Unifi invests cash into cache to stash trash for its Repreve.

• Position: Triad

Unifi Inc. opened an $8 million recycling plant in Yadkinville to meet demand for its Repreve polyester yarn. Developed in 2006, Repreve is made from recyclables and is a big reason why Unifi turned its first annual profit in 2010 after 10 losing years.

1 Materials: 42 million pounds of recyclables--31 million pounds of plastic bottles and 11 million pounds of post-industrial fiber and fabric waste--annually.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

2 Process: Recyclables are shredded, melted, filtered, cut into small polyester chips and spun into 37.5 million pounds of yam, 16% of Unifi's polyester output.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

3 Result: Eighty-five percent of The North Face Denali jacket, pictured, is Repreve polyester fleece. Patagonia, Polartec and Eddie Bauer, among others, also use it.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

In March, VF Corp. forecasted...