GREENSBORO, N.C., Jan. 7, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Unifi Inc.'s (NYSE:UFI) REPREVE® brand will return as the official recycling sponsor of ESPN's X Games Aspen, which will take place Jan. 23 to 26, 2014. REPREVE will help make X Games Aspen greener by turning more than 100,000 recycled plastic bottles into ESPN course signage and lanyards, as well as REPREVE-based merchandise such as shirts and beanies. REPREVE is also launching a consumer-driven #TurnItGreen™ campaign that will focus on education and engagement around recycling and REPREVE.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140107/CL42160 )

A highlight of the event will take place on Saturday, Jan. 25, when REPREVE will help X Games Aspen turn the SuperPipe green during the Women's SuperPipe Finals.  Thousands of lime green REPREVE beanies will be distributed to fans, each made with six recycled plastic bottles.  

"We are lining the SuperPipe with our iconic REPREVE green beanies during the Women's SuperPipe Finals to raise recycling awareness," said Roger Berrier, president and chief operating officer of Unifi Inc. "Our goal is to educate and create change through the #TurnItGreen campaign.  Once consumers recognize that every bottle recycled can help turn everyday things greener, we believe they will realize the difference they can make and become more emotionally invested in recycling."

Women's SuperPipe professional athlete and two-time Olympian, Elena Hight, will return as brand ambassador for REPREVE.  She will help drive awareness about recycling through collaborations with REPREVE and modern lifestyle apparel brand, Volcom.  This year, her competition jacket by Volcom will be made with REPREVE, using 50 recycled bottles. Hight has collaborated with Volcom and REPREVE to design exclusive REPREVE-based T-shirts, which will soon be available through Volcom.com and REPREVE.com.

"With warmer winters and less snow, I see first-hand the changes in our climate and the outdoors," said Hight. "Working with REPREVE gives me the opportunity to help drive change.  It's so cool to help design products made with REPREVE, because I know I'm doing my part and hopefully encouraging others to do so as well."

Hight will be featured in a television advertisement showcasing the REPREVE brand on ESPN during X Games Aspen, as well as special on-air segments where she'll discuss how REPREVE and ESPN will #TurnItGreen.  She will also be available at the X Games Aspen Team ESPN tent at the environmentality table on Sunday, Jan. 26, from 1 to 2 p.m. MST, for autographs and photo opportunities with fans.

For more information on REPREVE, please visit www.REPREVE.com, or visit the REPREVE Facebook page www.facebook.com/REPREVE. To learn more about REPREVE onsite at X Games, please visit the X Games Aspen environmentality table at the Team ESPN tent. 

Image courtesy of REPREVE^®

About Elena Hight:
Elena Hight is one of professional snowboarding's shining stars. At age 24, she is a two-time Olympian and a multi-X Games medalist in snowboard halfpipe. In 2002, Hight became the first woman to land a 900 in competition at the young age of 13. At X Games 2013, she landed the first ever double backside alley-oop rodeo in a halfpipe competition by a woman or a man. Today she is on track to be a gold medal contender in Sochi in 2014. In addition to snowboarding professionally, living an active, healthy lifestyle, sports and the outdoors have always been a priority of Hight's. Surfing and cooking are two passions in her life. Her personality is often described as the all-American girl next door with an incredible athletic talent.

About REPREVE:
The REPREVE® brand of recycled fibers is made from recycled materials, including pre-consumer manufacturing waste and post-consumer plastic bottles. REPREVE can be found in many products, ranging from apparel to office furnishings, and even socks. It is also used in industrial, automotive and medical applications. REPREVE has been adopted by some of the world's leading brands and retailers, including Patagonia, The North Face, Haggar and Ford. REPREVE is a product offering of the U.S. based multi-national textile manufacturer, Unifi Inc. (NYSE: UFI). For more information about REPREVE, visit www.REPREVE.com; like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

About Unifi:
Unifi, Inc. is a multi-national manufacturing company that produces and sells textured and other processed yarns designed to meet customer specifications, and premier value-added ("PVA") yarns with enhanced performance characteristics.  Unifi maintains one of the textile industry's most comprehensive polyester and nylon product offerings.  Unifi enhances demand for its products, and helps others in creating a more effective textile industry supply chain, through the development and introduction of branded yarns that provide unique performance, comfort and aesthetic advantages.  In addition to its flagship REPREVE^® products – a family of eco-friendly yarns made from recycled materials – key Unifi brands include:  SORBTEK^®, REFLEXX^®, AIO^® – all-in-one performance yarns, SATURA^®, AUGUSTA^®, A.M.Y.^®, MYNX^® UV and MICROVISTA^®.  Unifi's yarns are readily found in the products of major brands in the apparel, hosiery, automotive, home furnishings, industrial and other end-use markets.  For more information about Unifi, visit www.unifi.com; to learn more about REPREVE^®, visit www.REPREVE.com.

REPREVE and #TurnItGreen are trademarks of Unifi, Inc.

SOURCE Unifi, Inc.