Unifi Manufacturing, Inc., a leading producer of polyester, nylon textured yarns used in apparel, is the first manufacturer of its kind to earn Responsible Source certification from SCS Global Services (SCS).
Certification was issued for Unifi’s Repreve products manufactured in the Repreve Recycling Center in Yadkinville, NC. The Responsible Source certification further raises Unifi’s profile as a sustainability leader in the textile industry, providing an enhanced level of transparency about its Repreve products.
Repreve products are made from pre-consumer and post-consumer recycled polyethylene terephthalate (RPET), and have been certified for Recycled Content by SCS since 2007.
“Responsible Source certification gives apparel and textile companies confidence that Repreve polyester inputs are both environmentally and socially responsible, providing a new level of transparency about raw material inputs for recycled products,” said Stowe Hartridge-Beam, Managing Director of Environmental Certification Services for SCS.
“This certification is important to Unifi, as it further shows our commitment in providing our customers with quality, transparent and responsibly manufactured Repreve-based products,” said Jay Hertwig , vice president of global branding for Unifi.
The Responsible Source standard for the textiles sector, developed by SCS Global Services, addresses supply chain and manufacturing issues related to the production of un-dyed recycled chips, pellets, and manufactured fibers. Certification is available to manufacturers who screen suppliers for compliance with local environmental regulations, enforce fair labor and workplace practices, and account for human health and environmental life cycle impacts. Certification enables manufacturers to sell inputs as “Responsible Source certified,” and to promote themselves to downstream customers as a “Responsible Source.” The standard incorporates elements from ILO conventions, U.S. federal regulations, ISO standards and guidelines, and existing SCS standards.
Unifi is the first yarn manufacturer to achieve Responsible Source certification, and has shown that its Repreve yarns and resins are manufactured in a manner which supports environmental and ethical responsibility. Unifi tracks energy and water consumption, water discharges, air emissions and hazardous waste disposal. It has robust material tracking and traceability mechanisms in place, and maintains strong relationships with its vendors and suppliers.
As a part of the certification process, Unifi’s environmental performance was measured in eight key impact categories, and the company established a supplier screening supply chain risk assessment framework.
SCS Global Services (SCS), formerly Scientific Certification Systems, has been a global leader in third-party environmental and sustainability certification, auditing, testing and standards development for nearly thirty years. SCS programs span a wide cross-section of sectors, recognizing exemplary performance in natural resource management, green building, product manufacturing, food and agriculture, retailing and more. SCS is a Certified B Corporation, reflecting its commitment to socially and environmentally responsible business practice.
Repreve is a registered trademark of Unifi, Inc.
