Mountain Khakis® Partners With Bionic® Yarn Technology

(Jackson Hole, WY – July 28, 2011) Mountain Khakis®, a leading mountain-inspired lifestyle apparel brand, announces its partnership with Bionic® yarn technology in their Spring/Summer 2012 collection.

Mountain Khakis’ new SS12 Fairway Crew and Polo styles feature a Bionic® Dpx (Duplex) Jersey Knit made using recycled plastic bottles.

The Bionic® life cycle and patented process starts with discarded plastic bottles. Redirecting bottles away from the landfill is one of many eco-benefits to the process. As plastic bottles are recycled into PET, or Polyethylene Terephthalate, the chips are transformed and melted into 2” fiber strips. Spun together with cotton through a proprietary spinning process to create a dual layer Bionic® Dpx yarn, the affect is a super-soft fabric surface of cotton and a core of recycled PET.

“In addition to developing the Fairway collection with Bionic® Dpx, we’ve been testing the ultra-durable Bionic® Hlx (Helix) in fabric for some of our heritage styles, and the results are exciting,” said Ned Hutchinson, MK Product Manager. “Reports show the tensile strength of Bionic® Hlx to be far superior to that of 100% cotton. Three times stronger, in fact. Watch for more Bionic® pieces from Mountain Khakis in the future.”

Bionic® uses a type of recycled PET fiber that can be produced universally in all nations. According to Tim Coombs, CEO of Return Textiles, “This is important to note because most non-Bionic® PET yarn’s require a highly clean source of recycled plastic that can only be found in first world nations. In developing countries where plastic waste is a serious issue, there is no access to pristine recycled PET. Bionic® was created as a global solution for plastic waste.”

“We look forward to having our product incorporated into the Mountain Khakis’ product line,” said Coombs. “MK is a brand that believes in quality and durability for all walks of life; something we genuinely believe in.”

Bionic® transformed over 750,000 discarded beverage bottles into premium fabric in 2010. Their goal is to utilize over 25 million bottles in their material by the beginning of 2013.

Available in 5 colors, each MK Fairway shirt contains as many as 14
PET recycled plastic bottles. They will be available in February, 2012 at
authorized MK dealers in the U.S., Canada and Japan and online at mountainkhakis.com.

About Return Textiles
Return Textiles is a manufacturer of sustainable materials and the innovator of Bionic® yarn technology. Bionic® is a high-quality yarn produced by using fibers collected from recycled plastic bottles. The process used to create Bionic® yarn is a patented spinning method that combines PET plastic with both performance and natural fibers. The company, backed by two mission driven entrepreneurs and recording artist Pharrell Williams has established a strong presence within both the outdoor and fashion industries. For more information visit www.bionicyarn.com

About Mountain Khakis®
Rugged. Authentic. Reliable. Timeless. What started as a casual conversation at the Shady Lady Saloon in Jackson Hole, WY has become a top-performing mountain-inspired lifestyle apparel brand. Established in 2003, Mountain Khakis quickly became a staple in the wardrobe of everyone from ranch hands to golf pros, those who travel by jet, as well as those who travel by thumb. The Mountain Khakis brand story continues to resonate as it connects to the enthusiast who believes that freedom and rugged adventure is a way of life.

Mountain Khakis® • Built for the Mountain Life® • Rise Above It™

For More Information Contact:
Jen Taylor, Director of Creative Development & Public Relations, Mountain Khakis®
(970)250-9682
jen.taylor@mountainkhakis.com • www.mountainkhakis.com
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