Unifi Receives Prestigious UNC Sustainability Award

GREENSBORO, N.C., May 11, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Greensboro, N.C.-based Unifi, Inc. (NYSE: UFI) is excited to announce it is the inaugural business recipient of the 2018 UNC Sustainability Award from Kenan-Flagler Business School's Center for Sustainable Enterprise and the Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise. The prestigious award recognizes leadership and best practices in environmental and business sustainability for North Carolina enterprises. The global textile solutions company, which makes its REPREVE® performance fiber from recycled materials, including plastic bottles, accepted the award Thursday, May 10, at a special dinner.

"Unifi is honored to be recognized by UNC as a leader in developing innovative, environmentally-friendly practices as part of our business model," said Unifi CEO Kevin Hall. "We are proud to have partnered with the world's leading brands to transform more than 10 billion bottles into performance fibers, and are on track for 30 billion by 2022."

"The Center for Sustainable Enterprise has been a thought leader in sustainability for almost 20 years," said Albert Segars, PNC Distinguished Professor, Strategy & Entrepreneurship and Faculty Director, Center for Sustainable Enterprise. "There are also many businesses in North Carolina that have been innovative leaders in sustainable enterprise, in some cases for much longer than 20 years. We thought it was time to highlight the positive stories of those organizations and highlight their leadership in building profitable as well as sustainable models of business."

UNC chose Unifi to receive the award because of the company's strong history of commitment to sustainability, along with its strategic and thoughtful business practices. Criteria selection includes:    

Initiative: The drive to act or take charge before others do. 
Innovation: A new or novel idea, method, or approach.
Impact: To have a strong effect on someone or something.

"Unifi is a leader in sustainability among American-based companies," said Brad Ives, UNC's Associate Vice Chancellor for Campus Enterprises and Chief Sustainability Officer.  "They have long been a leader in using recycled materials to manufacture their innovative yarns while showing that superior products do not need virgin materials.  Likewise, their commitment to landfill-free manufacturing demonstrates a great environmental commitment to their local communities.  As a North Carolinian, I am immensely proud to have a forward-thinking company like Unifi headquartered here."

"At Unifi, we have a passion and commitment for developing sustainable performance solutions that go into products everyone can feel good about wearing and buying," Hall said. "We are incredibly grateful for our partnership with UNC as we are recognized for best practices in sustainable enterprise."

Leaders at UNC say the goal of the award is to highlight the exceptional work that North Carolina businesses are doing, while continuing to pursue green initiatives and goals. They hope the award challenges other businesses to take a look at their practices and follow sustainable suit.

About Unifi:
Unifi, Inc. (NYSE: UFI) is a global textile solutions provider and one of the world's leading innovators in manufacturing synthetic and recycled performance fibers. The Company's proprietary technologies offer increased performance, comfort and style advantages, enabling customers to develop products that perform, look and feel better. Through REPREVE®, one of Unifi's proprietary technologies and the global leader in branded recycled performance fibers, Unifi has transformed more than 10 billion plastic bottles into recycled fiber for new clothing, shoes, home goods and other consumer products. Unifi continually innovates to meet consumer needs in moisture management, thermal regulation, antimicrobial, UV protection, stretch, water repellency and enhanced softness with leading products such as Sorbtek®, XS™ Cross Section and Cotton-like™ technologies. Unifi collaborates with many of the world's most influential brands in the sports apparel, fashion, home, automotive and other industries. For more information about Unifi, visit www.Unifi.com.

About REPREVE^®:
Made by Unifi, Inc. (NYSE: UFI), REPREVE^® is the global leader in branded recycled performance fibers, transforming more than 10 billion plastic bottles into recycled fiber for new clothing, shoes, home goods and other consumer products. REPREVE is the earth-friendly solution to making consumers' favorite brands more environmentally responsible. Found in products from many of the world's leading brands, REPREVE fibers can also be enhanced with Unifi's proprietary technologies for increased performance and comfort. For more information about REPREVE, visit www.repreve.com, and connect with REPREVE on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

REPREVE® is a trademark of Unifi, Inc.

View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/unifi-receives-prestigious-unc-sustainability-award-300647038.html

SOURCE Unifi, Inc.