After reading Gary Smith's expose on cruelty in the wool industry on Elephant Journal a couple of weeks ago, I've had knit goods on my mind. Combine that with being pretty bummed about retail waste, and things were looking sort of grim.

That is, until I ran across an awesome new company: Reknit.

For the next 12 months, Haik's mom will take your old knit goods and transform them into something brand spanking new! This month, she'll unravel your old sweater and make you a scarf with the yarn. At just $30 apiece, this is a fantastic deal!

This is exactly the sort of materialism I was talking about in my post about waste in the food and garment industries Sure, Haik's mom could buy new yarn to make scarves, but by using the existing knit goods from her customers she's doing more than just keeping that fiber out of the landfill. She's preserving its story and giving it a brand new life. That scarf made out of your favorite sweater is going to mean a lot more to you than one you purchased at H&M, because it's got a story. The materials have a legacy now, they're not just fiber.

If you don't have an old sweater, the site suggests tracking down your local Goodwill to find one. Not only are thrifted sweaters cheaper than new ones, they've got their own stories to tell.

You can order your scarf or vote on what she should knit next month over at Reknit.com.

[VIA Bits and Bobbins]

Image Credit: Creative Commons photo by terrio