Dive Brief:

• Greensboro, NC-based manufacturing company Unifi Inc. broke ground on the $10 million, 85,000-square-foot expansion of its Repreve Recycling Center in Yadkinville, NC, which opened in 2011. The addition is set to be finished in the spring of 2016. 
• The expansion will increase capacity for production of Unifi's recycled fiber brand, Repreve, and other products by up to 60 million pounds. 
• The company expects that the investment will add 18 to 20 jobs in the Yadkin County area.

Dive Insight:

Repreve fibers, created from recycled plastic, are finding their way into many products, including Ford F-150 pickup trucks, North Face jackets and the Detroit Lions' practice jerseys. The company has also partnered with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford to increase recycling awareness.

Expansion can lead to more consumer demand for environmentally responsible products, Unifi believes. President and COO Roger Berrier told GreenStitched, "This investment affirms our commitment to sustainability and allows us to provide increased resources for the needs of our customers."