Athleticwear brand Champion has launched a new sustainable collection with circular solutions provider The Renewal Workshop, which recycles and repurposes discarded clothing and textiles.

The Champion Renewed line, which features recycled Champion Reverse Weave sweatshirts, is part of the brand's Champion Made sustainability initiative, which aims to extend the lifespan of its products. The initiative also includes expanding the use of sustainably sourced textiles and adopting innovative upcycling techniques to reduce energy and water consumption throughout the production process.

Jon Ram, group president of global activewear for HanesBrands, said that the Champion brand is dedicated to making major leaps toward social and environmental leadership, and their relationship with The Renewal Workshop is a crucial milestone in this process. They’re pleased to be able to prolong the life of clothing that might otherwise wind up in landfills. They hope to expand their efforts beyond Champion's Reverse Weave® sweatshirts to include additional items that their customers love.

The Champion Renewed line includes 24 designs in men's/unisex and women's sizes, including the Reverse Weave Pullover Hoodie and Reverse Weave Crew.

The Renewal Workshop uses a patented six-stage, the zero-waste method in which clothes are reconditioned to exacting standards. Before being granted a Renewal Workshop badge and made available for purchase, products are sorted, graded, fully sanitized using state-of-the-art waterless technology, as well as repaired to like-new standards, and then inspected and verified to joint quality requirements.

The circular solutions provider measures the impact of the most frequently received textile fibers, such as cotton, polyester, and wool, using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) Methodology. Using this information, in addition to the weight of each piece of clothing, the organization can calculate energy savings, greenhouse gas reductions, and water usage reductions for each item that is renewed, among other things.

Nicole Bassett, the co-founder of The Renewal Workshop, said that they're pleased to have Champion join their expanding roster of companies, and they're excited to help the brand in its wider efforts to salvage clothes, giving clothing a second life. Having a company as well-known as Champion start the process with them gives them hope that others in the industry will follow suit soon.

Champion explained that, in addition to collaborating with The Renewal Workshop, it is also selling classic jersey T-shirts manufactured with 100% US cotton as part of its Champion Made commitment. In 2021, the sportswear company will debut two environmentally aware collections, Natural State and Rally Pro Earth, as well as ‘Game Day' sweatshirts made with 95% recycled polyester fibers.

Champion's initiatives are part of HanesBrands' worldwide sustainability targets for 2025-2030, which include having a completely circular product or major circularity program for all of its brands by 2025.