The Weekly - June 9, 2020 - 14

Resources and Education
Chad Bolick

"THIRTY-THREE PERCENT OF CONSUMERS
ACTIVELY SEEK OUT AND PURCHASE FROM
BRANDS THEY KNOW TO BE SOCIALLY AND
ENVIRONMENTALLY RESPONSIBLE. WE FEEL
THAT PEOPLE WILL MAKE A MORE CONSCIOUS
EFFORT TO RECYCLE WHEN THEY REALIZE
THAT A BOTTLE CAN BECOME THEIR SHIRT,
A PART OF THEIR CAR, THE NEXT BOTTLE IN
THEIR HAND, OR THE HAT ON THEIR HEAD."

Unifi's Chad Bolick discusses the ins and outs
of sustainability during the pandemic and
moving forward. Read our discussion with
him here, and then tune in on Thursday for a
deeper discussion of sustainability, fabrics,
and the way forward on The Weekly Chat.
CHAD BOLICK HAS SPENT OVER

25 years as a sales and technical leader in the global textile
industry. In his most recent role
as global vice president of brand
sales and NACA business development at Unifi Manufacturing Inc., he leads the charge for
adoption of sustainable synthetic
fibers, driving global demand
for the South Carolina manu-

facturer's recycled polyester and
nylon fibers. Bolick works with
large multinational companies
like Nike and Target to help them
integrate Repreve fibers into
their existing supply chains and
products while maintaining their
quality and performance standards. He took the time to talk to
us about the path forward for the
outdoor industry.

14 THE WEEKLY / OUTDOOR RETAILER SUMMER 2020

Do brands sacrifice quality when they use recycled
fibers and materials in their
products?

There are many ways to recycle
bottles and/or textile waste back
into usable textile materials. If the
recycling process is set up properly
and steps are in place (cleaning,
sorting, blending, filtration, etc.),
a first-quality textile material
can be produced, and the customer will not have to sacrifice any
quality in hand, appearance, or
performance. Products made with
Repreve provide the same quality
and performance characteristics
as products made with nonrecycled polyester-they are just as
soft and comfortable, and can be
made with performance additions
such as stretch, moisture management, thermal regulation, water
resistance, and more.
Are there lower-quality materials produced from waste?
Absolutely. That is why it is critical
for product-development teams
to ensure they are sourcing recycled fibers and materials from
trusted sources.
Are consumers willing to
pay more for sustainable
products?
In most cases, yes. We have
found that a consumer will pay a
premium for sustainable products.
Interestingly, there are generational differences that drive this

CO U R T E SY C H A D B O L I C K

Feel-Good
Sustainability

Do the challenges of today's
"new normal" help or hurt
the industry's passion for
sustainability?
Regardless of the new normal, at
Unifi, we continue to see the industry is just as passionate about
sustainability as it is about the
outdoors. They go hand in hand.
Certainly, outdoor enthusiasts are
primarily interested in buying the
best gear that will help them enjoy
the great outdoors, but ensuring that gear is environmentally
friendly is also a priority. Protecting natural spaces and environments is extremely important to
most consumers, so it is important
to the outdoor industry's brands
and retailers. Many companies
have added sustainable masks and
other personal protective equipment to their product lines to give
consumers options to gather safely
with their friends and family in
outdoor spaces.
Sustainability as a trend is only
growing in strength. As we navigate
this new (hopefully temporary)
normal, we believe that consumer
interest in health, fitness, and sustainability will only increase.

http://http:// http:// https://unifi.com/ http:// https://unifi.com/

The Weekly - June 9, 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Weekly - June 9, 2020