He said more than 1,250 schools are using its Repreve-based graduation gowns, including Brown University, Michigan State, Yale, Notre Dame and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. It takes 27 used bottles to make one gown, Hertwig said. It's used in brands like Patagonia, The North Face, Levi's, Adidas, Nike ( NKE) and Ford ( F).Īnother customer is Oak Hall Cap & Gown, which makes graduation gowns from the 100% Repreve yarn spun from plastic bottles. Repreve yarn is used to make everything from jackets and T-shirts to dress pants and even car upholstery. Since the brand launched in 2009, Hertwig said production has increased about 20% every year. Repreve makes three types of recycled yarn: 100% from used plastic bottles, a hybrid of plastic bottles and fiber waste, and a hybrid of plastic bottles and used fabric. The pellets are then melted, extruded and spun into polyester yarn. 'We purchase these plastic flakes and convert them into small pellets,' said Hertwig. The company collects clear plastic bottles from processors around the country who first shred them into plastic flakes. Unifi's Repreve recycling center is a 50,000 square foot facility in Yadkinville, North Carolina, where plastic bottles, fiber waste and fabric scraps get deposited. Related: This 14-year-old turned down a $30 million buyout offer

Shred company shirt