In 1993, Polartec ® invented the very first knit fabric made from recycled plastic bottles. At the time it wasn’t easy, or even profitable, but it proved a concept. That raw material was all around us, that plastic could achieve high performance, and the potential of sustainable textiles was now our purpose.
From this initial discovery we developed our own process to reliably innovate new ways to reduce resources and increase the sustainability of what me make. Polartec ® EcoEngineering ™ is a ‘whole system approach’ that combines production methods, recycled inputs, and distribution efficiencies.
From enhanced water treatment to inventing protocols for microfiber shedding; from hi-efficiency factory lighting systems to developing new knitting techniques that not only reduce energy consumption, but can actualize the promise of a new generation of protein-based fibers. Polartec® EcoEngineering ™ seeks new solutions and better ways to make fabric.
For over 25 years, we’ve used EcoEngineering ™ to pioneer recycled technologies and push the boundaries of fabric science. Today, we offer more than 200 styles and 6 million yards of sustainably-made, high-performance fabrics every year. But even that’s not enough. Our objective is a ‘triple bottom line’ of sustainable manufacturing: 100% recycled and/or organic inputs, 100% biodegradable output, and 100% repurpose-ability. An audacious goal, for sure. But the kind of goal you’d expect from the world’s leader in innovative (and sustainable) textile solutions.
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