Incredible EcoGear Introduces First 100-Percent Recycled Material ...

Tag : Printed Polyester Fabric
Incredible EcoGear Introduces First 100-Percent Recycled MaterialApparel
Fashion and eco-consciousness have merged, and the result is themost earth-friendly apparel on the market. Introduced by IncredibleEcoGear, EcoGear t-shirts and lifestyle fashions are set to changethe way we think about the clothes we wear.

With pieces for men, women and children, EcoGear is a hip,fashion-conscious line. At the same time, the company represents anopportunity for consumers to tread more lightly on the earth:EcoGear fabric is created from leftover cuttings from the floor ofclothing factories. The cuttings are separated by color and shade,then cut into ultra-fine fibers and attached to a continuous strandof polyester thread made from recycled plastic bottles. Theresulting yarn is then spun into EcoGear clothing products. Theprocess is free of dyes, bleaches and other harsh chemicals.

Incredible EcoGear founder Robert Hii, a 20-year veteran ofToronto's garment industry, began researching the possibility ofcreating a 100% recycled fabric in 2007, following a string ofdevastating natural disasters around the world. At the time, he wasworking under a large clothing company's private label. But when itbecame apparent Hii's new fabric was not just possible to createbut could actually be used in making a wide range of fashions, thelarger company balked -- and Hii struck out on his own withIncredible EcoGear.

The company's commitment to the environment is apparent at alllevels of the organization. EcoGear production processes aredesigned to minimize Incredible EcoGear's carbon footprint. Theinks used on EcoGear garments' iron-on care-and-content labels areorganic. The line's graphic tees use either water-based directscreen print or organic ink heat transfer; both are certified freeof PVCs and phthalates. The garments' hang tags are printed in soyinks on recycled paper and attached with a raw sisal cord and areusable safety pin. And Incredible EcoGear donates 1% of sales toenvironmental organizations, including the Canadian Parks andWilderness Society, the World Wildlife Fund, the Toronto Zoo,Environmental Defence and the Algalita Marine Research Foundation,through the 1% For the Planet movement.

"EcoGear clothing is the first 100% recycled clothing available toconsumers," said Hii. "We realized that any difference in climatechange will have to start with you and me, and that is the foundingprinciple of EcoGear. You would have to go nude to be moreeco-friendly than this."

Incredible EcoGear continues to set new standards inenvironmentally friendly clothing. The company is now working withsuppliers to design fleece and woven fabrics, with the goal ofoffering a total lifestyle collection made from 100% recycledmaterials. Incredible EcoGear has also introduced its Green Teesfor Green Groups program and hopes to sign up more environmentalgroups to benefit from its Special Tees collection.

Press Release Courtesy of PR Newswire

September 3, 2008