Issue link: https://nbm.uberflip.com/i/1451361
G R A PH I C S - PR O.C O M 2 0 2 2 A P R I L G R A P H I C S P R O 5 5 "It's a very long road, but there has to be a rst step … however small. Breaking down processes and reviewing where im- provements can be made is a good starting point." UNIFI In the early 2000s, Uni started taking a harder look at its sustainability measures. Reducing the manufacturing waste sent to landlls soon evolved into ways to recycle it. In 2007, Uni introduced REPREVE – a branded recycled ber born from 100% recycled materials, including post-consum- er plastic bottles and post-industrial waste. e REPREVE process starts with con- sumers who choose to recycle their plastic bottles. e recyclables are collected from material recovery facilities up and down the East Coast of the U.S. and brought to the REPREVE Bottle Processing Center in Reidsville, North Carolina, where they are sorted, cleaned, and chopped into bottle ake. e latter is melted and extruded into REPREVE chip, which is spun into REPREVE performance recycled yarn. e ber is either woven or knit into fab- ric used for everyday items, from apparel, shoes, and socks to home furnishings and automotive seating. To date, Unifi's program repurposed more than 30 billion post-consumer plas- tic bottles into REPREVE fibers. The company's new goal is to transform 50 billion plastic bottles into REPREVE by December 2025, Hertwig says. Uni also makes REPREVE nylon with "pre-consumer" waste. "Recycling nylon bers from our own manufacturing saves a lot of energy and makes the best use of resources. Plus, it results in a ber that's high quality, certi- ably sustainable, and available with per- formance technologies, too," he explains. The company's third recycled fiber, REPREVE Our Ocean, is crafted from plastics collected within 31 miles of water- ways or coastal areas in developing coun- tries or regions – primarily in the Americas and Asia. For Lane Seven, sustainability efforts extend to its partnerships as well. "We work with good people and responsible factories not because it's good for business, but because it's the right thing to do," according to the company. Image courtesy Lane Seven Apparel. 1-800-597-9530 • www.xpresscreen.com IT'S IMPORTANT TO GO GREEN with the GOCCOPRO QS2536 • Eco-Friendly • No Chemicals or Emulsions • Pre-Tensioned Screens • Accurate Registration