Textile Insight

IN THE MARKET | COMPANY NEWS Growth Strategies Focus on Eco, Tech and Manufacturing. Downlite Launches Progressive Composting Initiative Downlite has engaged an outside organic recycling company to utilize the large waste feathers that tradition- ally end up in landfill, and instead, treat them for soil compost. Much of the by-product Downlite's collaborative recycling company receives for compost is food waste that has a high moisture content. The dry feathers help make the compost more manageable when mixed with other matter. Additionally, feathers have an added pore space that degrade the organic matter of the compost more efficiently. Lastly, feathers are rich in keratin, a protein that slowly releases nitrogen when added to compost. The slow release of nitrogen allows for long- term plant growth stimulation. Downlite's composting program is the most recent in a series of ongoing envi- ronmental and sustainable initiatives. Last fall, the company installed a waste water recycling system (WWRS) to treat and recycle water used to process down. To date, Downlite's WWRS has success- fully allowed the company to treat and recycle over 20 million gallons of water – exceeding company expectations. "Our sustainability efforts go well beyond our sourcing and production processes, they also serve as the foun- dation for new products that we create for our partners," said Chad Altbaier, VP Downlite Outdoor. "To help manage the upward costing pressure down is now facing, we will be introducing exciting hybrid insulations involving natural and recycled materials, which offer the dual benefit of enhancing the per- formance of the material, while being grounded in our core value of environ- mental stewardship." Downlite presented its new GRS certi- fied re/charged down at OR Summer Market. Not only is re/charged down 100 percent recycled, it is also 100 percent post-consumer, thus eliminating tons of material going into a landfill. According to the Cincinnati-based supplier, re/ charged down provides unprecedented performance levels for 100 percent recycled down due to its ability to "boost" the down to a higher cluster and resulting fill power. Outerwear brand partners using re/charged down in the FW18 season will be donating 1% of sales to 1% for the Planet. UNIFI Announces Joint Venture, Key Personnel Appointments Unifi has signed a non-binding letter of intent to form a joint venture in Guatemala with the owners of Complast S.A. (Complast) and Technologia Textil Avanzada (TTA), existing recycling, spinning and texturing companies in Guatemala. The joint venture would continue the recycling, spinning and texturing activities of Complast and TTA. Under the proposed structure, Unifi would own 51 percent of the joint ven- ture and the existing owners of Complast and TTA would own 49 percent. Unifi's desire to form the joint ven- ture is based on the importance of the Central American textile market and Unifi's commitment to this market for the foreseeable future. Unifi believes the venture will further expand its geo- graphic footprint of Repreve recycled fiber through local, quick turn produc- tion of Repreve filament yarn within Central America, a key apparel-produc- ing market that requires compliant yarn. "Central America has been a region of focus for brands and retailers over the past few years, as apparel programs are sourced closer to the U.S.," said Tom Caudle, Unifi president. "The growth in the region is key to our strategy of building our Repreve and other value-added brands." Complast and TTA have been in business since 2008 and 2014, respec- tively. Complast owns and operates a bottle processing facility and pro- duces flake and chip under the brand name EuroPET for the consumer packaging market in Central America and for further processing in their spinning plant. TTA produces poly- ester POY and textured yarn under the brand name EuroFIL, and supplies the Central American market. Under the letter of intent, these operations would be contributed to the joint venture and, upon consummation of the joint venture the parties intend to expand the existing operations. The transaction proposed in the letter of intent is subject to the parties reaching a definitive agreement, with a transaction closing expected to occur by the end of calendar 2017. In other news from Unifi, Richard E. Gerstein has been named executive vice president global marketing officer, and John Vegas as executive vice president, global chief human resources officer, and Mark McNeill was promoted to executive vice president, global innovation. McNeill will continue to lead the expansion efforts of the Asia business unit. PrimaLoft Adds New Tech to Insulation Portfolio PrimaLoft Gold Insulation with Cross Core Technology fuses PrimaLoft's pro- prietary microfibers and silica aerogel, the lightest solid material ever created, long used by NASA scientists in aero- nautical applications, creating a product with exceptional warmth and comfort with a synthetic insulation. Cross Core delivers lightweight warmth, compress- ibility, warmth when compressed and wet-weather performance. For spring 2018, L.L.Bean will offer PrimaLoft Cross Core in its Ultralight Aero Sleeping Bag and Packaway Jacket. Cross Core is avail- able industry-wide fall 2019. Hyperlite Mountain Gear Debuts Apparel American-made outdoor gear brand Hyperlite Mountain Gear has launched its first-ever apparel product. Called The Shell, the ultra-light technical jacket featuring eVent and Dyneema fabrics weighs in between 5.16 and 6.20 ounces — depending on the size — more than half a pound less than most alternatives on the market, according to the company. "Our goal was to design a jacket that was so light and functional that there was no reason not to bring it on every trip," said Mike St. Pierre, founder and CEO of Hyperlite Mountain Gear, Biddeford, ME. Working closely with Dyneema, St. Pierre helped test and refine a highly durable, waterproof breathable fabric for The Shell. Known as Dyneema Composite Fabrics with waterproof breathable properties, (DCF-WPB), the fabric achieves an optimal bal- ance of weight and durability, while the eVent membrane provides high- level waterproof, windproof and high-breathability characteristics that eVent patented air permeable water- proof technology is known for. O A Round Up of New Programs, Partnerships and Products textileinsight.com 16 • Textile Insight ~ September / October 2017 The Shell is the first apparel offering from Hyperlite Mountain Gear.

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