Elevate Textiles Furthers 2025 Sustainability Commitment through Smartway® Transport Partnership

By Elevate Textiles

Charlotte, NC – Elevate Textiles is pleased to announce that it has joined the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) SmartWay® Transport Partnership as part of the company’s continued efforts to promote and further sustainability throughout its supply chain operations and in support of its portfolio brands American & Efird (A&E), Burlington, Cone Denim, Gütermann and Safety Components.

The Smartway Transport Partnership is an innovative, market-based collaboration between the EPA and industry designed to reduce carbon emissions in the freight transportation sector. The Partnership includes more than 3,000 members including manufacturers, freight shippers and freight logistics companies that share a commitment to assessing and improving the environmental and energy efficiency of moving goods across the U.S.

“We are very pleased to join the efforts of the Smartway Partnership and actively participate in identifying ways to reduce our carbon emissions in the transportation of our fabric and thread products,” said Jimmy Summers, Chief Sustainability Officer for Elevate. “Across our brands, we are committed to being a market leader and responsible manufacturer, and that includes the transportation of our goods through our own private fleet and outsourced resources. The actions of the Smartway Partnership very much align to Elevate’s goal to achieve an annual trajectory of 2.5% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2025.”

Developed jointly in early 2003 by the EPA and Charter Partners represented by industry stakeholders, environmental groups, American Trucking Associations, and Business for Social Responsibility, the Smartway innovative program was launched in 2004. Partners rely upon SmartWay tools and approaches to track and reduce emissions and fuel use from the movement of goods. Elevate is proud to be among the first textile manufacturers to join the Partnership and furthering its goals. The Partnership’s fuel savings to date are equivalent to eliminating annual energy use in over 20 million homes.

For more information about Elevate Textiles sustainability initiatives and 2025 goals, visit www.elevatetextiles.com. For information about the SmartWay Transport Partnership visit www.epa.gov/smartway.

This press release was issued March 10, 2021. American & Efird is a member of SPESA.

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