SAN FRANCISCO, April 18, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- One year
after becoming a certified B Corporation, Athleta continues as a
leader in sustainable performance apparel, sharing in its April
catalog that 60 percent of its materials are now made with
sustainable fibers. The brand has worked aggressively to increase
the sustainability in its line by sourcing materials including
recycled polyester and nylon, TENCEL® Modal, TENCEL® Lyocell, and
organic cotton; and using more efficient fabric dyeing and
finishing techniques. Recycled polyester alone diverted
the equivalent of more than 38 million plastic bottles from
landfills since 2014. Sustainable materials have also carried into
Athleta Girls, reaching 69 percent of the styles in the upcoming
Summer collection.
The milestone includes a 2019 Spring/Summer swimwear assortment
featuring 85 percent of styles made with
sustainable fabrics including the launch of two new fabrics:
H2Eco, which saved 72,264 kilograms of waste from hitting
landfills, the equivalent of 2.4 humpback whales and AquaRib, which
uses ECONYL®, a material 100 percent made from regenerated nylon
fiber sourced from abandoned fishing nets and other discarded
nylon.
Athleta set its first public sustainability goals in 2017, with
four key targets centered on reducing its impact on the planet and
supporting the women around the world who make its clothes. The
brand announced its progress against these goals including:
- 60 percent of materials made with sustainable fibers (2020
Goal: 80 percent)
- 4 percent of products made using techniques that save water
(2020 Goal: 25 percent)
- 70 percent of waste from shipping packaging has been diverted
from landfills (2020 Goal: 80 percent)
- 3,212 women empowered through P.A.C.E., a career and life
skills education program that helps participants in factories
making products for Athleta, create a better future for themselves,
their families and their communities, and at Fair Trade Certified
factories. (2020 Goal: 10,000 women)
"We believe that with Athleta's growth comes even greater
responsibility to lead as a force for good and protect our planet
for the next generation," said Nancy
Green, CEO and President of Athleta. "At our size, we know
we can make a big impact– whether diverting waste by converting our
beloved Trekkie hike collection to recycled nylon or reaching
millions of women through the stories we tell in our
catalog. We can show women they don't have to compromise on
performance or beauty to do right by our planet."
In addition to sustainable innovation in its product, Athleta
has established partnerships to help make impact at scale. Earlier
this year, the company announced its participation in a first-of
its-kind partnership beginning in 2020 that will, once at capacity,
fully offset the energy consumption of all its 160+ stores and
San Francisco headquarters. In
addition to bringing new renewable power to the grid, this power
purchase agreement with The Corporate Renewable Energy Aggregation
Group created an original, cost-effective and replicable model that
will open up the renewable power market to companies seeking to
purchase smaller volume.
Last year, Athleta became a member of Fashion Positive PLUS
initiative, to collaborate with industry leaders to identify,
create, and certify inputs for circular fashion. As part of Gap
Inc., the brand is also a partner of the Make Fashion Circular
initiative, led by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, which
recently launched a campaign with other retail brands and the
City of New York. Between Earth
Day and mid-June, participating Athleta stores in New York City will host drop off points where
New Yorkers can bring clothing they no longer wear to ensure it
will be diverted from landfills through recycling or
repurposing.
"Building a sustainable business is a journey and we're
constantly working to improve. We've set some very aggressive goals
and have made some incredible progress, but we don't take success
for granted. We still have a long way to go," explained Green. "The
ability to impact at scale is critical to protecting the planet.
Scale also means collaboration. We are happy to sit down with
others in the space that might otherwise be considered competitors
and get real about what it takes to move our industry toward less
impact in a meaningful way."
To celebrate Earth Day, Athleta stores across the country are
hosting beach and community clean-ups throughout the month of
April. To find a local event, visit
https://athletaearthday2019.splashthat.com/. Further
information about Athleta's commitment to sustainability, including
the brand's 2020 sustainability goals can be found at
www.Athleta.Gap.com/.
About Athleta
A certified B Corporation, Athleta
creates versatile and sustainable premium performance apparel
designed by women athletes to inspire a community of active,
confident women and girls to reach their limitless potential.
Founded in 1998, Athleta integrates performance and technical
features across its collection to carry a woman through her life in
motion – from yoga and training to commuting and travel. In 2016
the company launched Athleta Girl mirroring its signature
performance in styles for the next generation. Based in
San Francisco, CA and a Gap Inc.
brand (NYSE: GPS), Athleta apparel is available at its 160+ retail
stores across the country, through its catalog, and
at www.athleta.com
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SOURCE Athleta