Loop 8 Yarn Review: Why Recycled Yarn Works for Tufting | UK Tufting

Our tufting yarn recommendation: Loop 8

For beginners and regular rug makers, we recommend using a consistent super bulky yarn that can feed smoothly through a tufting gun. Loop 8 is our recycled 8-ply tufting yarn, designed for rug making, punch needle, weaving and textile art. Each cone is 600g with approximately 890m of yarn, giving you enough material for small rugs, samples, colour blocking and detailed tufted work.

Recycled yarn has a reputation problem.

People hear "made from plastic bottles" and picture something scratchy, stiff, and functional at best. Not the kind of yarn you'd want to sink your feet into. Not the kind of yarn that belongs in a serious rug.

Quick Answer

• Loop 8 is a 100% recycled PET super bulky yarn made by Cheekyarn, available now at UK Tufting
• 8-ply construction gives it exceptional density, so rugs tuft up fuller and faster than with standard yarn
• Feeds smoothly through tufting guns including the AK-V, with minimal jamming or tension issues
• Soft, fluffy texture that feels genuinely luxurious underfoot despite being made from recycled plastic
• It is not a carving yarn. Loop 8 is built for plush pile and flat shearing, and will not hold a sculpted edge. Read the section below before you order
• GRS certified to the Global Recycled Standard, independently verified
• £24 per 600g cone, with all 115 colours now available

What Is Loop 8?

Loop 8 is Cheekyarn's flagship tufting yarn: a super bulky, 8-ply yarn made entirely from recycled polyester (PET). Every cone is produced from post-consumer recycled plastic and certified to the Global Recycled Standard. Each cone contains 600g of yarn across approximately 890 metres, generous enough for a standard-sized rug with room to spare for colour changes and test swatches. It sits at weight category 6 (super bulky), which is exactly where you want to be for rug tufting.

The Case for Recycled Yarn

There's an assumption in the making community that sustainable materials mean compromised performance. You're either making something good or making something responsible, not both.

Loop 8 is a direct challenge to that assumption.

Modern recycled PET yarn has come a long way. The processing technology has improved significantly, and the result is a yarn that's softer, more consistent, and more performance-driven than the recycled yarns of five years ago. You're not choosing Loop 8 despite it being recycled. You're choosing it because of what the recycled construction makes possible, and because the environmental case is a genuine bonus, not a trade-off.

How It Performs in a Tufting Gun

This is the question that matters most. A yarn can look beautiful on a cone and still be a nightmare to actually tuft with.

Feed and Tension

Loop 8 feeds consistently through a tufting gun needle. The 8-ply construction gives it enough body to move cleanly through the mechanism without the slipping or bunching you can get with looser, single-ply yarns.

We tested it extensively in the AK-V 2-in-1, in both cut pile and loop pile modes, and it handled both without issue. Colour changes were smooth, and the yarn showed no tendency to fray at the cut end during threading.

Pile Consistency

Because Loop 8 is machine-spun to a consistent thickness, the pile height stays even across a tufting session. This matters more than most beginners realise: inconsistent yarn thickness is one of the most common causes of uneven pile, and it's entirely avoidable with a quality yarn.

Jamming

In our testing, Loop 8 caused no jams. The twist and ply structure means it moves predictably through the needle, even at higher speeds.

The Texture: What It Actually Feels Like

Here's where Loop 8 genuinely surprises people.

The 8-ply construction creates a yarn that's noticeably fluffier and softer than you'd expect from a recycled synthetic. When tufted into a rug, the individual plies fan out slightly, giving the finished pile a full, plush, almost cloud-like quality. It's soft enough to be comfortable barefoot. Firm enough to hold its shape under foot traffic. And resilient enough to spring back after being compressed, which is what gives a quality rug that satisfying bounce underfoot.

Plush by Design, and Not a Carving Yarn

This is the part we want to be completely straight about, because it is the one thing that catches people out.

Loop 8 is deliberately soft and open. That open 8-ply structure is exactly what makes it such a forgiving yarn to tuft: it feeds smoothly, fills fast, packs in densely and stays soft and bouncy underfoot, wash after wash.

The same structure means Loop 8 is not a carving yarn, and we do not recommend it for carved or sculpted work. It does not cut cleanly under a blade. It will not hold a crisp sculpted edge or a sharp relief line, and no amount of technique or blade sharpness will change that. If carved relief is central to what you are making, use a hard, tightly twisted carving yarn instead. We would rather tell you now than have you find out with the rug already on the frame.

Used for what it is built for, the finish is excellent:

• Loop 8 is excellent for plush flat pile, colour blocking, soft shapes, lettering and high-pile work
• Level the pile with a trimmer across the whole rug, then tidy the outline by hand
• Keep your blade clean, since yarn build-up makes any trim messier
• Not suitable for carved relief, sculpted contours or hard detailed outlines

If your whole practice is deep carved relief, Loop 8 is not the yarn to build it on. If you want plush, soft, even pile in a huge colour range, it is exactly right.

The Colours

Loop 8 launched at UK Tufting with two core neutrals. The full range is now live, with 115 colours across pinks, blues, greens, purples, yellows, oranges, earth tones and greys. These two neutrals are still the most versatile starting point for any palette.

001 Asphalt

A deep, cool-toned charcoal. The kind of colour that works as a hard outline, a background, or the main event. Particularly striking in geometric designs where contrast is everything.

002 Milk Tooth

An off-white with the faintest warmth: not stark, not cream, but somewhere quietly in between. The neutral that pairs with anything and lets other colours breathe. Both colours showed excellent dye saturation and consistency across the cone, with no fading toward the centre and no variation in tone between sessions.

Colour fastness is rated at grade 4 to 5 out of 5, meaning colours hold well through cleaning and everyday use.

Browse all 115 Loop 8 colours.

The Specs at a Glance

Who Is Loop 8 For?

Perfect for beginners because:

• Feeds smoothly and predictably, so fewer jams and less frustration
• Dense pile builds up quickly, giving satisfying results from your first session
• Forgiving with tension, since consistent thickness means consistent pile

Great for experienced makers because:

• The 8-ply density creates a premium finish that photographs beautifully
• Colour fastness holds up for pieces intended for sale or gifting
• The recycled credentials add genuine value to a handmade piece

Not the right yarn if:

• Your work depends on carved relief, sculpted contours or hard detailed outlines
• You need a firm, tightly twisted yarn that cuts crisply under a blade

Any Downsides?

Two, and we would rather you knew both before you order.

It is not a carving yarn. This is the big one. Loop 8 shears flat well but will not hold carved relief or a sculpted edge, and we do not recommend it for that kind of work at all. If detailed carving is central to your practice, source a tightly twisted carving yarn for it.

Screens lie about colour. As with any synthetic yarn, shades can look slightly different in person. If you are colour matching across a larger project, order a single cone first and buy the rest from the same batch.

The Verdict

Recycled yarn used to mean compromise. Loop 8 doesn't, as long as you are making the kind of rug it is built for.

It feeds well, tufts beautifully, holds its pile, and feels genuinely luxurious underfoot, all while being made from 100% recycled plastic and certified to an internationally recognised standard. For plush, soft, colourful work it is hard to beat. For carving, look elsewhere.

Shop Loop 8 at UK Tufting.

Tuft better. Waste less.

Shop this guide

Everything mentioned above is available at UK Tufting, with free UK shipping on orders over £60 and Click & Collect from our Hackney Wick studio.

• Loop 8 Recycled Tufting Yarn: super bulky 600g cones made from 100% GRS-certified recycled polyester, in 115 colours
• Rug Tufting Trimmer with Shearing Guide: levels and shapes your pile for a professional finish
• Lined Primary Tufting Cloth (2m x 2m): printed guide lines help you stretch evenly and keep your design straight
• Pro Tufting Starter Kit (50cm frame): gun, frame, trimmer, lined cloth, backing and scissors in one box