GREENSBORO, N.C. (Oct. 23, 2017) – Cone Denim, Lenzing and Unifi – global leaders in textile sustainability - are excited to collaborate on the launch of Future BLACK+ denim featuring Lenzing Modal® branded fibers and REPREVE® Black recycled fibers. Future BLACK+, the industry’s first certified fade-resistant black denim, will join Cone Denim’s family of TruTone™ fabrics. Jeans made from Future BLACK+ denim contain as many as 17 recycled plastic bottles and feature superior softness, color retention and stretch, while minimizing the impact on the environment.

Future BLACK+ denim achieves its durable color by utilizing dope dyeing, an energy-saving and environmentally friendly dyeing technique that introduces the pigment during the production process. Adding the colorant during manufacturing allows the entire body of the fiber to be colored instead of only the surface and eliminates the need for a dye bath later in the process. Wash tests[1] have shown that denim made from Future BLACK+ showed no sign of color loss even after more than 20 washes, producing a denim that’s built to last.

“Lenzing has always been committed to sustainability and making our manufacturing process as eco-friendly as possible,” said Tricia Carey, director of global business development for denim at Lenzing. “By partnering with Cone Denim and Unifi, we were able to work with like-minded companies to create an advanced product that saves resources throughout the manufacturing process.”

“This collaboration elevates our commitment as a sustainability leader and denim innovator,” said Kara Nicholas, vice president of product design and marketing for Cone Denim. “Color retention in black denim is an increasingly important trend for consumers and a perfect fit with our TruTone™ fabric story focused around black and indigo-like navy fabrics that offer supreme color retention, plus all of the added benefits of the environmental story.”

REPREVE is a leading brand of fibers made from recycled plastic bottles by Unifi, Inc. (UFI: NYSE). Lenzing Modal® BLACK has around 50 to 60 percent lower environmental impact than conventional dyed fabric.[2] The Lenzing manufacturing process requires less chemical and energy inputs during manufacturing, and uses 64 percent less water during the dye process. Together, these earth-friendly fibers create a high performing, highly sustainable denim.

“By combining Lenzing Modal® fiber with REPREVE®, we are able to satisfy some of the biggest consumer demands for the marketplace,” said Jay Hertwig, Unifi’s vice president of global brand sales and premium value-added sales. “Unifi is proud to work with both The Lenzing Group and Cone Denim to create a high-quality product that helps decrease our industry’s environmental footprint.”

Future BLACK+ will launch at Kingpins Amsterdam, Oct. 25-26, and will also be showing at Kingpins New York, Nov. 29-30, as part of the Cone Denim TruTone™ collection.

[1] According to DIN ISO 6330 wash tests

[2] Ecological performance of Lenzing Modal® COLOR fibres and opportunities for value creating: Spun-dying vs. conventional dyeing