Unifi invests in recycled fiber facility

A new $8 million Repreve Recycling Center will turn more than 400 million post-consumer plastic bottles into recycled fibers in 2012, according to Unifi Inc., Greensboro, N.C. The 50,000-square-foot Yadkinville, N.C., facility will produce recycled polyester and nylon fibers for apparel, automotive applications, seating and paneling fabrics. Sustainable features of the new Center include skylights to take advantage of natural sunlight, low-flow fixtures, motion-sensor light switches and heat capture from Repreve chip manufacturing processes. Besides expanding production capacity, Unifi also wants to work on improving fiber color of Repreve yarns and increase recycling volumes.