Detroit Lions Partner with REPREVE on #TurnItGreen Initiative

The Detroit Lions opened training camp practices on August 6 wearing green jerseys instead of the familiar red practice jerseys. The jerseys, each of which was composed from REPREVE fibers created from 21 recycled plastic bottles, kicked off the #TurnItGreen sustainability campaign in partnership with REPREVE manufacturers Unifi, Inc. As part of the initiative, Detroit is targeting a 100 percent recycling rate at Ford Field this season. To help achieve this goal, Unifi and the Lions have installed 500 recycling bins throughout the stadium.

Along with the team’s commitment to improving waste diversion at Ford Field, the campaign also includes a call to fans to increase recycling efforts outside of the stadium. The “Make the Smart Throw” campaign will educate fans about the importance of reducing landfill waste and the ways in which these products can be recycled to create new products.“Recycling is critical, yet surprisingly only 30 percent of plastic bottles are recycled in the U.S., significantly less than other countries,” explained Unifi president and CEO Roger Berrier. “Together with the Detroit Lions, we are working to highlight the ease of in-stadium recycling and showcase the benefits of recycling.”