14 mn bottles recycled into Haggars Life Khaki brand with Repreve
November 17, 2012 - United States Of America
Haggar Clothing Co announces its one year anniversary of its highly successful LK Life Khaki brand. With its modernized design and eco-friendly fabrications, LK Life Khaki pants are made with an innovative blend of cotton and Repreve fibers. Repreve is an essential fabric ingredient that contains recycled materials, including plastic bottles.
Each pant contains the equivalent of seven recycled plastic bottles, making Haggar the first menswear brand to bring sustainable options to the mainstream market. Within the first year of production of the LK Life Khaki brand, it is estimated that more than 14 million plastic bottles have been recycled.
"With the LK Life Khaki line, we set out with the intent of reaching a younger consumer by way of new products that fit his lifestyle with the added benefit of being eco-friendly,” said Michael Stitt, CEO of Haggar. “Not only did we get his attention, but also a larger share of his closet, which is reflective of the significant growth trend that we are experiencing within this brand."
Designed to change the way men buy khakis, the LK Life Khaki collection features an array of fits including slim, relaxed and straight that were designed for multiple wearing occasions. Men have shown that they appreciate how LK Life Khakis pants can take them from work to a barbeque, a wedding, or even a job interview. The LK Life Khaki line is available in more than 4,000 locations including leading department stores in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, as well as online.
“Our work with the LK Life Khaki brand is an exciting opportunity to educate the consumer that plastic bottles don’t belong in landfills; they can be recycled into products like casual clothes, performance apparel, socks and even car interiors,” said Roger Berrier, president and COO for Unifi, the makers of Repreve.
As eco-concerns arise, companies like Haggar and Unifi are realizing their need to analyze and reduce their environmental footprint. Haggar’s use of Repreve recycled fibers in the LK Life Khaki collection demonstrates a commitment to the environment.
"We want to develop and sell products that sustain our natural resources and the environment; not because we have to, but because it is the right thing to do,” said Nancy Dowling, VP of Merchandising and Design for Haggar. “Even in a recovering economy, we are fortunate to be able to attract new customers with fresh product ideas that in this case have a direct impact on the environment. Not many brands can say that today."