#Recycled Fibers

2026-04-09

UNIFI celebrates recycled and circular Innovation with ninth annual REPREVE® Champions of Sustainability Awards

Awards recognize industry leaders helping recycle more than 46 billion plastic bottles and transformation of one billion T-shirts’ worth of textile and yarn waste © 2026 Unify

Unifi, Inc. (NYSE: UFI), the makers of REPREVE® and one of the world’s leading innovators in recycled and synthetic yarns, today announced the winners of its ninth annual REPREVE Champions of Sustainability Awards, recognizing brands and mills that are advancing circularity and responsible manufacturing across the global textile industry.

Together with its brand partners, UNIFI® has helped recycle more than 46 billion plastic bottles and transform the equivalent of one billion T-shirts’ worth of textile and yarn waste into high-quality recycled fibers. The annual awards celebrate companies that are leading the way in sustainable innovation, material transformation, and circular design through their use of REPREVE.

Introducing New Textile Waste Awards

This year’s program expanded to include new Textile Waste Awards, recognizing companies that are helping accelerate circular solutions by incorporating textile waste into their products.

Game Changer Award (High-volume textile waste utilization):

Texollini – Swim USA® (Vitamin A) – REPREVE Nylon

Trailblazer Award (First to market in their category):

Walmart® – Joyspun® socks featuring REPREVE Takeback™

Accelerator Award (Adoption across multiple products):

Marmot® – ThermaLoop™ Insulation and REPREVE

Change Maker Award (Conversion from recycled polyester to textile waste inputs):

Save the Duck® – ThermaLoop

Lafuma® – ThermaLoop

UNIFI also recognized brand partners across additional sustainability-focused categories:

Sustainable Fabric Innovation: Swisstex – REPREVE ReCirculate™

Commitment to Circularity: Dagne Dover® – REPREVE

Newcomer Award: Me by Jennie Garth™, QVC® – REPREVE Our Ocean®

Made in USA Award: Walmart Valley Forge Flags – Produced with REPREVE by Cotswold Industries

“These awards celebrate the brands and partners who are not only setting ambitious sustainability goals, but actively delivering measurable impact through innovation and collaboration,” said Eddie Ingle, CEO of UNIFI. “Their leadership demonstrates how recycled and circular materials can scale across categories while maintaining performance and quality.”

The REPREVE Champions of Sustainability Awards underscore UNIFI’s commitment to enabling scalable, traceable, and high-performance recycled solutions that help transform waste into value across the global supply chain.

To see the full list of brand partner and mill winners, please visit https://repreve.com/champions-of-sustainability.

UNIFI® introduces Luxel™: A Linen-inspired, easy-care performance yarn

Unifi, Inc. (NYSE: UFI), the makers of REPREVE® and one of the world’s leading innovators in recycled and synthetic yarns, today announced the launch of Luxel™, a groundbreaking yarn technology that combines the luxurious look and feel of linen with high-performance, easy-care, and textile-to-textile recycled materials.

Unifi launches A.M.Y.® Peppermint odor control and expands REPREVE® circular offerings

UNIFI, Inc. (NYSE: UFI), the makers of REPREVE® and one of the world’s leading innovators in recycled and synthetic yarns, has launched A.M.Y.® Peppermint, a naturally deodorizing yarn engineered for long-lasting freshness. The latest innovation within UNIFI®’s technology platform delivers built-in odor control using sustainably sourced peppermint oil, offering a botanical alternative to traditional antimicrobial treatments. UNIFI also announces the global introduction of REPREVE Takeback™ and ThermaLoop™ insulation, both made entirely from textile waste.

UNIFI® launches FORTISYN™, an inherently durable yarn for military and tactical gear

UNIFI, Inc. (NYSE: UFI), the makers of REPREVE® and one of the world’s leading innovators in recycled and synthetic yarns, today launched Fortisyn™, an abrasion-resistant yarn engineered for ultimate durability in tactical applications. This innovative yarn provides fabrics with enhanced tear and tensile strength, offering a robust solution for military and first responder uniforms and tactical gear. Fortisyn is available made-in-USA for Berry Amendment compliant applications.

Eastman Naia™ brings its inside-out denim vision to Kingpins New York

Following its debut at Kingpins Amsterdam, Eastman Naia™ brings the next chapter of its denim story to Kingpins New York, taking place July 22–23. At Booth Green 7, Naia™ presents its denim proposition built around three complementary design directions: Performance Denim, Fashion Denim and Authentic Denim.

Rieter and partners launch Recycling Powerhouse for industrial-scale textile recycling

Recycling Powerhouse Ltd. was established in July 2026 to industrialize, standardize and scale textile recycling. Based in Switzerland, the venture will operate a franchise-driven business model that enables the production of high-quality, certified recycled yarns. The project is supported by the following partners: Rieter Group, the world’s leading system supplier for natural and man-made fibers, Säntis Textiles, a Swiss textile engineering company, and Valvan, a Belgian sorting technology company. The first blueprint franchise operation is scheduled to launch early 2027 in partnership with Suhail Industrial Holding Group in Qatar.

Recover™ and Ünteks Group partner to scale recycled cotton in knitwear

Recover(TM), a global producer of low‐impact, high‐quality recycled cotton fiber, announces a new partnership with Ünteks Group, a vertically integrated textile manufacturer based in Turkey. The collaboration focuses on the development of circular knit fabrics and garments, combining Recover’s recycled cotton fiber with Ünteks Group’s integrated capabilities across knitting, dyeing, printing, and garment production.

EU ban on destroying unsold clothing and footwear now in force

The European Union's ban on the destruction of unsold clothing, clothing accessories and footwear has entered into force. Since July 19, 2026, large companies across the EU have been prohibited from destroying unsold textile products, while medium-sized companies will be required to comply with the same rules from 2030.

Circ launches first denim collection with H&M featuring TENCEL™ | Circ® with REFIBRA™ technology

Circ today announced that the first men's denim collection featuring TENCEL™ | Circ® with REFIBRA™ technology is now available at H&M, marking the commercial delivery of this unique pilot project first announced in October 2025. Featuring two styles available across the UK, Scandinavia, Central Europe, Eastern Europe, South Europe, Turkey, North America, Mexico, Canada, and the Middle East, the launch brings TENCEL™ | Circ® with REFIBRA™ technology into H&M's standard men's denim assortment for the first time.