GREENSBORO–US-based Unifi has joined forces with Polartec to launch the Repreve Textile Takeback Program which aims to give a second chance to the millions of pounds of textile manufacturing scraps that end up in landfill every year.

The two companies will work with military apparel manufacturer, Peckham of Lansing, Michigan, to define a process allowing for Polartec polyester-based cut-waste to be recycled back into Polartec's exclusive Repreve 100 yarn.

This new yarn will now include a blend of recycled bottles and recycled fabrics and will be used to produce performance Polartec fabrics for the apparel market.

Unifi says the new initiative is a‘first of its kind recycling program’that recycles various polyester based fabrics; including supply chain waste and post-consumer fabrics that have reached their end of life.“The industry continues to focus on ways to reduce textile fabric waste throughout the supply chain, however as a bi-product of manufacturing, waste is still created,”said Roger Berrier, president and COO for Unifi.“The Textile Takeback program provides the industry with a responsible and sustainable outlet for this waste.”

“In typical garment manufacturing, 10 to 20 per cent of all fabric produced becomes cut-waste left over after panels are cut,”says Andy Vecchione, president and CEO of Polartec.“This fabric has historically been down cycled into batting or simply sent to the landfill. We can now use this waste stream to create new, first-quality performance Polartec fabrics. Polartec has pioneered the recycled fabric category and we continue our commitment to reducing our overall footprint. In 2011, over 40% of our total production will utilise Repreve 100 recycled yarns and we expect that number to grow in 2012 and beyond.”

Unifi says the new program will expand to include other qualified partners in various markets.