[pageLogInLogOut]

#Recycling / Circular Economy

Unifi achieves Milestone of 20 billion bottles transformed

Unifi, Inc. (NYSE: UFI), one of the world's leading innovators in recycled and synthetic yarns, reached a key goal set in 2017, transforming more than 20 billion PET bottles. The driver of this new milestone was Unifi's REPREVE® platform of recycled performance fibers, which has been adopted by more than 500 global brand and textile partners.

Company remains on track toward goal of 30 billion bottles transformed by 2022

"As we celebrate World Environment Day this week, we want to thank all of our brand and mill partners around the globe for helping us reach this significant achievement and working with us to reduce plastic bottle waste," said Tom Caudle, President & Chief Operating Officer of Unifi. "Because it takes one plastic bottle an average of 450 years or more to start decomposing1, it's important to keep as much plastic as possible out of our natural and urban landscapes. If each of us makes a conscious effort to recycle, we can improve our environment for today and can protect it for the future."

To put the milestone into context, 20 billion single-serve plastic bottles can physically circle the earth approximately 100 times or fill the Empire State building more than 13 times. Recycling and transforming these bottles has the potential to:

Save enough energy to power more than 189,000 average homes for one year; Save more than 1.7 billion liters of water, the equivalent of one year of drinking water for approximately 2.3 million people; and

Improve air quality by avoiding more than 517 million kilograms of CO2 emissions, the equivalent of eliminating CO2 emissions from the consumption of 1.2 million barrels of oil.

This milestone is also the equivalent of keeping 156 plastic bottles per U.S. household (assuming approximately 128 million U.S. households) out of the landfill and transforming them into sustainable fabric with REPREVE® recycled performance fibers that are used in apparel, upholstery, automotive and industrial applications.


The idea for REPREVE® was born in the early 2000s when Unifi was looking for a way to recycle its own fiber waste. The solution evolved to include using recycled plastic bottles as raw material for fiber, with the option to add performance capabilities like moisture-wicking and odor control. In addition to keeping bottles out of landfills and giving them a second life, REPREVE® production uses less energy and water, while also producing fewer greenhouse gas emissions compared to manufacturing virgin synthetic fibers.

"Sustainability and recycling are key priorities for Unifi, and we are proud to lead by example as we continue to drive awareness of the importance of recycling," Caudle concluded. "Consumer demand for more sustainable products will continue to drive demand for REPREVE® from our brand, retail, and mill partners, and that will help us reach our goal of transforming 30 billion bottles in 2022."


More News from TEXDATA International

#Recycling / Circular Economy

textile.4U publishes special edition “Top 100 Textile Recycling Companies 2025”

With a comprehensive 176-page special edition, textile.4U is dedicating its latest issue entirely to one of the most dynamic and influential topics in today’s textile industry: textile recycling. The new issue, published exclusively in high-quality print, presents the Top 100 textile recycling companies researched and selected by TexData – organizations that already play a key role in the transition to circular textiles or are expected to have a significant impact in the near future.

#Recycling / Circular Economy

Responsible Textile Recovery Act of 2024 signed by Governor

Senator Josh Newman (D-Fullerton) is proud to announce that Senate Bill 707 (SB 707), the Responsible Textile Recovery Act of 2024, has been signed into law by the Governor of California, Gavin Newsom. This groundbreaking legislation establishes the country’s first Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) textile recycling program, marking a significant step forward in the state’s efforts to combat waste and promote sustainability.

#Textiles & Apparel / Garment

Modtissimo promotes sustainability with 28 coordinates in the Green Circle

Modtissimo is proving more and more to be a textile and clothing show that delivers the latest innovations in the area of sustainability, with the iTechStyle Green Circle being the main showcase for companies' creations. In this 60+4 edition, taking place on 12 and 13 September, 28 coordinates will be exhibited in a section organised by CITEVE and curated by Paulo Gomes.

#Europe

The EU and Egypt team up to mobilise private sector investments at Investment Conference and sign a Memorandum of Understanding underpinning €1 billion in macro-financial assistance for Egypt

At the EU-Egypt Investment Conference, co-organised by the EU and the Government of Egypt on 29-30 June, the EU and Egypt are teaming up to intensify private sector investments in Egypt. They are also signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the disbursement to Egypt of up to €1 billion in Macro-Financial Assistance.

More News on Recycling / Circular Economy

#Recycling / Circular Economy

Textile‑to‑textile recycling leader Circulose joins Spinnova’s ecosystem to accelerate technology scale‑up

Textile‑to‑textile recycling leader Circulose joins Spinnova’s ecosystem (consortium) to help advance the scale‑up of Spinnova’s technology. Spinnova has actively sought partners to accelerate commercial scale‑up, and Circulose, as a key player in textile recycling, strengthens the ecosystem by providing a raw material that is in high demand across the industry.

#Recycling / Circular Economy

Epoch Biodesign joins T2T Alliance to support textile-to-textile recycling policy

UK-based recycling technology company Epoch Biodesign has joined the Textile-to-Textile (T2T) Alliance, an industry association representing textile-to-textile recyclers within the EU’s policy landscape.

#Recycling / Circular Economy

Circ announces new Fiber Club partners to accelerate commercial adoption of recycled textiles

Circ®, a global leader in textile‑to‑textile recycling, announced the scaling of its Fiber Club initiative. Building on the success of the inaugural program, Circ is bringing together a new group of brand partners: the lifestyle brand Madewell(under J.Crew Group), sustainable fashion brand Reformation, and European retailer C&A, alongside supply chain partners Lenzing and Linz Textil.

#Recycled_Fibers

Selenis to double capacity in Portugal by Q3 2027 - Accelerating the Global transition to circular and low-carbon polyesters

Selenis, a global leader in high-performance specialty polyesters and part of the IMG Group, has announced a transformational expansion of its industrial headquarters in Portalegre, Portugal. This strategic investment is set to double the site’s production capacity by the third quarter of 2027, significantly accelerating the industrial scale-up of bio-based, medical-grade, and circular co-polyesters.

Latest News

#Techtextil 2026

Knowledge that drives progress: Techtextil and Texprocess forums strengthen the global textile industry with a future-oriented programme

From AI-supported production optimisation and digital manufacturing solutions to circular technologies and bio-based high-performance materials: the Techtextil and Texprocess forums provide answers to the key challenges of the global textile industry with a curated content programme. As hubs for innovation and knowledge, they enhance competitiveness and offer orientation in changing markets. From 21 to 24 April 2026, Frankfurt is once again the global meeting point for thought leaders from industry, research and business.

#Techtextil 2026

Enhanced protection without added weight: Innovative technology for flame-retardant textiles doubles reaction time and ensures high wearing comfort

Flame-retardant textiles have long faced the same dilemma: the higher the level of protection, the greater the compromise in comfort, weight and breathability. This is especially important for workwear and protective clothing worn for long hours, where comfort is crucial to wearer acceptance and satisfaction. At Techtextil 2026 in Frankfurt, Swiss company Textilcolor AG will unveil pyroshell™, an innovative flame-retardant technology designed to tackle this challenge. Protection is provided by a graphite-based functional layer integrated into the textile structure, which doubles the reaction time before burns occur while significantly enhancing comfort. The material does not release any toxic fumes and offers textile manufacturers entirely new opportunities to design and produce protective and functional garments. It is also durable enough to withstand up to 50 industrial washes.

#Composites

JEC WORLD 2026 opens: Paris becomes the World Capital of composites

JEC World 2026 opens tomorrow, March 10, at Paris Nord Villepinte, bringing together the entire composites ecosystem for three days of exhibitions, conferences, technical sessions, strategic industry gatherings, and business meetings. As the “festival of composites”, JEC World is also a destination for a broad spectrum of other professional visitors, eager to discover how these advanced materials can offer sustainable solutions to their industries.

#Spinning

Barmag presents the next generation of POY production – energy-efficient and partial-automated

With POY 2.0, Barmag is introducing a completely redesigned spinning concept that takes the production of partially oriented yarn (POY) to a new level in terms of technology and economy. The solution, which was presented to a selected audience of experts for the first time at ITMA Asia + CITME 2025, was met with great enthusiasm: several yarn producers worldwide immediately expressed their interest in a pilot plant.

TOP