Nike and Target have both reached the major milestone this year of each having transformed more than two billion recycled plastic bottles through the use of Repreve fibre. Polartec, Walmart and Hong Kong-headquartered Texhong Textile Group have meanwhile all each now transformed more than one billion bottles.

These companies are among the 39 brand and retail partners who have each transformed ten million or more recycled plastic bottles and the 53 textile partners who have all transformed 50 million or more and are being recognised as 2022 Champions of Sustainability by Unifi, the manufacturer of Repreve, headquartered in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Combined, they have helped turn a combined total of nearly 14 billion recycled plastic bottles into more sustainable products. All told, to date, Unifi has transformed more than 30 billion bottles into fibres.

Receiving a Special Recognition Award from Unifi is Mavi, a Turkey-based international apparel brand with a strong reputation as a leader in the denim market.

“As a leading global denim brand, Mavi demonstrates Repreve’s global reach,” said Bev Sylvester, vice president of marketing and communications at Unifi. “Consumers now expect brands to make products responsibly, which Mavi has capitalsed on through its focus on sustainability.  “

China-based Jiaxing Xinran Textile and Lucky Textile Mills also receive special recognition. Jiaxing Xinran has incorporated Repreve into spandex-covered yarns while Lucky has created sustainable fabrics that perform in both hot and cold weather using Repreve TruTemp365.

“We are thrilled to announce the 2022 Repreve Champions of Sustainability,” said Eddie Ingle, chief executive officer of Unifi. “We applaud the demonstrated commitment to sustainability, which has allowed us to recycle more than 30 billion bottles to date.”