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Sustainability

Alternative Apparel Meets Recycled Polyester Goal

The company, part of HanesBrands, no longer uses virgin polyester in any of its fabric constructions.

Alternative Apparel is officially done with virgin polyester.

The clothing company owned by HanesBrands (asi/59528) made a pledge at the start of 2020 to switch to recycled polyester in all of its fabrications. Now, the company says, the transition is complete, with 100% of the polyester Alternative Apparel uses coming from recycled fibers. It’s all part of what the brand sees as the “Earthleisure” trend, noting that the fusion of athleisure and sustainably made apparel will challenge consumers and manufacturers to improve.

“Our product collection offers style, pricing and a company behind it dedicated to sustainability – historically, you can only get two of the three,” said Michael Johnson, director of marketing for HanesBrands Printwear. “What we’re doing with Alternative is challenging that mindset. You shouldn’t have to compromise. We’re looking at every single aspect of our products.”

woman standing in greenhouse wearing red t-shirt and bucket hat

Alternative Apparel has released a new tri-blend collection made of eco-friendly materials. This crewneck (4450) is among the four styles in the collection.

As part of its continued sustainability push, Alternative has introduced a new tri-blend collection made of TENCEL modal fibers, U.S.-grown cotton (which is grown using less water and pesticides than traditional methods) and 100% recycled polyester. In addition to being more eco-friendly, the fiber is also very soft, an important aspect for a brand known for superior hand-feel.

The collection features four styles in a mix of core colorways and elevated earth tones: a unisex shirt and a women’s classic crew, muscle tee and racer tank.

“Eco-awareness continues to grow,” Johnson said. “Earthleisure is about casual comfortable clothing that we can all be proud of – from better materials to responsible manufacturing. It’s made with our planet and people in mind.”

Hanesbrands recently updated its sustainability goals, sharing the progress it’s already made. Since 2015, the company says it has recycled the equivalent of 750 million plastic bottles.

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