# MIT engineers spin recyclable yarn from plastic

> A new thermoplastic yarn made from polyethylene can be melted and respun repeatedly without losing strength, offering a path to circular textile recycling.
- Title: MIT engineers spin recyclable yarn from plastic | Shortify
- Summary: A new thermoplastic yarn made from polyethylene can be melted and respun repeatedly without losing strength, offering a path to circular textile recycling…
- Keywords: textile recycling, polyethylene, mit, sustainable fashion, circular economy, yarn production, technology, science, engineers, spin, recyclable, yarn
- Source: MIT Technology Review — https://technologyreview.com/2026/10/20/1145276/melt-it-spin-it-use-it-again
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: textile recycling, polyethylene, mit, sustainable fashion, circular economy, yarn production, technology, science
## Americans discard 81 pounds of clothing yearly
The average American throws out around eighty one pounds of clothing each year, with few recycling options available. MIT engineers are developing a new yarn to reduce textile waste.
## New yarn made from two types of polyethylene
MIT researchers created a thermoplastic yarn from two variations of polyethylene, the material used in milk jugs and grocery bags.
## Yarn stays strong after ten recycling cycles
Svetlana Boriskina, who led the work as a research scientist in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, says garments made from this material can be melted and respun into new yarn.

> Even after 10 cycles of melting and respinning, the yarn stays as strong and flexible as conventional thread.
## Key takeaway

MIT engineers created a recyclable yarn from polyethylene that can be melted and respun ten times without degrading, potentially reducing the eighty one pounds of clothing Americans discard annually.