UNIFI in El Salvador will invest $100 million in innovative technology
Contact the Central American Group to establish a nearshore textile manufacturing facility in one of the CAG’s free zones in El Salvador.
The investment by UNIFI in El Salvador in texturing technology will facilitate the expansion of the Repreve yarn brand in Central America. It will supply the growing demand of the CAFTA-DR market.
UNIFI Manufacturing Inc., a leading synthetic fiber textile company whose manufacturing facility operates in El Salvador under the free zone regime, recently said it would invest $100 million in innovative texturing technology.
The announcement was made by a group of executives that traveled to UNIFI in El Salvador to explain this investment.
Eddie Ingle, CEO of UNIFI Manufacturing Inc., explained that the investment funds would be distributed in El Salvador, the United States, and Brazil.
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New Technology is already in use
“The execution of the investment has already started and is planned to be developed over three years. In El Salvador, the first machine with this innovative technology started working last week,” said Ingle.
At the local level, the investment will increase the production of polyester thread by 40% by modernizing its production capacity with new state-of-the-art machinery.
“This technology is specifically for the texturing of polyester yarn. It is new, and UNIFI has the exclusivity for a certain time, being the first in the world to develop it. Therefore, UNIFI in El Salvador will have the latest texturing technology, ” the company’s CEO added.
The company, based in North Carolina, United States, is a global supplier of textile solutions and one of the world’s leading innovators in manufacturing synthetic fibers.
UNIFI continually develops innovative technologies to meet consumer needs for high-performance garments, including moisture management, thermal regulation, anti-odor, UV protection, stretch, water resistance, and increased softness.
Company representatives have stated that many of the world’s most influential brands in the apparel, footwear, outdoor, fashion, home, and automotive industries use UNIFI’s yarn technologies
UNIFI in El Salvador produces high-performance recycled yarn
The Repreve brand is one of UNIFI’s flagship products. Its high-performance recycled yarn is considered number one globally thanks to its high quality, certifications, transparency, and traceability.
Repreve products are made from 100% recycled materials, such as post-consumer plastic bottles and textile waste.
Since Repreve ‘s launch in 2007, UNIFI in El Salvador and its partners have recycled more than thirty billion bottles, turning them into fiber for clothing, footwear, and household items, among other products.
Ingle explains that UNIFI expects to recycle 50,000 million bottles by 2025.
The hanging label easily identifies Repreve garments with the brand’s green bottle figure.
Using recycled materials is good for the environment
“Globally, we have processed 30 billion plastic bottles. I also want people to know that we process polyester yarn, and the PET used to make the plastic bottle is the same PET used to make the polyester yarn. With this investment, we hope to increase production by up to 40% more,” explained Ingle.
According to data from UNIFI, the number of plastic bottles that need to be processed with this technology varies depending on the garment or product that will be crafted.
For example, a sports shirt made with Repreve yarn uses seven recycled bottles; a men’s dress shirt uses eighteen bottles, while a pair of socks requires two recycled bottles.
In this way, UNIFI’s production processes, through reducing greenhouse gas emissions and optimizing water and energy in the yarn manufacturing process, support the company’s commitment to sustainability.
According to the Vice President of Marketing, Jay Hertwig, “the markets in which the brand is very well positioned are clothing, automotive, furniture, and footwear. The investment in UNIFI in El Salvador will allow us to expand volumes in all those markets.”
For her part, Beverly Sylvester, Vice President of Marketing and Communications, explained that the products have great acceptance in the market since buyers see an added value in knowing that they buy high-quality products made with recycled material.
“As UNIFI, we are giving a second life to plastic goods, turning them into top-quality sportswear. We see that the customer is looking for these items because they are sustainable and friendly to the environment,” said Sylvester.
Meredith Boyd, vice president of innovation and sustainability, said that the company works with more than a thousand brands worldwide and that “markets like El Salvador with the free trade agreement (CAFTA-DR) is a great driver of our brand.”
UNIFI in El Salvador employs over two hundred workers at its plant, where 75% of its workforce comprises men and 25% of women. Of the latter group, several individuals hold key positions in the company.
Source: elsalvador.com
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