GREENSBORO, N.C., Oct. 23, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Cone Denim,
Lenzing and Unifi – global leaders in textile sustainability - are
excited to collaborate on the launch of Future BLACK+ denim
featuring Lenzing Modal® branded fibers and REPREVE® Black recycled
fibers. Future BLACK+, the industry's first certified
fade-resistant black denim, will join Cone Denim's family of
TruTone™ fabrics. Jeans made from Future BLACK+ denim contain as
many as 17 recycled plastic bottles and feature superior softness,
color retention and stretch, while minimizing the impact on the
environment.
Future BLACK+ denim achieves its durable color by utilizing dope
dyeing, an energy-saving and environmentally friendly dyeing
technique that introduces the pigment during the production
process. Adding the colorant during manufacturing allows the entire
body of the fiber to be colored instead of only the surface and
eliminates the need for a dye bath later in the process. Wash
tests[1] have shown that denim made from Future BLACK+ showed no
sign of color loss even after more than 20 washes, producing a
denim that's built to last.
"Lenzing has always been committed to sustainability and making
our manufacturing process as eco-friendly as possible," said
Tricia Carey, director of global
business development for denim at Lenzing. "By partnering with Cone
Denim and Unifi, we were able to work with like-minded companies to
create an advanced product that saves resources throughout the
manufacturing process."
"This collaboration elevates our commitment as a sustainability
leader and denim innovator," said Kara
Nicholas, vice president of product design and marketing for
Cone Denim. "Color retention in black denim is an increasingly
important trend for consumers and a perfect fit with our TruTone™
fabric story focused around black and indigo-like navy fabrics that
offer supreme color retention, plus all of the added benefits of
the environmental story."
REPREVE is a leading brand of fibers made from recycled plastic
bottles by Unifi, Inc. (UFI: NYSE). Lenzing Modal® BLACK
has around 50 to 60 percent lower environmental impact than
conventional dyed fabric.[2] The Lenzing manufacturing process
requires less chemical and energy inputs during manufacturing, and
uses 64 percent less water during the dye process. Together, these
earth-friendly fibers create a high performing, highly sustainable
denim.
"By combining Lenzing Modal® fiber with REPREVE®, we
are able to satisfy some of the biggest consumer demands for the
marketplace," said Jay Hertwig,
Unifi's vice president of global brand sales and premium
value-added sales. "Unifi is proud to work with both The Lenzing
Group and Cone Denim to create a high-quality product that helps
decrease our industry's environmental footprint."
Future BLACK+ will launch at Kingpins Amsterdam, Oct. 25-26, and will also be showing at Kingpins
New York, Nov. 29-30, as part of the
Cone Denim TruTone™ collection.
About The Lenzing Group:
The Lenzing Group is a world market leader headquartered in
Austria, which operates production
sites in all major markets as well as a worldwide network of sales
and marketing offices. Lenzing supplies the global textile and
nonwovens industry with high-quality, botanic cellulose fibers. Its
portfolio ranges from dissolving wood pulp to standard and
specialty cellulose fibers.
Lenzing's quality and innovative strength set global standards
for cellulose fibers. With 79 years of experience in fiber
production, the Lenzing Group is the only company in the world
which is able to produce significant volumes of all three cellulose
fiber generations – from the classic Lenzing Viscose® branded
fibers to the Lenzing Modal® branded fibers and the TENCEL® branded
lyocell fibers. In 2016 Lenzing introduced the RefibraTM branded
lyocell fibers, a product innovation based on recycled cotton
scraps.
The Lenzing Group's success is based on consistent customer
orientation combined with innovation, technology and quality
leadership. Lenzing is committed to the principles of sustainable
management with very high environmental standards and can
underscore this commitment with numerous international
sustainability certifications for its business processes as the
most sustainable company in the sector. In addition to fibers,
which form the core business, the Lenzing Group is also active to a
lesser extent in the fields of engineering and plant
construction.
Key Facts & Figures Lenzing Group 2016
Revenue: EUR 2.13 bn
Fiber sales volumes: 978,000 tons
Employees: 6,218
TENCEL®, Refibra™, EcoVero™, Lenzing Modal® and Lenzing Viscose®
are trademarks of Lenzing AG.
About Cone Denim:
A leading denim innovator for more than 125 years, Cone Denim
delivers unparalleled expertise and advanced denim capabilities
that service and inspire the global market. Cone promotes both
sustainable practices in its operations and development of new
denims. From performance denims and superior SGENE® technology to
vintage re-creations of CONE® Deeptone Denim reaching back to the
early 1900s, Cone offers unique collections of SELVAGE,
PERFORMANCE, STRETCH and NATURAL INDIGO denims crafted out of
the Cone®3D R&D incubator. Cone Denim operates as part of
International Textile Group, Inc. (ITG) with manufacturing
capabilities in the U.S., China,
and Mexico, including the iconic
White Oak® mill in Greensboro. Learn more at
www.conedenim.com, instagram.com/conedenim, and
facebook.com/conedenimitg.
About Unifi:
Unifi, Inc. (NYSE:UFI) is a global textile solutions provider
and one of the world's leading innovators in manufacturing
synthetic and recycled performance fibers. The Company's
proprietary technologies offer increased performance, comfort and
style advantages, enabling customers to develop products that
perform, look and feel better. Through REPREVE®, one of Unifi's
proprietary technologies and the global leader in branded recycled
performance fibers, Unifi has transformed more than 5 billion
plastic bottles into recycled fiber for new clothing, shoes, home
goods and other consumer products. Unifi continually innovates to
meet consumer needs in moisture management, thermal regulation,
antimicrobial, UV protection, stretch, water repellency and
enhanced softness. Unifi collaborates with many of the world's most
influential brands in the sports apparel, fashion, home, automotive
and other industries, including New Era, Levi's, Target, Ford and
more. For more information about Unifi, visit www.Unifi.com.
About REPREVE:
Made by Unifi, Inc. (NYSE:UFI), REPREVE® is the
global leader in branded recycled performance fibers, transforming
more than 5 billion plastic bottles into recycled fiber for new
clothing, shoes, home goods and other consumer products. REPREVE is
the earth-friendly solution to making consumers' favorite brands
more environmentally responsible. Found in products from many of
the world's leading brands including New Era, Levi's, Target and
Ford. REPREVE fibers can also be enhanced with Unifi's
proprietary technologies for increased performance and comfort. For
more information about REPREVE, visit www.REPREVE.com, and connect
with REPREVE on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
REPREVE® is a trademark of Unifi, Inc.
[1] According to DIN ISO 6330 wash tests
[2] Ecological performance of Lenzing Modal® COLOR fibres and
opportunities for value creating: Spun-dying vs. conventional
dyeing
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SOURCE Unifi, Inc.