Who are the true plastic bottle fibre pioneers?

United States – Unifi, Inc. has recycled more than 10 billion plastic bottles into a recycled fibre called REPREVE for use in the production of new clothing, shoes, home goods and other consumer products. In the wake of reaching this milestone, the company has announced details of its inaugural REPREVE Champions of Sustainability awards.

REPREVE Champions of Sustainability status will be awarded to 25 brand and retail partners that have each used the equivalent of 10 million or more bottles, and 15 textile partners that have each used the equivalent of 50 million or more bottles thanks to the REPREVE fibre.

‘More than 70% of plastic bottles in the United States end up in a landfill,’ comments Kevin Hall, Unifi’s chairman and ceo, who adds that the company is hoping to recycle 30 billion bottles by the year 2022.

There are four categories to the awards: pioneers using the recycled fibre ‘in a unique way’; companies able to eliminate waste throughout the product lifecycle; key players who launched REPREVE recycled products in the past year; and firms able to integrate the recycled fibre in all products.

‘By creating these awards, we hope to inspire designers, customers and consumers to continue to invest in sustainability, and that together, we can make everyday life better by transforming recycled plastic bottles into the products consumers use every day,’ Hall notes.