How sustainable and eco-friendly is Unifi’s popular Repreve fiber? New Higg data puts the recycled plastic material through the paces.
As it turns out, Higg Materials Sustainability Index (Higg MSI) scores confirmed the Repreve fiber reduces the global warming potential by 21 percent compared to generic, mechanically recycled polyester and 42 percent against conventional virgin polyester.
The Higg MSI (version 3.2) is considered one of the most comprehensive tools for sustainability analysts, designers and product developers who want to make informed materials choices. The Higg MSI global warming potential is related to greenhouse gas emissions.
Based on the score, organizations and consumers can reduce their environmental impact by choosing Repreve instead of generic rPET (recycled polyethylene terephthalate), one of the world’s most commonly used plastics. In addition, Repreve eco-performance fiber utilizes Unifi’s proprietary with U Trust verification to certify recycled content claims.
“We continue to build on our commitment to transparency by having the results of our Repreve Life Cycle Assessment verified and accepted into the Higg MSI,” James Cooper, Unifi sustainability manager, said. “Repreve, manufactured in the U.S., has a lower global warming potential than standard rPET, providing our customers with a verified pathway to lower their environmental impact and meet their sustainability goals.”
The Higg MSI scores are used to communicate credible data about a product’s performance and validate sustainability progress. These results serve as a public scorecard for sharing the profile and data of a product’s environmental impact, which provides designers and consumers alike with information to make sustainability-based purchasing decisions.
A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) tool measures the environmental impacts over the whole life cycle of a product or service, including emissions and consumption of material resources. The Higg MSI scores are based on an LCA reviewed by the global, multi-stakeholder nonprofit alliance for the consumer goods industry, Sustainable Apparel Coalition, and its technology partner, Higg Co.
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“At Unifi, we’re working today for the good of tomorrow, and these scores validate our belief that we are having a positive impact on the future through the growth of Repreve,” Unifi CEO Eddie Ingle said. “This assessment assures consumers and brands that by purchasing or using Repreve recycled fibers, they are making a more conscious and sustainable impact on the present and the future.”
Through Repreve, Unifi has transformed more than 25 billion plastic bottles into recycled fiber for new apparel, footwear, home goods and other consumer products. Repreve fibers can also be enhanced with Unifi’s proprietary technologies for increased performance and comfort.