Amid high cotton prices and geopolitical turmoil, brands are increasingly turning to alternative fibers—some made from materials already in circulation.
Everywhere Apparel is tapping into the industry’s desire for sustainably-sourced cotton with a circular solution—and enabling traceability through technology embedded directly into its garments.
The Los Angeles-based material science company and apparel manufacturer recently launched CirCot, a suite of blank apparel made with 100-percent Global Recycled Standard (GRS) recycled cotton textile waste. The collection, which includes T-shirts, hoodies and sweats, provides brands with a sustainable alternative to virgin cotton or synthetic blanks. What’s more, each piece features a QR code where consumers can access recycling options for their used apparel once it reaches its end-of-life stage.
Calling recycled cotton the most sustainable fiber on earth, Everywhere vice president of growth and partnerships Matt Boelk said the input offers benefits over other virgin and recycled fibers such as polyester. While many brands have bolstered their sustainability strategies in recent years by switching to fibers made from ocean waste like plastic bottles and discarded fishing nets, Boelk said that like traditional polyesters, these fabrics similarly damage the environment by shedding microplastics when laundered.
Everywhere’s mechanical recycling shreds collected cotton garments and fabric scraps that are then re-spun into durable yarns. The process is both waterless and dye-free, meaning the resource-efficient, chemical-free approach limits the color palette to black, white and heather grey. The company plans to expand the range to include navy and grey.
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The company plans to scale with Guatemalan producers in the future to keep labor costs down while remaining close to the U.S. market. Along with building out the infrastructure to facilitate its recycling process, Everywhere has developed a take-back program to keep products in circulation. The closed-loop system allows consumers to send back their worn garments from Everywhere and other brands for recycling. Consumers scan a QR code on the garment’s tag to access a free mailer in which to ship the goods to California. The white-labeled solution helps brands make good on their circularity commitments without the burden of developing the process or infrastructure.
“It’s a blank like any other, operationally and expense wise,” Boelk said. “We want to open-source this technology so that brands can meet their sustainability goals.”
“By launching with a focus on the blank apparel industry we ensure this innovative approach to sustainability has the broadest possible reach,” co-CEO Irys Kornbluth added, noting that the manufacturer “exists to create maximum positive impact for the environment.”
Recycled cotton blanks aren’t the only way Everywhere aims to serve the sector.
On Thursday, the company said its B2B e-commerce payments solution will be powered by Balance, a top B2B payments experience provider that offers an online checkout built for businesses.
This partnership with Balance will allow Everywhere to deliver a B2B checkout experience that compares to the simplicity and ease of B2C, the company said.
“There is a huge appetite for sustainable clothing right now, with buyers struggling to find options that are in stock and reasonably priced,” said Nick Benavides, co-founder and co-CEO of Everywhere, whose products are suitable for screen printers, brands, artist merchandise and employee uniforms. “We want to be the supplier of choice for fashion companies, events and designers who are looking for apparel options with low environmental impact and a closed loop story. We are thrilled to partner with Balance to support our B2B growth and give our customers the ability to purchase our goods with net terms.”
By partnering with Balance, Everywhere is enabling its customers to leverage any payment method, including credit card, ACH, wire transfers, or checks, and pay for their orders using net payment terms.
“There is an increasing need for payment solutions with real-time net terms so that customers can enjoy instant payouts and zero risk,” Bar Geron, co-founder and CEO of Balance, said. “We are happy to be partnering with Everywhere Apparel to expand its reach and offer an easier payment method for wholesalers.”
Everywhere said this partnership will play a crucial role in allowing it to expand its business offerings. By reducing friction in the B2B payments process, Everywhere will be able to provide more buyers with the most sustainable fabrics on the planet and improve the environmental impact of corporations.