Unifi Manufacturing, Inc. a leading producer of multi-filament polyester and nylon textured yarns and related raw materials has invested $28 million in its new 150,000 square foot bottle processing center in Reidsville at the time when hundreds of textile companies have left the Tar Heel State in the last couple of decades, but Unifi continued to expand.

Unifi committed to manufacturing in their home state of North Carolina, and they are excited to have built one of the most advanced recycling facilities in the world in a community that's help shape their company the last several decades, said UNIFI president Tom Caudle.

Inside the facility, the company will process two and a half billion recycled water bottles a year and turn them into 75 million pounds of bottle flake, which is used to create its Repreve yarn product. The facility marks a major milestone in the manufacturer's expansion.

Repreve can be found in products ranging from apparel and hosiery, to automotive and industrial applications, said Jay Hertwig, vice president of global brand sales for UNIFI.

UNIFI vice president of manufacturing Tim Cole said that earlier, the company used to purchase the bottle flake from outside companies. Now that process is handled—in house. They can do a better job by making the raw material and improve their product. Once bottles are sorted and processed, the company ships the bags of bottle flake to its Yadkinville plant, where it's made into yarn.

UNIFI received a $500,000 building reuse grant from the state to build the processing center.

UNIFI provides innovative, global textile solutions and unique branded yarns for customers at every level of the supply chain.