These Eco-Friendly Textile Makers Are Ushering in a New Era of Sustainability

These Eco-Friendly Textile Makers Are Ushering in a New Era of Sustainability

Consumers aren’t the only ones going green. The manufacturers of high-quality materials used in shoes are, too, as sustainability standards continue to rise around the globe. To meet the environmentally conscious demands of footwear and apparel brands, market-leading textile producers are seeking new ways to generate eco-friendly fabrics without compromising on performance.

“As cause-driven issues have moved to the forefront for today’s consumers, people like to wear what they believe in and support,” said Jacob Blackburn, global marketing at A&E. “Working closely with Unifi, the maker of Repreve fiber, we have developed a comprehensive line of recycled polyester sewing threads.”

At Coats, an industrial thread firm, the use of recycled materials extends to its range of bobbins. The new Ecobobs Y2 bobbin is performance-focused, promising to improve productivity by 10 percent due to precision winding and increased capacity. Developed specifically for footwear and accessory production, the bobbin also reduces thread waste by 20 percent.

“The environmentally friendly design means Coats can rewind Ecobobs bobbins up to 20 times, then recycle the plastic cores into other products,” said Andrew Morgan, head of sustainability at Coats.