American Fibers and Yarns Company (AF&Y) has partnered with Plastex Incorporated to begin a new recycling program whereby AF&Y produced yarns, and fabrics made exclusively with AF&Y yarns, will be re-generated to produce a variety of durable goods.
Yarns and fabrics from apparel, upholstery and industrial markets will be collected from AF&Y customers and their consumers at the AF&Y Technology Center in Bainbridge, GA and then sent onto Plastex where they will be converted into inert plastic resin pellets. These pellets will offset the need for virgin plastic pellets derived directly from the world oil production flow, thus minimizing environmental impact.
“With environmental stewardship becoming increasingly important, we feel compelled to do our part to reduce the impact our yarns have on the environment,” said Michael Apperson, AF&Y president and CEO. “While our overall yarn manufacturing process is already earth friendly, our partnership with Plastex further validates our commitment to implementing green practices across the board. It's great to know that once fabrics made with AF&Y yarns reach the end of their lifecycle, they can be recycled into other useful products.”
The recycle stream is unique in that the resin pellets created through this process are more cost effective than virgin products without comprising performance properties such as extreme durability, UV resistance, and hydrophobicity. The recycled resin will be used in various applications including: