Coats, the world's largest manufacturer and distributor of industrial thread has developed EcoRegen, a biodegradable thread that is made entirely of lyocell, a recycled fiber made from wood pulp obtained from sustainably managed forests.

Because of its cellulosic origin, the thread is entirely biodegradable and compostable, and it can be used in a variety of clothing applications to meet a variety of consumer needs.

Coats launched EcoVerde in 2018, which is now one of the most robust lines of 100% recycled polyester threads, zips, and trims on the market, and will be introducing two more sustainable brands in the near future.

The two new brands include EcoCycle, a range of water-soluble threads that allow for garment recycling and end-to-end circularity, and Eco-B, a recycled polyester thread with an additive that eliminates the deposition of synthetic fibers in landfills and microfibre waste in the oceans. All of the circular and sustainable threads are said to provide superior sewing performance and excellent quality.

President of apparel and footwear at Coats, Adrian Elliott, said sustainable business practices are critical for conscientious companies, and they work hard to help their customers achieve their sustainability goals. With the introduction of their new sustainable threads, they are creating items that will allow their customers to design garments with a simple end-of-life strategy. Their multinational teams have created threads of uncompromised quality and performance in a fully sustainable package.

Coats, based in the United Kingdom, is the world's largest commercial thread firm, employing 17,000 employees on six continents and generating US$1.2 billion in sales in 2020.