Unifi Incorporated is a corporation with the bold goal of weaving sustainability into the clothing industry. By harvesting plastic and other material waste from oceans and beaches, the company, based in Greensboro, North Carolina, has created “repreve fibers” that can make clothing, sneakers, bathing suits and more.
One notable partnership for the corporation is with surf and activewear brand Volcom, which uses Unifi products in its board shorts, t-shirts, pants and fleeces. Designers at Volcom have said that using repreve fibers is just like using normal polyester and that there is no limitation to what can be done with it.
Besides Volcom, Unifi is partnered with major producers of athletic gear and a wide variety of other goods, from automotive manufacturing products to medical supplies, such as medical tape, wraps and compression garments.
Unifi uses recycled nylon and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) resin to create their designs. One of their most popular products is their polyester yarn, a fiber made from bottles and then collected and manufactured into huge spools of thread material. This material is then sold to different companies that use the yarn to manufacture clothes, shoes, bathing suits and other everyday items. The yarn can even be used to reupholster the seats in cars and other vehicles.
Unifi is so committed to recycling that customers who purchase apparel made with repreve fibers can send products back to the corporation once they are finished wearing them. These used pieces are melted down and manufactured back into the yarn. Having recycled over twelve billion plastic bottles, Unifi is remaining committed to its goal of operating in a sustainable fashion.
“We see sustainability as a movement, not a moment,” reads the company’s mission statement.
“Our future—and our children’s future—depends on it. So we’re investing money, sweat and passion to take our business on a sustainable journey. Eliminating waste and resource consumption. And continually creating products that transform how people think about sustainable products.”
Unifi is an example of a simple way to combat ever-increasing pollution. The corporation is taking one big step towards reducing plastic waste on the planet, and is hopefully inspiring others to maintain sustainable business and personal practices.
