#Sustainability
Unifi reaches key sustainability milestone ahead of schedule
Company continues to see consumers, brands and retailers embrace the move towards more sustainable products
“Our brand and mill partners helped us achieve this ambitious goal,” said Unifi CEO Eddie Ingle. “By making the switch to sustainable by choosing to use REPREVE, we’ve been able to keep more than 30 billion plastic bottles out of landfills. We want to thank consumers for choosing to buy products—ranging from apparel to home furnishings to shoes—made with REPREVE. Together, we are working today for the good of tomorrow.”
Unifi began setting recycling goals in 2017 after hitting the 10 billion bottle milestone. The company pledged to transform 20 billion bottles by 2020 and 30 billion bottles by 2022. Company leaders are proud to have hit the 30 billion bottle milestone in November 2021.
To put this achievement into perspective:
• When Unifi launched REPREVE, it was initially adopted by only two brands; now, more than 1,000 brands worldwide use the recycled performance fibers.
• REPREVE Fiber sales are approaching 40% of Unifi’s total sales, with that number expected to continue to grow in the coming year.
• 30 billion bottles used to create REPREVE fiber, instead of the virgin equivalent, can save enough energy to power nearly 284,000 homes in the United States for one year.
“We’re committed to being an impactful change leader,” said James Cooper, Unifi sustainability manager. “We anticipate companies will continue to make the switch to REPREVE, enabling us to increase recycling rates and giving plastic bottles a second life. As we look to the future, we will expand to additional brands and applications in addition to developing circular programs that allow existing textiles to be transformed into new textiles.”
