Unifi Reaches Key Sustainability Milestone Ahead of Schedule

November 22, 2021 at 11:55 AM EST

Company continues to see consumers, brands and retailers embrace the move towards more sustainable products

Unifi, Inc. (NYSE: UFI), one of the world’s leading innovators in recycled and synthetic yarns, is celebrating a major sustainability milestone. The company has now transformed more than 30 billion post-consumer plastic bottles into its REPREVE recycled performance fibers that are used by hundreds of the world’s leading brands.

“Our brand and mill partners helped us achieve this ambitious goal,” said Unifi CEO Eddie Ingle. “By making the switch to sustainable by choosing to use REPREVE, we’ve been able to keep more than 30 billion plastic bottles out of landfills. We want to thank consumers for choosing to buy products—ranging from apparel to home furnishings to shoes—made with REPREVE. Together, we are working today for the good of tomorrow.”

Unifi began setting recycling goals in 2017 after hitting the 10 billion bottle milestone. The company pledged to transform 20 billion bottles by 2020 and 30 billion bottles by 2022. Company leaders are proud to have hit the 30 billion bottle milestone in November 2021.

To put this achievement into perspective:

When Unifi launched REPREVE, it was initially adopted by only two brands; now, more than 1,000 brands worldwide use the recycled performance fibers.
REPREVE Fiber sales are approaching 40% of Unifi’s total sales, with that number expected to continue to grow in the coming year.
30 billion bottles used to create REPREVE fiber, instead of the virgin equivalent, can save enough energy to power nearly 284,000 homes in the United States for one year.

“We’re committed to being an impactful change leader,” said James Cooper, Unifi sustainability manager. “We anticipate companies will continue to make the switch to REPREVE, enabling us to increase recycling rates and giving plastic bottles a second life. As we look to the future, we will expand to additional brands and applications in addition to developing circular programs that allow existing textiles to be transformed into new textiles.”

About Unifi:

Unifi, Inc. (NYSE: UFI) is a global textile solutions provider and one of the world's leading innovators in manufacturing synthetic and recycled performance fibers. Through REPREVE®, one of Unifi's proprietary technologies and the global leader in branded recycled performance fibers, Unifi has transformed more than 30 billion plastic bottles into recycled fiber for new apparel, footwear, home goods and other consumer products. Unifi continually innovates technologies to meet consumer needs in moisture management, thermal regulation, antimicrobial, UV protection, stretch, water resistance and enhanced softness. Unifi collaborates with many of the world's most influential brands in the sports apparel, fashion, home, automotive and other industries. For more information about Unifi, visit www.Unifi.com.

About REPREVE^®:

Made by Unifi, Inc. (NYSE: UFI), REPREVE® is the global leader in branded recycled performance fibers, transforming more than 30 billion plastic bottles into recycled fiber for new clothing, shoes, home goods and other consumer products. REPREVE is the earth-friendly solution to making consumers' favorite brands more environmentally responsible. Found in products from many of the world's leading brands, REPREVE fibers can also be enhanced with Unifi's proprietary technologies for increased performance and comfort. For more information about REPREVE, visit www.repreve.com, and connect with REPREVE on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

REPREVE® is a trademark of Unifi, Inc.