1888 Mills Extends Coca Cola into Beach Towels

Home Textiles Today Staff -- Home Textiles Today, 3/26/2011 4:48:12 AM

GRIFFIN, GA. - How many Coke bottles does it take to make a bath towel? The answer is six, when it's 1888 Mills' Coca Cola RPET branded product. The line of sheets and bath towels is made using recycled PET plastic (RPET).
     The line gives post consumer PET bottles an "afterlife" by transforming them into products consumers use, according to the company. The towels, for instance, use 70% cotton and 30% of the recycled material. The six-pack of wash cloths uses only three bottles.
     The first products in the line are due to hit stores this spring at mass retailers and warehouse clubs. At the March market, 1888 Mills is introducing a line of beach towels under the iconic brand.
     "We see [the beach towels] appealing to all retail channels," said Lexi Schladenhauffen, vp, marketing and design, 1888 Mills, who noted that Coca Cola nostalgia is trending strong now, as evidenced by a recent Dolce & Gabana designer runway show, which used it in a number of its men's wear looks.
     According to Coca-Cola, it has made an investment of more than $60 million to build the world's largest bottle-to-bottle recycling pant and to support recycling in the United States.