Kingsport - Eastman, maker of Naia Renew sustainable fibres and yarns, has collaborated with Patagonia to offer a limited run of T-shirts made with Naia Renew ES — Eastman’s latest fiber offering made with increased recycled content — for the outdoor apparel retailer’s Workwear line.

Named for its enhanced sustainability, Naia Renew ES is made with 60 per cent recycled content. Unlike other cellulose-based yarns and fibres, this option requires fewer virgin materials to make an environmentally friendly product. Naia Renew ES is made from a combination of molecularly recycled waste material (40 per cent), recycled cellulose (20 per cent) and renewable wood pulp (40 per cent).

The 20 per cent recycled cellulose comes from waste materials, textiles waste and non-forest-derived cellulose waste. This is made possible through Eastman’s continuous efforts to collaborate with eco-conscious partners throughout the value chain. For example, the Naia team has partnered with GP Cellulose, a pulp supplier with a focus on sustainability, to integrate renewable forest fibers and non-forest fiber solutions into its feedstock.

The remaining 40 per cent recycled content comes from Eastman’s molecular recycling technology that breaks down hard-to-recycle waste materials like plastic packaging and old carpet into fundamental building blocks to produce the acetic acid used to make cellulose acetate yarn and fibre. This process not only produces fewer greenhouse gas emissions but also diverts waste materials from landfills, incinerators and other undesirable end-of-life destinations, finding new value for pre- and postconsumer waste that is not suitable for recycling by traditional means.

“Patagonia has always been a company that chooses its fibers carefully and responsibly,” said Ruth Farrell, Eastman textiles general manager. “The collaboration we’ve enjoyed with Patagonia has been instrumental in developing materials that appeal to its customers — environmentally conscientious people who work and play hard. Patagonia customers want garments that reflect who they are and what they care about without compromise on comfort and quality.

“Now more than ever, people want to know how and where our clothes are made, paying particular attention to what they’re made from. Naia Renew ES is our answer to the overconsumption of raw materials, a growing plastic waste problem, and rising greenhouse gases caused by deforestation. It’s a future-focused fiber made with the next generations in mind — one that doesn’t compromise on the quality of the garment or the health of our planet."

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