UNIFI announces updated life cycle data confirming certain environmental benefits of REPREVE® polyester

REPREVE is the world’s leading recycled polyester fiber brand made from post-consumer plastic bottles and pre-consumer waste materials. The innovative brand was developed by UNIFI to address the growing concern about plastic waste in the environment. REPREVE fibers and yarns are knit and woven into a variety of fabrics for use in apparel, automotive interiors, home furnishings, and other products for some of the world’s most recognized brands.

The updated, independent LCA was conducted to quantify the environmental impacts of REPREVE polyester across a variety of categories and multiple global production sites compared to virgin polyester produced in those same geographies.

The findings of the LCA confirm that REPREVE polyester reduces:

• greenhouse gas emissions by up to 42% relative to virgin filament yarn and by 60% when compared to virgin staple fiber;
• fossil fuels depletion by up to 66% relative to virgin filament yarn and by 76% when compared to virgin staple fiber; and
• water scarcity by up to 76% and freshwater consumption by up to 67% compared to virgin filament yarn.

“REPREVE polyester provides an alternative to virgin fibers and yarns that reduces climate change potential and offers an immediate impact on the sustainability goals and environmental considerations of our esteemed partner brands that integrate REPREVE into their products,” said Eddie Ingle, Chief Executive Officer of Unifi, Inc. “We strive to be great stewards for our planet and our future, and we are thrilled to be able to help others do the same.”

“We believe in transparency and traceability, so it’s important for us to share our peer-reviewed LCA data to show the significant reductions that REPREVE polyester offers to critical environmental factors that otherwise accelerate climate change or deplete other limited resources,” said Meredith Boyd, Senior Vice President of Sustainability, Technology & Innovation.