Atlanta, Georgia-based supplier Alternative Apparel (PPAI 217134, S5) has announced it will replace all virgin polyester with 100-percent recycled polyester in manufacturing beginning this year. Prices will remain the same.

“While some companies have opted for fast fashion with an increased number of product deliveries, we’ve consciously chosen to focus on high‐quality, luxuriously soft apparel that will remain in your closet for years to come,” says Kevin Miles, senior marketing manager. “Even more, we want our processes and materials used in manufacturing to have minimal impact on the environment.”

This conversion to recycled polyester will begin this year and be completed in 2021. Some style names will also change as a result. The 50/50 Vintage Jersey fabric used in the top‐selling Keeper Tee, for example, will be known as Eco Vintage Jersey. The brand’s Eco Fleece will use 100-percent-recycled poly rather than a mix of recycled and virgin polyester.

In 2019, Alternative Apparel kept the equivalent of 1.2 million water bottles out of landfills by using recycled poly in key styles and fabrics. Miles says, “To put it simply, this is a huge change. An increased number of consumers are cognizant of the need to protect the environment, and they want to do what they can.”

He adds, “We see the importance of investing the extra money to ensure we are standing behind our planet. And while we’re proud of what we’ve done to date with our eco‐focused mission, there’s always more that can be done. We’ll continue to raise the bar and look for meaningful changes to reduce the impact on the environment.”