Polartec, LLC and Unifi Announce Partnership

LAWRENCE, Mass. and GREENSBORO, N.C., Jan. 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Polartec, LLC and Unifi, Inc. (NYSE: UFI) announce a new partnership introducing performance fabrics made with REPREVE 100. REPREVE 100 is made from 100 percent post-consumer waste (clear plastic water bottles).

Polartec and Unifi have been industry leaders in the development of high performance recycled content yarns and fabrics. Collaborative efforts have grown Polartec's recycled product line from less than one percent of total production to over 30 percent in the past four years – dramatically reducing carbon emissions and energy consumption. The introduction of REPREVE 100 will enable Polartec to shift much more production to recycled content by 2011. Every pound of REPREVE 100 yarn contains approximately 27 water bottles.  

Andy Vecchione, president of Polartec, LLC, states, "Unifi has been an excellent partner in our quest to deliver high performance, recycled content fabrics while reducing our overall footprint throughout the supply chain. The goal has always been to use as much post consumer content as possible. We expect REPREVE 100-based Polartec fabrics will hit the consumer market in the spring of 2011."

"In the past, limited technology presented many challenges in offering a high quality 100 percent post-consumer product," said Roger Berrier, executive vice president for Unifi.  "As technology has evolved, we are now able to offer a first quality, 100 percent post-consumer product in the right colors and styles that Polartec requires for its fabrics."

The transition to REPREVE 100 will be transparent to consumers except for a new hangtag and joint marketing program highlighting the benefits of Polartec performance products with REPREVE 100. The look, feel and performance of the new fabrics will be the same as virgin polyester fabrics. Every year over 21 billion plastic bottles enter the landfill, and through this partnership Unifi and Polartec hope to raise the visibility of recycling and further educate consumers to adopt more eco-friendly practices.

About Polartec, LLC

Polartec, LLC is the developer, manufacturer and marketer of Polartec® performance fabrics. Polartec® products range from lightweight wicking base layers, to insulation layers, to extreme weather protection and are utilized by the best clothing brands in the world. In addition, Polartec® fabrics are used extensively by all branches of the United States military including the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Special Operations Forces. For more information, visit www.polartec.com.

About Unifi:

Unifi, Inc. (NYSE: UFI) is a diversified producer and processor of multi-filament polyester and nylon textured yarns and related raw materials.  The Company adds value to the supply chain and enhances consumer demand for its products through the development and introduction of branded yarns that provide unique performance, comfort and aesthetic advantages.  Key Unifi brands include, but are not limited to: AIO® - all-in-one performance yarns, SORBTEK®, A.M.Y.®, MYNX® UV, REPREVE®, REFLEXX®, MICROVISTA® and SATURA®.  Unifi's yarns and brands are readily found in home furnishings, apparel, legwear, and sewing thread, as well as industrial, automotive, military, and medical applications.  For more information about Unifi, visit www.unifi.com, or to learn more about REPREVE®, visit the new website www.repreve.com.

SOURCE Unifi, Inc.