PROCESS VIDEO shot by Noah Sheldon
WHAT IS WASTE YARN?
Waste Yarn refers to yarns that are utilized behind the scenes in the knitting process, see the melange bit on the top part of the knitting in the video, this help cast on or off the main knit and/or assemble two panels together. This is also where our name is from-
"I’ve always had a love for the waste yarn - the way the color of the random threads often clash so perfectly with the main knit. This element of the unfamiliar, strange and intriguing, is hard to consciously design. It can only really happen by chance.” Siri Johansen, Co-founder WYP
Waste Yarn also refers to the yarns that are leftover after production. Typically there isn’t enough of these yarns to utilize them for subsequent orders, so they often accumulate on factory floors or are either discarded or sold for very low value. We saw this yarn not as waste but as a challenge and opportunity for something new and unique.
THE WYP WHEEL OF FORTUNE
After years of experimentation on how to best utilize these leftovers, we developed our own system of yarn color-and-ply combining, now called the WYP Wheel of Fortune.
The Wheel is based on our own Color Theory, which places chance expression at the center of the design process. So while the yarns utilized are “random” (i.e. determined by the wheel), once knitted together they are guaranteed to be harmonized with balanced material blends, ensuring an always-soft hand feel and durability in the final product.
It’s like magic, but not, because we designed it to be that way!
START TO FINISH
Our process is informed by intentionally making use of what is already left over. We find and collect our waste yarns from knitwear manufacturers or yarn mills. We then sort them by color, material type and ply. Our knitters then spin the Wheel of Fortune to provide a guide for which yarns to utilize, by color and material content, for each piece.
Each WYP knit is made by hand and takes approximately twelve hours from start to finish, passing through the hands of two to three people in the process. We knit the waste yarn by methods that ensure the quality and longevity of the garment; our method of production is slow, methodical and makes use of all waste! And if you care for your WYP knit with a similar spirit (see our care guide here), you’ll be able to wear and rewear it for years to come!
We have our own small workshop based in Shanghai, China. Here we do everything on hand machines. We also work with more traditional factories in Bulgaria and Portugal.