American & Efird (A&E) a global leader in textile manufacturing official announced product launch of an industry first, REPREVE recycled core spun industrial sewing thread, Perma Core using REPREVE. 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., 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 their 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, they are dedicated to providing a transparent recycled product through their U Trust program with Fiberprint technology, which verifies products contain REPREVE in the right amounts. They are proud to be associated with A&E and to support their environmental initiatives.

Alt added that they are very excited to partner with Unifi and offer this innovative and environmentally-conscious product. Their customers requested a quality solution for producing complete products using REPREVE… from fabric and yarn to sewing thread, and their 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.