Why You Should Be Using Vinyl Regrind

In an industry that celebrates analog warmth and tangible music, there's been a growing conversation about sustainability. Well, let me introduce you to regrind vinyl—an approach to record pressing that's turning waste back into listenable customized records.

Regrind vinyl gives new life to PVC material that would typically end up in the trash. The process is straightforward but impactful: offcuts from record production and records that don't pass visual or audio quality checks are collected, ground back down into pellets, and blended together to create fresh pressing material.

This approach directly reduces the need for new PVC production, which is both energy-intensive and resource-heavy. Instead of constantly demanding new raw materials, pressing plants can recycle what they already have on hand, like us! One of the most distinctive features of regrind vinyl is its appearance. Because the material comes from mixed sources, the records often display beautiful marble-like effects with unique color variations. No two pressings are exactly alike, giving each record a one-of-a-kind aesthetic that many collectors find appealing. Check out some of these examples:

We at Hellbender organize our regrind by color—offering blue-ish, green-ish, red-ish options where the final color is a complete surprise. The exact shade can vary depending on what material is available at press time and the size of the run, adding an element of excitement to the manufacturing process. The only color we know for sure will come out mostly as expected is black. Here’s what the PVC looks like in its bins before being pressed. You can see how these colors come out as an “ish”.

But the biggest question, will the sound be okay? The good news is that regrind vinyl generally offers comparable sound quality to new PVC. We focus on quality here at Hellbender to ensure there's no significant difference in audio performance between regrind and new material. Your music sounds just as good—it just happens to be a little more sustainable. If you’re a complete audiophile nerd, you might notice some differences, but that’s up to you to decide if those super small differences matter.

So, why choose regrind? Less demand for new PVC means reduced energy consumption and resource extraction, the unique effects and color variations give each record distinctive visual character, it’s more cost effective, and the audio quality is almost identical to using new PVC.

As the vinyl industry continues its resurgence, embracing sustainable practices like regrind pressing helps ensure the format has a future that's not just analog, but also responsible. It's a reminder that sometimes the most innovative solutions come from simply making better use of what we already have.

For artists and labels looking to reduce waste while creating unique physical products, regrind vinyl represents a compelling option—one where sustainability and creativity intersect in grooves that sound just as good as they look.