ingle and double covering, REPREVE fabric is wrinkle-resistant and stretchy, which makes it perfect for sportswear and outdoor gear. Moreover, REPREVE performance fiber is the only fiber that has been verified with U TRUST, which is a program created by Unifi itself that certifies recycled content claims through traceable Fiber Print technology. Something went wrong.Please try again later. Finally, the chip is heated, extruded and spun into the options shown in our Fiber Folio. Instead, they use environmentally friendly and natural fibers such as organic cotton, linen, and hemp, or regenerated cellulosic fibers made from renewable materials such as lyocell, cupro, and modal. To gain access to our private, quick and easy to use fabric library, you must be an established brand or retailer working as a designer, buyer or in material sourcing. REPREVE recycled materials are certified by Oeko-Tex, GRS and SCS. 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. Repreve polyester fiber can be used alone to create finished recycled fabrics or blended with other types of fibers. And the number of bottles sold yearly will increase to 583.3 billion in 2021, according to Euromonitor. We take yesterday's waste and give it a second life as sustainable fiber. Were Earth Nerds and we take it seriously. But, It is important to recognize that terephthalates are not suspected to be endocrine disruptors in the same way that ortho-phthalates are, Mulvihill said. | And, thats just a partial list. sport Repreve polyester is a performance recycled fiber certified by independent third-party organizations. Were obsessed with doing everything we can to make sure you can trust us and our products, including developing our own verification program and maintaining third-party certifications. Sustainable clothing is far greater than just the raw materials used to make a garment. REPREVE was designed to be sustainable and certifiable. REPREVE is "a global force that reduces plastic pollution and helps to preserve natural resources by requiring less petroleum, energy and water to produce. 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. On top of all this, once your recycled polyester garment is at the end of its lifecycle theres no singular place where you can dispose of it for it to be remade into another product. Unifi manufactures Repreve out of recycled plastic fibers made from polyester waste such as plastic bottles. Zorb Super Absorbent ProSoft ECO-PUL Polyester is the most popular fiber used in the fashion world, for apparel and accessories. Before diving into the how, lets about the who. Transparency is a key element when it comes to sustainability, and that is why verifications and certifications like such are so crucial for customers. The type of material does matter hugely when it comes to the environment. It diverts plastic waste from landfills to create durable, sustainable fibers that can be used in textile fabrics. There's chemical recycling and there's mechanical recycling, says Brian Koegel, co-founder of activewear label Tenere, to TZR. In the production of polyester fabric, BPA can be used to create hygroscopic and antistatic fabric with colorfastness to washing. Scientists have found high levels of antimony, a heavy metal and potential carcinogen, though not confirmed as an endocrine disruptor, in water sold in disposable PET bottles, the kind that are recycled into polyester. The bottles are collected from recycling plants. Eco-conscious shoppers should, ideally, be able to find these certifications on a brands website. The test takes into account many regulated and non-regulated substances, which may be harmful to human health.The Oeko-Tex Standard 100 also guarantees that the textile product has been manufactured in sustainable processes under environmentally friendly and socially responsible work conditions. If youre familiar with the world of toxic chemicals, you might have spied phthalate in there, which is part of a group of chemicals that are either known or suspected endocrine disruptors. Synthetic fabrics often used Repreve polyester in blends of various materials, with elastane (spandex), nylon, or natural fibers, which makes recycling difficult, not commercially viable, even impossible in some cases. It preserves the quality of your Repreve garments and saves an enormous amount of energy, carbon emissions, and money. H&M, New Balance, Nike, Patagonia, and many other global fashion brands use Repreve. Food Safe Hook-Compatible Loop Waterproof PUL Stay Dry Stretch-FIT View All Functions By Brands. We love sustainability so much, we collect our own plastic bottles and feed them into our vertically integrated process to create REPREVE recycled polyester. As polyester breaks down, it releases toxic chemicals and greenhouse gases into the environment. Nike has had a robust chemical management system in place for longer than almost anyone. Many of the everyday brands you know and love use REPREVE for its high-quality performance. The Global Recycled Standard (GRS) is an international standard that sets requirements for third-party certification of recycled input. Each profile can include the brand's story, featured products, lifestyle images, and videos. . Wash, clean, and process the raw PET - then melt it into plastic pellets. They are also certified and traceable. Spin filament threads into yarn and dye as necessary. Sustainable, Eco-Friendly Cactus Vegan Leather: What Is Desserto? As you source any sort of activewear or athletic apparel that relies heavily on polyester, explore your options for recycled polyester or at least other recycled clothing options. 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. Water bottles are first collected and sorted by facilities in countries like Taiwan, which runs a robust, government-regulated recycling program. Many talented designers partner with rental services to offer consumers Dressing up for your partner in bed can be a great way to spice up your love life and communicate your desire. According to Oeko-Tex, BPA can be added in the manufacturing of polyester as an intermediary step to improve the natural properties and lifespan of a fabric. But it's not just the environmental benefits that have industry juggernauts lining up for Repreve; the fabric also has unique performance attributes. The document you have requested is ready for you to download. REPREVE is the only eco-performance fiber with U TRUST verification to certify recycled content claims. From a sustainability standpoint, its a brilliant use of material, the repurposing of plastic and [having that] be converted into apparel versus making more virgin plastic says Saskia Van Gendt, head of sustainability at footwear and accessories label Rothys. Where our customers go with REPREVE lies at the intersection of their needs and imagination. And thats what REPREVE is. Repreve polyester considerably reduces greenhouse gas emissions, water, and energy consumption compared to conventional polyester. Recycling textile waste is a step in the right direction. All Rights Reserved. Next, we chop, wash, and melt the bottles at our REPREVE Bottle Processing Center in Reidsville, NC, where theyre transformed into flake and then chip. Patagonia has made clothes from plastic soda bottles since the 90s and was one of the first outdoor apparel brands to adopt this recyclable method. Through strategically located partners and ventures, we source, manufacture, consult and sell in locations around the world, from China to the Americas. Certifiable. This sustainable, versatile yarn features an exceptionally high surface area and offers very soft, luxurious hand with a silken or suede touch in a range of aesthetics. It partners with a recycling facility in Taiwan to obtain the pellets that are then taken to Girlfriends own spinning mill where yarn is produced. Shopping for clothing made out of water bottles is ultimately a small step in the right direction for eco-conscious shoppers and safe to wear if the garment has been tested properly. If youre looking for some summer outfit inspiration, youve come to the right place. How was it washed and dyed? Repreve polyester fabric is easy to care for and wash. The potential to repurpose these water bottles wasnt lost on the fashion industry and with sustainability as an initiative for most brands in 2021 and beyond, the idea of creating clothes from waste has been quickly embraced. REPREVE Our Ocean is an option for your brand to tell an ocean-focused story, or stand specifically for the good of our oceans. They are then chopped, cleaned, and crushed into flakes. Another great aspect about REPREVE yarns is that it comes in many forms. 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 Repreve polyester fabric is widely used in the textile and apparel industry. However, the catch is that while PET itself is safe to wear, dyes and other finishing processes the natural or synthetic yarn goes through on its way to become that shirt or bikini can still contain harmful substances. We value your feedback! Its coming out in June 2023, and it dives deeper into all the chemicals that show up in all sorts of clothingand what you can do to protect yourself. Repreve is a 100% recycled polyester fiber manufactured by the brand Unifi. But the global rPET market is declining due to China's waste import ban at the end of 2017. "The cooling technology is inherent within the yarn, not requiring the addition of chemicals," states Jeff Veach, vice-president of sales and marketing for Culp Home Fashions. In order to effectively reduce fashion waste, shopping secondhand and buying fewer clothes are some routes you can take. Repreve Recycled Polyester Fabrics Collection. Made from plastic bottles and fresh hope, we help you do more with less. The biggest drawback of Repreve polyester is its impact on the environment. In short: yes, its safe to wear clothing, even underwear, made from post-consumer plastic water bottles. But, most companies are choosing to move towards polyester based on cost and performance., The practice of using post-consumer water bottles for clothing is a trend industry leaders expect will become the status quo. Thank you for reviewing the new Unifi.com beta. But make sure to avoid common mistakes to preserve its longevity. For big brands, check to see if theyre a member of ZDHC, an industry group that prohibits manufacturers from using certain toxic substances, or Afirm, which helps brands test their products before they get onto shelves. fashion And all the alternatives are 100% green. Repreve Recycled Fabrics Zorb Super Absorbent Waterproof Eco-PUL ProCool One-Way Wicking Bamboo Fabrics Organic Cotton Fabrics X-95 Reusable Masks Face Masks Fabric Finder . Repreve eco-friendly fibers are generally used with digital printing sublimation techniques to craft stylish swimwear and activewear, but also pants, shirts, shorts, jeans, blouses, dresses, jackets, and more. Additional Info: Repreve recycled fibers made from plastic bottles & other consumer materials Call 844-827-4206 to order today! 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. It can be hard to choose your best outfit when visiting another city, especially when it comes to Rome. The more sustainable way of drying your clothes is to hang them to dry. Zorb Super Absorbent ProSoft . The GRS aligns with recycled definitions across multiple applications and follows the ISO 14021 definition, with interpretations based on the United States Federal Trade Commission Green Guides. Toxic chemicals aside, synthetic fabrics simply don't breathe, and anyone who's worn polyester on a hot summer day is probably well aware of that. Depending on the fashion brand, the company either purchase this yarn directly from places like REPREVE a brand that makes fiber out of post-consumer plastic bottles and pre-consumer waste to weave or knit its clothing from (Reformation, Mara Hoffman, and Venus Williams brand EleVen use REPREVE for some of their collections) or a brand oversees the extrusion process completely like Girlfriend Collective. During this process, bottle labels are also removed by using steam. Then we take it even further. Privacy Policy. Putting sustainability to the side for one moment, Repreve is also recognized for the technical benefits it adds to clothing. On the sustainable side, Repreve reduces landfill waste by turning single-use plastics into apparel. 2023 BDG Media, Inc. All rights reserved. They contribute to the high amount of clothing waste that ends up in landfills every year. Here are the primary ways it compares to virgin polyester. REPREVE | Sustainable. Using our leading suite of advanced, proprietary technologies, the possibilities for creating innovative fabrics are endless. Anything that cant be processed with the bottles gets removed, like the cap or ring, then the bottles head to a machine that breaks them down. Repreve fabric is used by many of the largest and most recognized clothing brands in the apparel industry. More than 20 billion plastic bottles have been used since 2008 to produce Repreve polyester. Since Repreve uses recycled products only, its fiber doesn't require the extraction of additional fossil fuels. Unifi even quantifies the ecological impact its manufacturing has had on the planet. The fabric is used to make a wide range of garments, including swim trunks, activewear, outdoor gear, etc. Girlfriend Collective lists both its SA8000 and STANDARD 100 certification on the about me page while the Tenere site has a detailed page listing all its partners. Though some companies like Reformation and ADAY do have take-back programs. Repreve is a specialized recycled polyester, made from sustainably sourced post-consumer plastic water bottles. Recycled polyester is a leading example of how the global textile and apparel industry works to find solutions to its catastrophic social and environmental impacts. Food Safe Hook-Compatible Loop Waterproof PUL Stay Dry Stretch-FIT View All Functions By Brands. That is, athletic apparel and the activities endured require these functional attributes of clothing. Functionally, Repreve is water-repellant, strong and resilient, stretchy, wrinkle-resistant, and lightweight. 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