Boy Scouts earn green badge

The Boy Scouts of America is swapping out its jerseys made of petroleum-based synthetic fabrics for uniforms that are made from a more eco-friendly fiber, according to media reports.

In mid-June, SustainU, a maker of sustainable clothing for students, announced that the “Americana” (pictured), “Varsity Performance” and “Hiker” shirts worn by Boy Scouts will now be made with REPREVE, a 100-percent recycled-yarn fiber made from used polyethylene terephthalate (PET) water bottles and pre- and post-consumer manufacturing waste. The “Americana” jersey (pictured) is already available in the recycled material, and the “Varsity Performance” shirt will debut in the fall.

On average, one pound of REPREVE yarn conserves the equivalent of a half-gallon of gasoline, according to SustainU.