Italy’s Atlantis Headwear, distributed in the United States by Sportsman Cap & Bag, recently began partnering with recycling specialist ReTraze as part of its ongoing mission to help reduce plastic waste and promote the use of sustainable practices in the promotional products and blank apparel industries. The result? Atlantis is now using visors in its caps made entirely of recycled, traceable PE material created by “upcycling” discarded fishing nets and plastic bottles and other plastic waste, thereby offering consumers a sustainable headwear option that helps keep discarded materials out of landfills and the world’s oceans. According to the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), the world currently generates over 430 million tons of plastic annually, with “ghost gear,” or abandoned, lost or discarded fishing nets and line, accounting for a substantial portion of oceanic plastic waste. Since 2016, ReTraze has partnered with small businesses, fishermen and a range of different nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) to gather together these discarded materials in an effort to solve this problem by turning them into 100-percent recycled PE panels for use in a variety of different products. Oh, and for the record, the caps look and wear great as well, making Atlantis’ initiative in this area a true win-win. For more information, go to sportsmancaps.com or atlantisheadwear.us.
To see the complete list of 2025 Impressions Industry Impact Awards Winners, click here. Photo courtesy of Atlantis Headwear/Sportsman Cap & Bag
