The peer-reviewed LCA highlights the significant environmental benefits of Unifi's Repreve compared to traditional virgin polyester with the company's senior vice president of sustainability, technology and innovation, Meredith Boyd explaining it offers significant reductions in the environmental factors that can accelerate climate change.
Unifi's CEO Eddie Ingle adds: “Repreve significantly lowers the impact of climate change and will have an immediate impact on the sustainability goals and environmental footprint of our esteemed partner brands that integrate Repreve
into their products.”
Repreve is a recycled polyester brand crafted from post-consumer plastic bottles and pre-consumer waste materials. Developed by Unifi, the brand is said to have played a role in addressing the growing concern over plastic pollution and waste in our environment.
The company says Repreve has transformed over 35 billion plastic bottles into recycled performance fibre and has powered top sustainably-minded consumer brands across the globe.
The LCA aimed to quantify the environmental impact of Repreve across various categories by comparing it to virgin polyester and found:
- It significantly reduces climate impacts compared to virgin polyester
- It reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 42%, and by 60% when compared to relative virgin staple fibre
- It reduces abiotic depletion and fossil fuels by 66%, and by 76% when compared to relative virgin staple fibre
- It reduces water scarcity by 76% and freshwater consumption by 67%.
Repreve's recycled polyester yarns are used in various fabrics for apparel, automotive interiors, home furnishings, and other products.
