LOS ANGELES, June 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Barco Uniforms, a recognized leader of design innovation in the premium professional apparel industry, announced in honor of World Ocean’s Day that due to record sales of its top-selling brands of sustainable healthcare scrubs, the company has collectively recycled over 40 million plastic bottles, marking a 115% year-over-year increase.

Barco’s in-house design team relies on the innovative rPET process, where plastic bottles are cleaned, shredded into pellets, and spun into thread woven into polyester.

In 2016, Barco launched the Barco One sustainable brand of scrubs, which has quickly become the number one choice not only for healthcare professionals, but also for veterinarians who love the proprietary fabric’s anti-static and temperature-regulating properties, and Barco’s Quick-Shed technology, which releases animal hair quickly from the surface of the fabric. Barco One incorporates five recycled plastic bottles into the fabric of each garment. The Skechers by Barco scrub brand, launched in 2017, incorporates seven recycled bottles per garment.

If these bottles were lined up end-to-end, they would stretch approximately 4,875 miles – close to a round-trip from Los Angeles to Pittsburgh.

Research shows that every day, more than one million plastic bottles are sold per minute around the world. Worse yet, studies also show that approximately 91% of plastic is still not recycled and ends up in the ocean instead.

“Healthcare professionals have shown a growing preference for brands that make a difference and are aligned with their values, with sustainability being at the top of the list,” explained Ron Wagenseil, president and CEO of Barco Uniforms. “Barco’s commitment to improving its sustainable practices is a natural extension of our mission to lead with purposeful innovation.

“It’s clear that our customers agree, as both Barco One and Skechers by Barco have shown dynamic and sustained sales growth year-over-year.”

Customers can purchase Barco products by visiting the BarcoMade.com online store or finding a retailer through the store locator.

About Barco Uniforms

Founded in 1929, Barco Uniforms is a leader of design innovation in the premium professional apparel industry, designing award-winning premium uniforms that elevate and honor the individual in the healthcare, enterprise and food service industries. Barco Uniforms is headquartered in Los Angeles with approximately 225+ local employees across multiple disciplines including design, product development, marketing, sales, supply chain, and distribution. For more information, please visit: https://www.barcomade.com

Keeping Hope Alive

In 2008, Barco's Nightingales Foundation (BNF) was founded by Barco's Chairman of the Board, Michael Donner, and his wife, Frida, in hopes of lifting-up the lives of children around the world, in honor of Healthcare Professionals. For more information about how you can support the foundation, please visit: http://www.barcosnightingales.org/