Unifi Inc. Lists Out A Whopping Ginormous 93 As The Champions Of Sustainability

Unifi Inc. (a global textile solution provider) has released its 4th annual REPREVE® Champions of Sustainability award’s list, in March this year. They have successfully recognised 93 of their brand, textile and retail partner companies for their efforts to incorporate the recycled fibre into their products. According to the Inc., the increase in the number of winners indicate a gradual but progressive commitment to sustainability. The award is an effort towards recognising companies that have achieved plastic recycling milestones through opting for recycled yarns and encourage their peers to adopt sustainable production and consumption goals. The awards have been categorised into five sections:

• The Billion Bottle Circle Award (1+ billion bottles recycled)

Nike, Polartec and Target have been declared as the winners.

• Brand and Retailer Bottle Award (10+ million — 1 billion bottles recycled)

Major brand names such as Decathlon, Adidas, Nike, Under Armour, The North Face, Hanesbrands, Aeropostle and 31 others have been named in this category.

• Textile Partner Bottle Award (50+ — 200+ million bottles recycled)

Huge textile partners Anhui Xintiansi, Antex Knitting, Copen, Material, Elevate Textiles and 5o others have been listed in this section.

• Newcomer Award

Odlo has been welcomed into the REPREVE® circle and thus joining the sustainability race.

• Leading The Change Award

Penti, a leading Turkish retailer has been named for the REPREVE® Leading the Change award for its efforts to promote sustainability.

The complete list of winners is available on Unifi’s official website.

REPREVE® starts out as recycled plastic bottles and post-industrial waste sourced from all over the globe in partnership with communities and Material Recovery Facilities (MRF). These wastes are then flaked and chipped after thorough chopping, grounding, washing and melting. The reformulated chips are then melted into a liquid polymer and extruded into continuous filaments that form the REPREVE® fibre. Finally, Unifi creates polyester, resin and nylon yarns through spinning and air-jet texturing the manufactured fibre. REPREVE® recycled performance fibres are used in apparel, upholstery, automotive and industrial applications.

Unifi had started out in 1971 as a polyester producer in North Carolina, US. 2007 marked their shift towards the sustainable industry and with only three brand partners the REPREVE® technology was launched. Today, it has grown to a global platform with more than 2600 employees (~38% female) and 500 brand partners. As of their 2020 sustainability report, Unifi has invested more than $60 million USD in the development and enhancement of the REPREVE® platform.

In 2020 Unifi had achieved the milestone of transforming 20 billion plastic bottles into recycled yarn. This has aided in saving clean water, petroleum, electricity and avoid environmental pollution. In addition, to set an example, the awards are custom made by Olio (a nonprofit organisation), crafted from recycled hand blown glass from local restaurants and bars, which sits on a base made from recycled aluminium and reclaimed wood. Unifi Inc. has been breaking boundaries and promoting recycling and reuse to ensure responsible production and consumption. Their efforts are definite marks in aiding to achieve global sustainability.

Image Source ~ Unifi Official Website

Video Source ~ YouTube

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