The American & Efird, A&E, division of Elevate Textiles has introduced two new sustainable thread products that have earned Gold Level C2C Certified Material Health Certificates.
The products, Anecot Plus SPC and Chroma SPC, are both long staple, spun cotton sewing thread that meets the multi-level Cradle to Cradle Certified Product Standard that supports sustainability and circularity. The threads are created with Cradle to Cradle compliant dyes and chemicals making them eco-friendly enough for brands’ environmental goals. Both target categories including denim, garment overdyed products, casual wear and general apparel.
Chris Alt, A&E president, said the company remains committed to creating responsible sewing threads. “From fully recycled options as in our ECO100 thread line to our 100 percent biodegradable and organic products, we are focused on meeting the current and future demands of our customers with new innovations, while doing right by the environment and the communities in which we operate,” he said.
A&E has held Cradle to Cradle material health certifications since 2021. It is a recognized measure of sustainable products made for the increasingly circular economy. C2C branded products are rated on overall product safety and ability to be reused once their first life has ended. To A&E, the Gold level C2C Certified designation shows the company’s dedication to minimize its footprint in a continued effort to promote the idea of a regenerative economy. Sustainable, recyclable threads will grow in importance as traceability and textile recycling become more sophisticated.
According to Jimmy Summers, Elevate Textiles’ chief sustainability officer, the Material Health Certificate provides another step toward satisfying consumer demand for more information on chemicals and products throughout the supply chain in order to avoid substances that may be unhealthy. “Products certified under C2C are rated based on their overall product safety,” Summers said. “This helps us continue on our path towards even safer product chemistries and circularity.”
In recent years, A&E has made moves to cement its role as a top thread supplier. In 2019, it established a new facility in Vietnam and started working with Repreve two years earlier for eco-friendlier synthetic thread.
