News

2017-03-30

A&E Launches First REPREVE® Recycled Core Spun Sewing Thread ...(not available in French)

MOUNT HOLLY, N.C. (March 30, 2017) - American & Efird (A&E) continues its 125-year tradition as a global leader in textile manufacturing, announcing today the official product launch of an industry first, REPREVE® recycled core spun industrial sewing thread, Perma Core® using REPREVE®. Nothing can be more important than the future of our planet, and it's with that in mind, that A&E has engineered a new sewing thread providing a highly sought-after, eco-friendly, performance sewing thread option for environmentally-conscious customers.

Unifi, Inc. (UFI: NYSE), the makers of REPREVE, turns plastic bottles into 100% recycled polyester fiber, which is then made into products sold by leading consumer brands and retailers. Perma Core® using REPREVE® combines a recycled continuous filament polyester core and A&E's signature quality polyester staple wrap to produce a high quality, eco-friendly industrial sewing thread.

"Perma Core® using REPREVE® provides an eco-friendly core spun sewing thread solution without sacrificing quality or sewing performance as seen in some existing recycled threads in the industry," said Chris Alt, A&E's Senior Vice President of global sales. "Perma Core® using REPREVE® is extremely versatile

and can be dyed, finished and delivered from any of A&E's global manufacturing locations and is available across A&E's global color range. The portability of this product is important to our global customers and prospects that are already incorporating REPREVE fabrics into their products, allowing them to complete their sustainability efforts in a cost-efficient way, no matter where in the world they place their sewing production."

"Consumers are looking for products and brands that are environmentally responsible from start to finish. With Perma Core® using REPREVE®, brands can be confident that their products are sewn with eco-friendly thread," said Jay Hertwig, vice president of global brand sales, marketing and product development for Unifi. "At Unifi, we're dedicated to providing a transparent recycled product through our U Trust™ program with Fiberprint™ technology, which verifies products contain REPREVE in the right amounts. We are proud to be associated with A&E and to support their environmental initiatives."

Alt added, "We are very excited to partner with Unifi and offer this innovative and environmentally-conscious product. Our customers requested a quality solution for producing complete products using REPREVE... from fabric and yarn to sewing thread, and our innovative teams collaborated to deliver an economic, high quality, sustainable, premium sewing thread to fill this space by creating Perma Core® using REPREVE®."

Commitment to sustainability is an important and ongoing goal of A&E. A&E's "10 Threads of Sustainability" platform balances social responsibility and environmental impact with business growth objectives. This initiative compliments Unifi's goal to empower brands in fulfillment of their own sustainable programs through its REPREVE brand. Brands and retailers continue to commit themselves to reducing their environmental impact and demonstrate that their choices matter. A&E is proud to assist these retailers and brands by providing premium products to reach their individualized goals.

For more information, please contact Mark Hatton at mark.hatton@amefird.com or 704.951.2516.


ABOUT UNIFI

Unifi, Inc. is a multi-national manufacturing textile company that produces and sells textured and other processed yarns designed to meet customer specifications, and premier value-added ("PVA") yarns with enhanced performance characteristics. Unifi maintains one of the textile industry's most comprehensive polyester and nylon product offerings. Unifi enhances demand for its products, and helps others in creating a more effective textile industry supply chain, through the development and introduction of branded yarns that provide unique performance, comfort and aesthetic advantages. In addition to its flagship REPREVEÒ products - a family of eco-friendly yarns made from recycled materials - key Unifi brands include: SORBTEK®, REFLEXX® , AIO® -all-in-one performance yarns, SATURA®, AUGUSTA®, A.M.Y.®, MYNX® UV and MICROVISTA®.Unifi's yarns are readily found in the products of major brands in the apparel, hosiery, automotive, home furnishings, industrial and other end-use markets. For more information about Unifi, visit www.unifi.com; to learn more about REPREVE, visit www.REPREVE.com.

ABOUT REPREVE

REPREVE® is Unifi, Inc.'s (NYSE: UFI) flagship brand of recycled fibers, made from recycledmaterials, including plastic bottles. REPREVE can be found in products ranging from apparel and hosiery to automotive and industrial applications, and is used by some of the world's leading brands, including Patagonia, Haggar, Quiksilver and Ford. REPREVE's #TurnItGreen initiative is designed to encourage recycling and raise awareness among consumers that recycled bottles can be turned into cool products they use every day. For more information about REPREVE, visit www.REPREVE.com; like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter and Instagram.

ABOUT AMERICAN & EFIRD

A&E is the largest U.S. manufacturer and the world's second-largest manufacturer and distributor of premium quality industrial and consumer sewing thread, embroidery thread and technical textiles. Producers of apparel, automotive components, home furnishings, medical supplies, footwear and a diverse range of industrial products rely on A&E industrial sewing thread to manufacture their products. Customers select A&E as the preferred choice for industrial sewing thread, embroidery thread and technical textiles because of A&E's dedication to providing its customers with the finest products and services, at the highest quality, delivered globally. Through its global network, A&E's products are manufactured in 23 countries, distributed in 50 countries and sold in over 100 countries. In addition to A&E's steadfast commitment to superior quality and customer service, A&E is a recognized industry leader in environmental sustainability and corporate social responsibility, and operates its global facilities with the utmost regard for the safety and health of its associates employed worldwide. A&E owns or operates 27 manufacturing facilities and employs over 10,000 associates around the world directly or in partnership with joint venture partners

For more information, please visit www.amefird.com.

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