Out of the 50 billion plastic water bottles being bought each year in the US, 80% — or 40 billion plastic water bottles — end up in landfills. The problem is that it takes 700 years for a plastic water bottle to decompose. Now imagine each of those water bottles ¼ filled with petroleum: that’s how much petroleum it takes to manufacture and distribute each and every water bottle. Additionally, 3 bottles worth of water is used in making and getting 1 plastic water bottle to market.

That’s why, when given the opportunity to use Repreve, recycled polyester made from plastic water bottles, to make our waistbands — it was a no brainer. Sure, it costs more. But considering that each waistband keeps approximately one plastic water bottle from a landfill — how could we not do our part to Make our Marc?