Polyester is also known as polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Unlike virgin polyester which requires the usage of petroleum products, Repreve relies on inputs that are already in consumption. Our mobile tour show is all about hands-on interactivity. technology. Something went wrong.Please try again later. Another great aspect about REPREVE yarns is that it comes in many forms. Are there any toxic finishes on it? Before diving into the how, lets about the who. Pants, skirts, shorts, you name it. Other ways to reduce microfiber shedding is to invest in front-loading machines, which are shown to release fewer microfibers than top-loading machines, and to simply wash your clothes on cold water and wash less often. The first step in the making of REPREVE fiber is sourcing and purchasing recycled plastic bottles and post-industrial waste (including the companys own waste) from Materials Recycling Facilities in different countries, which are recovered from landfills and ocean trash. Latest news, style trends, outfit ideas, and recommendations. They make high-quality recycled polyester fabrics out of post-consumer waste materials. 2023 Ecocult. How products are sourced and madeand where they end upmatter more now than ever before. The bottles are collected within 50K of coastlines in countries or areas that lack formal waste or recycling systems, so your brand can play an even bigger role in solving the ocean pollution problem: developing recycling programs in areas where plastic is most at risk of entering a marine environment. Unifi's Knit Cord is a USA-made, Berry compliant high-quality cord that comes packaged on yarn bobbins not loose in boxes. In addition to its Greensboro headquarters, the company operates recycling and manufacturing facilities in . Repreve is a specialized recycled polyester, made from sustainably sourced post-consumer plastic water bottles. So if youre reading this because youre pregnant, or youre having thyroid, fertility, or reproductive health issues, then my advice to you is to look for companies that care about how their clothing is treated. This sustainable alternative to virgin cationic yarns is made with recycled materials, and offers the ability to achieve 100% REPREVE heathers or solids. Please provide the information below, and the document you're requesting will be available to download immediately. We love sustainability so much, we collect our own plastic bottles and feed them into our vertically integrated process to create REPREVE recycled polyester. Maybe, the problem is the polyester itself. And while their closets may still be filled with non-renewable fibers and materials, 58% of consumers care about the sustainability of materials and processes used in making their clothes. Raw material sourcing, extraction, and textile fabrication contribute massively to the disastrous environmental impact of fashion. Perfect for comfortable ear loops for standard, surgical and KN95 and N95 respirator masks. This debate, that no dose of BPA and other endocrine-disrupting chemicals can ever be safe, has continued to play out since then. Were everywhere from clothes and shoes to sofas and phone cases. But thats not a hard-and-fast rule. Plastic waste, including PET bottles, is quickly becoming a global environmental and social issue. Hey there! We collaborated with REPREVE to create this collection of sustainable fabrics made from landfill and ocean-bound plastic bottles. All content Copyright Unifi, Inc., 2022. REPREVE is a state-of-the-art, performance fiber made from all types of recycled materials, including plastic bottles. And thats what REPREVE is. It also releases pollutants and greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. We created the REPREVE brand to foster a sustainable world by diverting plastic bottlesbillions of themfrom landfills and oceans. You will not de disappointed! Repreve is a polyester fiber that is shipped to textile manufacturers making fabrics for the apparel industry. The Standard verifies recycled content in products to allow consumers to make informed decisions. Functionally, Repreve is water-repellant, strong and resilient, stretchy, wrinkle-resistant, and lightweight. If my biggest concern was toxicity, and you presented me with a white, 100% polyester blouse certified by Oeko-Tex, and an neon-colored, organic cotton blouse that was treated with formaldehyde to prevent wrinkles, I would absolutely choose the polyester blouse. Unifi even quantifies the ecological impact its manufacturing has had on the planet. Then, it undergoes chemical extraction. Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings. Through REPREVE, one of Unifi's proprietary technologies and the global leader in branded recycled performance fibers, Unifi has transformed more than 30 billion plastic bottles into recycled . Is REPREVE fabric stretchy? With the increased adoption of activewear clothing over the past few decades and certainly Covid-19, finding a fabric that can stretch and keep its shape, and handle constant washing without tears or pilling, has made polyester more popular than ever. The U TRUST verification program is a comprehensive certification program designed to provide customers using REPREVE with the highest level of transparency. Many popular fashion brands and designers use Repreve fiber to create their collections. They put a lot of thinking into their outfits, hair, Prada is an Italian fashion retailer founded in 1913 in Milan by Mario Prada. So far, the company has managed to recycle more than 31 billion plastic bottles and the counter keeps going up every second! Repreve polyester fabric is widely used in the textile and apparel industry. Thats because the research shows that it takes 38 days of a water bottle being heated to 150 degrees Fahrenheit for antimony to reach unsafe levels, and that is for water that you ingest, not fabric against your skin. [Girlfriend is] not here to block in some competitive edge on being in the sustainable athleisure realm. And, thats just a partial list. Email Address *. Privacy Policy. Yes, it is. The manufacturing of polyester fibers involves the polymerization of synthesized polymers compounds made from oil-derived materials. Wash, clean, and process the raw PET - then melt it into plastic pellets. This process helps remove contaminants to make sure your fabrics are safe. We source bottles across the globe in partnership with communities and Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs). Numerous brands and organizations are pioneering the creation of bioplastics - plastic fibers made from plant sources such as seaweed or sugarcane. Made Like No OtherFrom Recycled Plastic Bottles. Company Size *. U bet! Take a stronger stand in addressing a problem that is very relevant to your consumer, and build your business with a unique product statement.REPREVE Our Ocean is specially sourced from bottles at high risk of ending up in the ocean-so it deals with a root cause of ocean plastic. Because BPA has completely different effects at low levels than it does at high levels, theres no such thing as a safe level,' Rick Smith and Bruce Lourie wrote in their 2009 book, Slow Death by Rubber Duck. REPREVE recycled and performance fabric turned out to be such an innovative, high-quality material that brands from all kinds of industries have joined the sustainable movement. Someone from our Sales Team will be in touch soon to assist you further with your interest in Unifi. REPREVE recycled fiber provides high quality and trusted sustainability, and that is why so many brands have decided to include this source in their production processes. REPREVE SmartDye recycled polyester dyes at a lower Solutions For Your Business. Please tell us what you liked or didn't like in the comments below. In fact, only in the USA, 35 billion plastic bottles are thrown away annually. We think customers are savvy and educated, so the more brands that can be on the same page, the better for everyone., Purchasing a garment made from recycled water bottles doesnt free you completely from contributing to plastic waste, though. By subscribing to this BDG newsletter, you agree to our. It provides thermal comfort and moisture-wicking properties. REPREVE is the only eco-performance fiber with U TRUST verification to certify recycled content claims. If you prefer nylon and polyester, make sure to check out our roundup of sustainable athletic brands, many of which are completely non-toxic. Thankfully consumer demand and organizational pressures are creating higher environmental standards for the textile and apparel industries. I can do the same thing with recycled [polyester], says Ben Mead, managing director at the Hohenstein Institute America, an international company that specializes in the testing, certification, and research of textiles. Theres always something that you add in to make it more resistant to UV or more resistant to heat or more resistant to a lot of different things., Recently, the Center for Environmental Health in California found BPA in socks from 88 different brands. In short: yes, its safe to wear clothing, even underwear, made from post-consumer plastic water bottles. Repreve is now one of the most recognizable brands of recycled polyester. Cationic dyeable polyester is now available in REPREVE. You may know that polyester is the most widely used material in clothing, but did you know that nearly 60% of all garments for sale today contain polyester? Repreve fiber is made out of recycled post-consumer polyethylene (PET) bottles - the pervasive plastic single-use water bottles. To help take your products further. From the chemical standpoint, its not about is this material good or bad, its about consumers being able to know and easily identify if the brand has [done its due diligence] in testing the product for harmful substances and the easy way for them to know is to have a credible third party label on it.. To catch some of these microfibers before they make their way into the water system, brands like Rothys sell accompanying wash bags while Girlfriend Collective offers a microfiber filter for your washing machine. Join The Zoe Reports exclusive email list for the latest trends, shopping guides, celebrity style, and more. Unifi manufactures Repreve out of recycled plastic fibers made from polyester waste such as plastic bottles. It is also water repellent and wrinkle resistant. The innovative polyester fiber reduces greenhouse gas emissions, water, and energy consumption. Were seeing people demand better materials, and that will only increase over time., Aside from the environmentally-friendly perspective, Mulvihill points out that the larger trend of brands moving towards using recycled polyester is simply the cost. This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Use it to make almost anything sustainable, with filament, staple fiber and fiber fill products. 55 million tons of polyester fibers were produced in 2018. Access is easily granted if: You include your full name. Food Safe Hook-Compatible Loop Waterproof PUL Stay Dry Stretch-FIT View All Functions By Brands. Unifi originally began producing traditional polyester fibers for the apparel industry before inventing Repreve in 2007. Here are some of the main advantages of fabrics made from Repreve recycled polyester fibers: Some of the main disadvantages of using Repreve polyester in textile fabrics are: Taking good care of your clothes is one of the best ways to live more sustainably. Repreve recycled polyester removes the need for crude oil, refinery, and chemical extraction. The last step is an air-jet texturing process, which changes the physical form of the fiber. The goal of the GRS is to drive higher percentages of recycled content in products and reduce the harmful impact of production on people and the environment. Hes now the co-founder and partner at Safer Made, a mission-driven venture capital fund that invests in companies and technologies that reduce human exposure to harmful chemicals. Additional Info: Repreve recycled fibers made from plastic bottles & other consumer materials Call 844-827-4206 to order today! Look Sharp In These 10 Perfect Pointed Collar Shirts, How Dressing Weird Became The Ultimate Fashion Flex, The Emrata Approved Trend That Will Be Everywhere This Spring, Milan Fashion Week Is Putting Skinny Pants Back On The Map. Solutions For Your Business, Enhanced services to fit your fiber's every need, Find out how and what is means to get your sustainable material certified, Sustainability is at the core of everything we do, From Asia to the Americas, Unifi's reach is global, Discover I can use virgin polyester and make a yarn thats safe, but then really screw it up at the dying stage [with toxic dyes]. World's leading sustainable fiber made from 100% recycled materials that are certified and traceable, Open up a world of product possibilities with 100% recycled materials, Enhance your products with our innovative technologies, Find out how pre and post consumer waste is made into high-quality fiber, See how recycled material is made into fiber, Leading brands who use REPREVE to make a difference, Celebrating companies committed to a better future by diverting plastic bottles from landfills and our oceans, Keeping plastic bottles from entering our oceans, Discover We only recommend products we love and that we think you will, too. Then we take it even further. Brands that want to change the world by using REPREVE receive their own profile page on our website. Every year, SCS examines Unifi's recycled products, recycling processes, production records, and manufacturing operations. But it is not only sustainable for recycling and giving a second life to single-use plastics. 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