Ralph Lauren has been the official Team USA outfitter over 15 years, designing uniforms for nine consecutive Olympics and Paralympics games. For the 2024 Summer Games in Paris, however, the designer unveiled something new: polo shirts made from 100% recycled cotton.

“The eyes of the world will be on us at the Olympics,” Katie Ioanilli, Ralph Lauren’s chief global impact and communications officer, told Fast Company. “We’re very strategically using this opportunity to shine a light on this recycled cotton, because we need the rest of the industry to support it so it can be a viable option in the future.”

The Team USA Opening Ceremony outfit from Ralph Lauren features a blazer paired with tapered jeans.

The Olympics polo from Ralph Lauren uses technology from startup Natural Fiber Welding (NFW) to create high-quality recycled cotton. Mechanical recycling of cotton – where existing fabric is shredded into tiny pieces then re-spun into new yarns – has been around for a while, but the problem, experts say, is that the process often lowers the quality of cotton. High-quality cotton uses long fibers for strength and durability, but mechanically recycled cotton often resulted in very short fibers that weren’t suitable for clothing. NFW’s solution was to “weld” the short fibers into longer ones so they can be turned into new apparel. Perhaps most importantly, NFW’s process isn’t complex and doesn’t require a new factory, so it can be done in existing mills that have a stock of mechanically recycled cotton at the ready.

“If you need to build a new factory to create this yarn, it adds another obstacle,” Luke Haverhals, founder of NFW, told Fast Company. “The best way to make sure the technology takes off is to make sure it can plug into the existing system.”

Ralph Lauren has been working with NFW for six years, and Ioanilli says the designer wants to ramp up its use of NFW’s Clarus recycled cotton as quickly as possible.

The official Team USA Closing Ceremony look includes a polo shirt made of 100% recycled cotton.

Overall, Ralph Lauren’s Team USA collection draws on a signature palette of red, white and blue, with the designer saying it drew inspiration from the host city of Paris. The 2024 Opening Ceremony uniform features a classic tailored single-breasted wool blazer with red and white tipping and a striped oxford shirt, paired with tapered jeans and suede buck shoes. The Closing Ceremony uniform features a sporty moto-style jacket with white denim and a polo shirt from the brand’s custom Create Your Own program, crafted with flat-knit technology that aims to minimize waste from excess fabric. All the garments are made in the USA.

In addition to the 100% recycled cotton polos, the collection features garments made with recycled polyester and USA-grown Responsible Wool Standard (RWS) certified wool, among other materials.

“Ralph Lauren has once again created designs that not only capture the essence of American style but also embody the spirit and pride of Team USA,” said Sarah Hirshland, U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee CEO, in a press release. “As Team USA athletes prepare to represent the United States at the upcoming Olympic and Paralympic Games, this iconic apparel serves as a symbol of unity and inspiration for both our team and the millions of fans who will be cheering them on.”

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