California-based Next Level Apparel (NLA, asi/73867) is transitioning its entire product line of polyester blended fabrics to recycled polyester. According to the Top 40 supplier, the change was effective March 1 and will involve all incoming fabrics.

The company said the move is part of its ongoing commitment to reducing its environmental impact.

“Eliminating waste and reducing our impact on the environment is one way we continue to help support and improve the communities where we live and work,” said NLA CEO Randy Hales. “Our transition to recycled polyester marks a big step in our ongoing sustainability efforts – and we’re proud our company ethos is reflected in the products we produce.”

NLA launched its Sustainable Collection in 2019, with garments made of 70% recycled material. Through the products in that collection, the supplier said it has repurposed more than 5 million plastic water bottles.

“We recognize the responsibility that we have as a brand to find ways to mitigate our impact on the environment wherever possible,” said Carly Gerstman, director of corporate social responsibility at NLA. “Though there is no simple solution, this is yet another opportunity for NLA to continue to set a high standard by implementing more sustainable practices throughout our supply chain.”

The latest news from NLA is one of many steps it’s taken in the last few months to make its supply chain more sustainable. Earlier this year, the supplier transitioned all incoming fabric to 100% U.S.-grown cotton and initiated a partnership with Oritain to provide origin verification for its cotton program. It also partnered with GK Global and Grupo M to help strengthen nearshore production accessibility.

Suppliers increasingly are turning to recycled polyester – also known as recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) – as a more sustainable alternative to virgin polyester. In November, for example, AAA Innovations (asi/30023) said it was transitioning all of its products to rPET and other eco-friendly materials. In 2022, Alternative Apparel, the clothing company owned by HanesBrands (asi/59528) announced that it no longer uses virgin polyester in any of its products.

Proponents of rPET say it has a smaller carbon footprint than virgin polyester and that the process to create it helps to keep plastic water bottles and other waste from ending up in landfills or the ocean. The downside, though, is that rPET fabric has been found to shed harmful plastic-based microfibers that can make their way into waterways, and in general, it’s still a challenge to take used rPET fabric and recycle it into new garments.

Founded in 2003, Next Level Apparel is a supplier of premium blank apparel for the promotional products and decorated apparel markets. Based on estimated 2021 North American promo product revenue of $275 million, Next Level Apparel ranked seventh on Counselor’s most recent list of the largest suppliers in the industry. The private equity-backed firm recently expanded with an acquisition in Europe.

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