Dive Brief:
- Unifi, Inc.'s Repreve, a global manufacturer of recyclable yarn used in apparel, hosiery, automotive and other products, has launched a national recycling education tour as part of its Repreve #TurnItGreen movement. The first stop will be in San Francisco at the North Face Endurance Challenge presented by Gore-Tex, Repreve, and its partners. It will go on to schools, retail locations and entertainment and sporting events around the country.
- Event highlights include a Repreve Recycling Rally challenging K-5 students to recycle plastic bottles for prizes. Students will also be invited to participate in bottle transformation-themed activities, and there will be digital displays and iPad kiosks for social sharing.
- The mobile attractions are sponsored by Polartec, Sage, Renewtra, Volcom and SnapBox, and will be led by a Repreve-branded Ford F350, featuring upholstered fabric made from 16 plastic bottles.
Dive Insight:
"We are thrilled to kick off our multi-stop #TurnItGreen mobile experience, engaging with kids and adults as we educate them on how we transform recycled plastic bottles into products they can purchase from their favorite brands," said Roger Berrier, president and chief operating officer of Unifi, in a statement.
"Since we began making Repreve, we have recycled more than 4 billion plastic bottles into quality products people wear and use every day, and we anticipate the #TurnItGreen tour will help us continue to grow that number."
The company has previously raised recycling awareness through special events at Detroit Lions games, the University of North Carolina’s stadium, and elsewhere.
Through these ongoing partnerships, Repreve has expanded its own presence, while providing recycling at major sporting events. Through its joint efforts with the Lions alone, fans recycled nearly 60,000 plastic bottles last year.
