MIT engineers led by research scientist Svetlana Boriskina created a stretchy thermoplastic yarn using two polyethylene variants instead of blending spandex with polyester or nylon. Because both components share the same chemical base, the yarn can be melted down and respun without separating fibers, retaining its strength and flexibility even after 10 melt-respin cycles. The team now aims to knit and weave the material into actual fabric.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
Conventional stretch fabrics blend incompatible fibers that are difficult to separate, making most clothing essentially unrecyclable and contributing to the roughly 81 pounds of textile waste Americans discard yearly. A single-material yarn that can be melted and reused could let old garments become raw material for new ones, potentially shifting the apparel industry toward a more circular model—though this depends on whether the technique can scale to real garment production and recycling infrastructure.
- MIT created a stretchy yarn from two polyethylene variants instead of spandex-polyester blends.
- The single-material design allows melting and respinning without separating fibers.
- The yarn retained strength and flexibility after 10 melt-and-respin cycles, with knitting and weaving tests planned next.
Source: technologyreview.com — Jennifer Chu, 2026-10-20
Published there as: “Melt it, spin it, use it again”
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