Champion teams up with The Renewal Workshop for new sustainable apparel line

By

Robin Driver

Published
Sep 3, 2021

American sportswear brand Champion Athleticwear is expanding its sustainability efforts with the introduction of a new line of renewed apparel conceived in partnership with circular solutions provider The Renewal Workshop.

 
Launched as part of the brand’s wider “Be Your Own Champion” campaign, the exclusive Champion Renewed line aims to extend the lifespan of Champion products and reduce waste by giving a new lease of life to products that would otherwise go to landfill. 
 
The line features Champion Reverse Weave sweatshirts that have been repaired by The Renewal Workshop. Prices for the collection, which is available on The Renewal Workshop’s website, range from $30 to $40, a reduction of around 40% on the pieces’ original MSRP.

The Renewal Workshop’s process starts with the use of Life Cycle Assessment methodology to evaluate the impact of some of the most common textile fibers, including cotton polyester and wool. This information is combined with data about each received garment’s weight in order to work out the environmental benefits of renewing each piece, including energy savings, greenhouse gas reductions, and water consumption decreases.
 
The organization then sorts, grades and sanitizes the items using cutting-edge waterless technology, before repairing them to like-new standards.
 
“We’re thrilled to have Champion join our growing list of brands, and we’re eager to support the brand in its larger efforts to salvage apparel, giving clothing a chance for a second life,” said The Renewal Workshop co-founder Nicole Bassett in a release. “By having a brand as iconic as Champion begin the process with us, we’re encouraged that others within the industry will soon follow suit.”
 
The partnership with The Renewal Workshop ties in with Champion’s ongoing efforts towards adopting more sustainable practices. The brand, which has committed to increase its use of responsibly made fabrics and reduce energy and water consumption by reusing products, has already made notable progress with its goals. To date, its achievements include offering classic jersey tees made using 100% responsibly produced U.S. cotton, launching two environmentally conscious collections, and manufacturing “Game Day” sweats using 95% recycled polyester fibers.
 
The company, which is owned by HanesBrands, is also involved in the group’s 2025-2030 global sustainability goals, which include a commitment to ensuring that all of its brands have a fully circular product or similar circularity initiative by 2025.