Impressions - October/November 2020 - 26

materials in all products. Now, in 2020, more
than 50% of all the polyester the manufacturer
uses in its products is recycled. Recycled poly
vs. virgin poly is much more "Earth friendly."
According to the brand, recycled polyester:
* makes 60% reduced environmental
impact, compared to virgin polyester;
* uses 59% less energy to produce than
virgin polyester;
* reduces carbon-dioxide emissions by 32%,
compared to virgin polyester.
By next year, adidas will unveil the
Futurecraft Loop, a 100% recyclable shoe that
can be returned and broken down to create
a new pair. By 2024, adidas' Parley Ocean
Plastic, PRIMEBLUE and PRIMEGREEN
performance fabrics - made from recycled
materials - will replace any virgin polyester
the company uses.
2. Alternative: This company says most of
its factories are WRAP-certified, and adhere
to Fair Labor Association guidelines and
workplace codes of conduct. Alternative is part
of Fashion Revolution, a global movement
comprised of designers, academics, writers,
brands, retailers, marketers and others with
the goal of establishing a fashion industry
that conserves and restores the environment
and values people more than growth and
profit. The brand uses low-impact dyes and
water-conserving washes on its garments,
and substitutes 60,000 pounds of organic cotton for conventional cotton annually.
Alternative Eco fabrics also use almost 2
million recycled plastic bottles. In addition,
since packaging and distribution contribute
to waste, the brand uses oxo-biodegradable
mailer bags, and has implemented a program
to reuse and recycle materials from vendors.
3. BELLA+CANVAS: This brand uses
eco-friendly dyes and dye machines that
require less water, saving 24 million gallons a week; any used water gets recycled
through a filtration system. In addition,
BELLA+CANVAS installed solar energy at its
headquarters to power its cutting-and-sewing
operations; motion-sensor LED lighting and
skylights throughout each building; and electric
car-charging stations.
The brand's manufacturing facilities produce almost no landfill content because they
recycle excess fabric into other products like
baby bibs and stuffing for upholstery. Its sweatshop-free facilities also uphold high factory
and workplace standards, and are platinum
certified through WRAP.
4. Hanes: About 80% of the apparel Hanes
sells is produced in company-owned or controlled factories by dedicated contractors, so
its garments are manufactured in an environP.26

When an automotive dealership
chooses to use or give away
sustainably made apparel, it
sends a message to customers that
they care about the environment.

mentally and socially responsible way. Hanes
T-shirts are made using:
* renewable biomass, hydrothermal and
geothermal energy;
* low-waste yarn from energy-efficient
facilities;
* sustainable and recycled materials.
Most of Hanes' cotton is grown in the
rain-rich fields of the southeastern United
States, which helps reduce the need for irrigation. The apparel giant explores ways to recycle and repurpose apparel to keep discarded
clothes out of landfills. It even has gone as
far as building wastewater-treatment plants
on the site of its manufacturing operations.
These brand stats and details are great
information to share with eco-concerned
buyers. Consider that 97% of buyers want
to make a positive environmental impact
on the planet and 79% want brands to help
them be more environmentally friendly,
according to EU Continuum research.
Today, companies want to tie their ecoconscious missions into the branded apparel
they wear, sell or give away. When you share
apparel from sustainable companies - and
the accompanying stats and stories - not
only will you impress your customers, but
you'll also become their go-to distributor or
decorator. 
James Andres is content manager for S&S Activewear. For more information or to comment on this
article, email James at jandres@ssactivewear.com.

Many younger consumers work
at tech-focused companies and
buy logoed corporate apparel.

I M P R E S S I O N S M A G . C O M OCT./NOV. 2020

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Impressions - October/November 2020

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