UNIFI INC 10-K

Item 1. Business Unifi, Inc., a New York corporation formed in 1969 (together with its subsidiaries, “UNIFI,” the “Company,” “we,” “us,” or “our”), is a multinational company that manufactures and sells innovative recycled and synthetic products, made from polyester and nylon, primarily to other yarn manufacturers and knitters and weavers (UNIFI’s “direct customers”) that produce yarn and/or fabric for the apparel, hosiery, home furnishings, automotive, industrial, medical, and other end-use markets (UNIFI’s “indirect customers”). We sometimes refer to these indirect customers as “brand partners.” Polyester products include partially oriented yarn (“POY”) and textured, solution and package dyed, twisted, beamed, and draw wound yarns, and each is available in virgin or recycled varieties. Recycled solutions, made from both pre-consumer and post-consumer waste, include plastic bottle flake (“Flake”), polyester polymer beads (“Chip”), and staple fiber. Nylon products include virgin or recycled textured, solution dyed, and spandex covered yarns. UNIFI maintains one of the textile industry’s most comprehensive product offerings that includes a range of specialized, value-added and commodity solutions, with principal geographic markets in North America, Central America, South America, Asia, and Europe. UNIFI has direct manufacturing operations in four countries and participates in a joint venture operating in the United States (the “U.S.”). UNIFI has three reportable segments based on the primary geographies in which UNIFI distributes its products: • The Americas Segment primarily manufactures and sells recycled and synthetic textile products to yarn manufacturers, knitters and weavers that produce yarn and/or fabric for the apparel, hosiery, home furnishings, automotive, industrial, medical, and other end‑use markets principally in North and Central America. The Americas Segment consists of sales and manufacturing operations in the U.S., El Salvador, and Colombia. • The Brazil Segment primarily manufactures and sells recycled and synthetic textile products to knitters and weavers that produce fabric for the apparel, home furnishings, automotive, industrial, and other end-use markets principally in Brazil. The Brazil Segment includes a manufacturing location and sales offices in Brazil. • The Asia Segment primarily sources recycled and synthetic textile products from third party suppliers and sells to yarn manufacturers, knitters, and weavers principally in Asia and Europe that produce fabric for the apparel, automotive, home furnishings, industrial, and other end-use markets. The Asia Segment has no manufacturing assets and includes sales offices in China, Turkey, Hong Kong, and India. Other information for UNIFI’s reportable segments is provided in Note 24, “Business Segment Information,” to the accompanying consolidated financial statements. Strategic Overview and Operating Results UNIFI is committed to investing strategically and synergistically in: • accelerating innovation and high-quality manufacturing processes; • expanding the REPREVE ® brand; • growing market share in our major textile regions; and • penetrating new markets and end-uses, particularly beyond apparel. Our supply chain has been developed and enhanced in multiple regions around the globe, allowing us to deliver a diverse range of fibers and polymers to key customers in the markets we serve, especially apparel. These textile products are supported by quality assurance, product development, product and fabric certifications, hangtags, and co-marketing along with technical and customer service teams across UNIFI’s operating subsidiaries. We have developed this successful operating platform by improving operational and business processes and deriving value from sustainability-based initiatives, including polyester and nylon recycling. We believe that further commercial expansion will require a continued stream of new technology and innovation that generates products with meaningful consumer benefits. Along with our recycled platform, UNIFI has significant yarn technologies that provide optimal performance characteristics for today’s marketplace, including water repellency, flame retardation, soil release, enhanced color-fastness achieved with less water use, and protection from ultra-violet rays, among other attributes. To achieve further growth, UNIFI remains focused on innovation, bringing to market the next wave of fibers and polymers for tomorrow’s applications. As we invest and grow, sustainability remains at our core. We believe that increasing the awareness for recycled solutions in applications across fibers and polymers and furthering sustainability-based initiatives with like-minded brand partners will be key to our future success. We also believe that our manufacturing processes and our technical knowledge and capabilities will allow us to grow market share and develop new textile programs with new and existing customers. Ultimately, combining leading-edge innovation with our prominent, high-quality brand and agile regional business model will allow for underlying sales and profitability growth. 2 Fiscal 2025 Financial Performance In fiscal 2025, despite recent improvements in sales volumes and ongoing growth in Central America, the Americas Segment continued to experience customer-demand headwinds, along with continued pricing pressures and lower than anticipated manufacturing utilization that weighed on gross margins. Due to the continued unfavorable impact of low facility utilization and productivity levels in the Americas Segment, UNIFI adopted cost savings measures which included the consolidation of yarn manufacturing operations in the Americas Segment with the closure and sale of the Madison, North Carolina facility. Despite the difficult operating environment, we have continued to focus on commercializing value-added products and creating differentiation through innovation and sustainability, while also expanding our sales channels beyond traditional apparel end-uses. In fiscal 2025, the Brazil Segment's operating results continued to perform well with steady demand and market share gains, despite competitive import pricing pressures and unfavorable foreign currency impacts. In fiscal 2025, the Asia Segment's results decreased primarily due to weak demand and a change in sales mix of REPREVE products. The sales volumes in the Asia Segment, particularly for apparel, were unfavorably impacted by volatility from customer-demand headwinds and tariffs placed upon many countries outside of the United States in the second half of this fiscal year. The Asia Segment is better able to withstand volatility in product demand due to its asset-light model. We remain committed to restoring and increasing profitability across our global businesses, while enhancing and delivering upon the demand for value-added innovative and sustainable products. Beyond the specific demand challenges within the textile industry, our business was adversely impacted by: (i) the impact of inflation on consumer spending, (ii) elevated interest rates for consumers and customers, including the impact on the carrying costs of customer inventories, and (iii) the volatility resulting from trade and regulatory matters (including tariffs). A tariff structure that disproportionately impacts one country or region over another may result in a shift in manufacturing or flow of goods particularly as it relates to textile production across Asia and Central America. Fortunately, UNIFI has been expanding its supply chain and business model across multiple geographies over the last several years. Particularly, (i) our feedstock supply spans multiple markets, (ii) our commercial position in the Central American market remains key to servicing compliant business for USMCA and CAFTA-DR programs, and (iii) we have expanded our asset light model beyond China, most recently with the addition of Unifi Textiles India in October 2024. Each of these concepts affords us diversity in this dynamic trade environment and greater flexibility in servicing our customer base. Specific to other ongoing geopolitical tensions, we recognize the disruption to global markets and supply chains caused by the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, however we have not been directly impacted. Indirectly, we recognize that additional or prolonged impacts to the petroleum or other global markets could cause further inflationary pressures to our global raw material costs or additional unforeseen adverse impacts. REPREVE ® In the early 2000s, by recycling our own production waste into useful polyester fibers, we took the first steps toward building an important supply chain with a focus on sustainability and environmental responsibility. After nearly two decades, our REPREVE brand has become the quintessential recycled fiber of choice for brand, retail, and textile partners around the globe. REPREVE is most commonly offered in the following fiber forms: polyester staple fiber, polyester filament, nylon staple fiber, and nylon filament, comprising our REPREVE Fiber platform. We also sell REPREVE Chip, which is a recycled polyester resin product. Beyond the high quality, versatility, and breadth of application that REPREVE offers, UNIFI combines transparency, traceability, and certification for REPREVE products to support our customers’ own sustainability narratives. REPREVE is our flagship and fastest growing brand. As part of our efforts to expand consumer brand recognition of REPREVE, UNIFI has developed recycling-focused sponsorships with various brand partners and other entities that span across sporting, music, and outdoor events. The increasing success and awareness of the REPREVE brand continues to provide new opportunities for growth, allowing for expansion into new end-uses and markets for REPREVE, as well as continued growth of the brand with current customers. This has driven traction with global brands and retailers who obtain value and lasting consumer interest from the innovation and sustainability aspects that REPREVE provides. Expanding sales of REPREVE is an important component of our business strategy, and we expect to achieve improved margins and deeper relationships with customers accordingly. The primary metric for tracking growth of the REPREVE brand is REPREVE Fiber sales. REPREVE Fiber represents UNIFI's collection of fiber products on its recycled platform, with or without added technologies. Of our consolidated net sales in fiscal 2025, 2024, and 2023, REPREVE Fiber sales comprised 31%, 32%, and 30%, or $174,855, $188,517, and $186,161, respectively. 3 Capital Investments Fiscal 2021 through 2023 capital investments increased in connection with our planned investment of approximately $100,000 into the Americas and Brazil Segments for new eAFK Evo texturing machinery that has significant efficiency, productivity, and flexibility benefits over our legacy equipment. We are encouraged by the performance metrics surrounding the eAFK Evo texturing machines currently operating in our facilities, and we expect these upgrades to generate meaningful investment returns in the future when product demand recovers. Due to the weak demand environment in fiscal 2023 and 2024, UNIFI negotiated two contract modifications with the equipment vendor. At that time, approximately 75% of the project had been completed in the Americas and 100% had been completed in Brazil. The contract modifications allowed UNIFI to delay the remaining equipment purchases and installation activities until September 2025. In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2025, UNIFI terminated the overall contract in exchange for the forfeiture of $1,448 in deposits which is included in Restructuring costs within the Consolidated Statements of Operations. These actions allow for (i) improved short- and mid-term liquidity in light of the current subdued levels of sales and facility utilization and (ii) a better matching of future capital expenditures with the consolidation of UNIFI's yarn manufacturing operations. In fiscal 2026, we expect to invest between $8,000 and $12,000 in capital projects, primarily relating to routine annual maintenance capital expenditures. Share Repurchases In addition to capital investments and debt retirement, UNIFI may utilize excess cash for strategic share repurchases. On October 31, 2018, UNIFI announced that the Company's Board of Directors (the “Board”) approved a share repurchase program (the “2018 SRP”) under which UNIFI is authorized to acquire up to $50,000 of its common stock. Under the 2018 SRP, purchases may be made from time to time in the open market at prevailing market prices or through private transactions or block trades. The timing and amount of repurchases will depend on market conditions, share price, applicable legal requirements, and other factors. The share repurchase authorization is discretionary and has no expiration date. As of June 29, 2025, UNIFI had repurchased 701 shares of its common stock at an average price of $15.90 per share, none of which occurred in fiscal 2025, leaving $38,859 available for repurchases under the 2018 SRP. UNIFI will continue to evaluate opportunities to use excess cash flows from operations or existing borrowings to repurchase additional stock, while maintaining sufficient liquidity to support its operational needs and to fund future strategic growth opportunities. Developments in Principal Markets Americas Our operations in the U.S., El Salvador, and Colombia operate under the Dominican Republic—Central America Free Trade Agreement (“CAFTA-DR”) and the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (“USMCA”). Prior to the establishment of the USMCA, we benefited from a similar agreement known as the North American Free Trade Agreement (“NAFTA”). Throughout fiscal 2023, we experienced adverse pressure from rising input costs, competitive headwinds, and weakening manufacturing productivity. In addition, in fiscal 2023, 2024, and 2025, the Americas Segment experienced lower volumes as a result of lower global demand in connection with the inventory destocking efforts of major brands and retailers. However, beginning in the second half of fiscal 2025, we experienced a slow, but steady improvement in overall sales, primarily due to our increased commercial efforts and portfolio diversification. Looking ahead, we believe our Americas business remains well-positioned to capture long-term growth opportunities, and we are working to mitigate any potential recessionary impacts. Brazil UNIFI’s Brazilian operations play a key role in our strategy. This segment is primarily impacted by (i) price pressures from imported fiber, fabric, and finished goods (similar to our U.S. operations), (ii) the inflation rate in Brazil, and (iii) changes in the value of the Brazilian Real (“BRL”). Economic and political volatility remain challenging conditions in South America, despite our strong performance in recent years. UNIFI continues to (i) aggressively pursue mix enrichment and market share by working with customers to develop programs using our differentiated products, including REPREVE, and (ii) implement process improvements and manufacturing efficiency plans to help lower per-unit costs. The growth of the REPREVE brand in Brazil continues to be a focus of ours as the segment's sales do not include a significant amount of REPREVE. In addition, our installation of eAFK Evo machinery in Brazil has been highly successful in generating manufacturing efficiencies and the associated finished goods have been highly regarded by customers. Asia UNIFI’s Asia operations remain an important part of our strategy due to the significant production capacity that exists in Asia, which enhances our ability to service customers with global supply chains. Competition in the Asia region remains high; however, interest and demand for UNIFI’s products in Asia have helped support strong underlying sales volumes in recent years. We are encouraged by programs undertaken with key brands and retailers that benefit from the diversification and innovation of our global portfolio. During fiscal 2025, customer-demand headwinds resulted in depressed volumes in Asia and in the second half of the fiscal year, tariffs placed upon many foreign countries resulted in additional demand volatility due to the recent actions taken by the U.S. during trade-related negotiations. 4 Looking ahead, we expect to expand into additional markets in India, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East utilizing the asset-light supply chain and service model that has been successful for us in Asia. As we expand our operations outside of the Americas, we will continue to evaluate the level of capital investment required to support the needs of our customers and we intend to allocate our resources accordingly. Industry Overview UNIFI operates in the textile industry and, within that broad category, the respective markets for yarns, fabrics, fibers, and end-use products, such as apparel and hosiery, automotive, industrial, medical, and home furnishings, among others. Even though the textile industry is global, there are several distinctive regional or other geographic markets that often shape the business strategies and operations of participants in the industry. Because of free trade agreements and other trade regulations entered into by the U.S. government, the U.S. textile industry, which is otherwise a distinctive geographic market on its own, is often considered in conjunction with other geographic markets or regions in North, South, and Central America. According to data compiled by PCI WoodMackenzie, a global leader in research and analysis for the polyester and raw material markets, global demand for polyester yarns has grown steadily since 1980. In calendar 2003, polyester replaced cotton as the fiber with the largest percentage of worldwide fiber sales. Polyester accounts for an estimated 56% of global fiber consumption, and global demand is projected to increase by approximately 3.0% to 3.5% annually through calendar 2025. Nylon accounts for an estimated 5% of global fiber consumption. Additionally, due to the higher cost of nylon, the industry may transition certain products from nylon to polyester. The polyester and nylon fiber sectors together account for approximately 62% of North American textile consumption. According to the National Council of Textile Organizations, the U.S. textile and apparel industry’s total shipments were approximately $63.9 billion for calendar 2024 as the U.S. textile and apparel industry exported nearly $28.0 billion of textile and apparel products. The U.S. textile industry remains a large manufacturing employer. Trade Regulation and Rules of Origin The duty rate on imports into the U.S. of finished apparel categories that utilize polyester and nylon yarns generally range from 16% to 32%. For many years, imports of fabric and finished goods into the U.S. have increased significantly from countries that do not participate in free trade agreements or trade preference programs, despite duties charged on those imports. The primary drivers for that growth were lower overseas operating costs, foreign government subsidization of textile industries, increased overseas sourcing by U.S. retailers, the entry of China into the World Trade Organization, and the staged elimination of all textile and apparel quotas. Although global apparel imports represent a significant percentage of the U.S. market, Regional FTAs (as defined below), which follow general “yarn forward” rules of origin, provide duty free advantages for apparel made from regional fibers, yarns, and fabrics, allowing UNIFI opportunities to participate in this growing market. A significant number of UNIFI’s customers in the apparel market produce finished goods that meet the eligibility requirements for duty-free treatment in the regions covered by the Americas Segment and the Colombia and Peru free trade agreements (collectively, the “Regional FTAs”). The Regional FTAs contain rules of origin requirements in order for covered products to be eligible for duty-free treatment. In the case of textiles such as fabric, yarn (such as POY), fibers (filament and staple), and certain garments made from them, the products are generally required to be fully formed within the respective regions. UNIFI is the largest filament yarn manufacturer, and one of the few producers of qualifying synthetic yarns, in the regions covered by the Regional FTAs. The U.S.'s adoption of the USMCA in calendar 2020 did not significantly impact textile and apparel trade in the region. The USMCA includes strong rules of origin and closed several loopholes in NAFTA that allowed non-originating inputs, such as sewing thread, pocketing, and narrow elastic fabrics. U.S. legislation commonly referred to as the “Berry Amendment” stipulates that certain textile and apparel articles purchased by the U.S. Department of Defense must be manufactured in the U.S. and must consist of yarns and fibers produced in the U.S. UNIFI believes it is the largest producer of polyester and nylon filament yarns for Berry Amendment compliant purchasing programs. UNIFI refers to fibers sold with specific rules of origin requirements under the Regional FTAs and the Berry Amendment, as “Compliant Yarns.” Approximately half of UNIFI’s sales within the Americas Segment are sold as Compliant Yarns under the terms of the Regional FTAs or the Berry Amendment. UNIFI believes the requirements of the rules of origin and the associated duty-free cost advantages in the Regional FTAs, together with the Berry Amendment and the growing demand for supplier responsiveness and improved inventory turns, will ensure that a portion of the existing textile industry will remain based in the Americas. As such, UNIFI expects that the region covered by the Americas Segment will continue to maintain its share of apparel production as a percentage of U.S. retail. UNIFI believes the remaining synthetic apparel production within these markets is more specialized and defensible, and, in some cases, apparel producers are bringing programs back to this region as part of a balanced sourcing strategy for certain brands and retailers. Because UNIFI is the largest of only a few significant producers of Compliant Yarns under the Regional FTAs, UNIFI continues to leverage its eligibility status for duty-free processing to increase its share of business with regional and domestic fabric producers who ship their products into this region. 5 Recent efforts to normalize the pricing dynamics between domestic and imported products have resulted in antidumping and countervailing duties placed on polyester textured yarn imports from certain countries that compete in Americas Segment markets. Accordingly, imports from the following countries have been assessed additional duties: • China of 32% or more, • India of 7% or more, • Indonesia of 7% or more, • Malaysia of 8%, • Thailand of 14% or more, and • Vietnam of 2% or more. While the ultimate short-term and long-term impacts of these duties are not yet known, UNIFI expects these countervailing and antidumping duty rates to play a significant role in helping to normalize the competitive position of UNIFI’s yarns in the U.S. market against the respective imported yarns. Competition The industry in which UNIFI operates is global and highly competitive. UNIFI competes not only as a global yarn producer, but also as part of a regional supply chain for certain textile products. For sales of Compliant Yarns, UNIFI competes with a limited number of foreign and domestic producers of polyester and nylon yarns. For sales of non-Compliant Yarns, UNIFI competes with a larger number of foreign and domestic producers of polyester and nylon yarns that can meet the required customer specifications of quality, reliability, and timeliness. UNIFI is affected by imported textile, apparel, and hosiery products, which adversely impact demand for UNIFI’s polyester and nylon products in certain of its markets. Several foreign competitors have significant advantages, including lower wages, raw material costs, and capital costs and favorable foreign currency exchange rates against the U.S. Dollar (“USD”), any of which could make UNIFI’s products, or the related supply chains, less competitive. While competitors have traditionally focused on high-volume commodity products, they are now increasingly focused on specialty products that UNIFI historically has been able to leverage to generate higher margins. UNIFI’s major competitors in the Americas region for polyester yarns are Aquafil O'Mara; United Textiles of America S.de R.L. de C.V.; NanYa Plastics Corp. of America (“NanYa”); and C S Central America S.A. de C.V. In fiscal 2024, a major competitor, AKRA, S.A. de C.V., closed its polyester manufacturing facility in Monterrey, Mexico. UNIFI’s major competitors for nylon yarn sales in the U.S. are Sapona Manufacturing Company, Inc. and McMichael Mills, Inc. As UNIFI is the only domestic producer of textured polyester in Brazil, our major competitors in Brazil are traders of imported yarns and fibers. In fiscal 2024, our largest domestic competitor, Petroquimica Suape (Companhia Petroquimica de Pernambuco), halted textured yarn production providing us an opportunity to gain additional market share in the region. UNIFI’s operations in Asia face competition from multiple yarn manufacturers in that region and identification of them is not feasible. However, much of our portfolio in the Asia region is advantaged by specialty and recycled products and a global sourcing and support model that assists in differentiation. Globally, competitors for our REPREVE products include recycled brands from Far Eastern New Century, Tiejin, Radici, and Polygenta. Raw Materials, Suppliers and Sourcing The primary raw material supplier for the Americas Segment of virgin Chip and POY is NanYa. For the Brazil Segment, Reliance Industries, Ltd. is the primary supplier of POY. The primary suppliers of nylon raw materials for the Americas Segment are UNF America, LLC (“UNFA”); and The LYCRA Company. UNFA is a joint venture owned 50% by UNIFI. Currently, there are multiple domestic and foreign suppliers available to fulfill UNIFI’s sourcing requirements for its recycled products. The majority of plastic bottles we utilize in the U.S. are obtained in open-market transactions from recycling companies and municipalities throughout the U.S., while our Asian subsidiaries source recycled materials from various countries and entities throughout Asia. For its operations in the U.S., UNIFI produces and buys certain of its raw material fibers for Compliant Yarns from a variety of sources in the U.S., UNIFI produces a portion of its Chip requirements in its REPREVE Recycling Center and purchases the remainder of such requirements from external suppliers for use in its domestic spinning facility to produce POY. In addition, UNIFI purchases nylon and polyester products for resale from various suppliers. Although UNIFI does not generally have difficulty meeting its raw material requirements, UNIFI has, in the past, experienced interruptions or limitations in the supply of certain raw materials. UNIFI’s bottle processing facility in Reidsville, North Carolina provides a high-quality source of Flake for the REPREVE Recycling Center as well as for sale to external parties. Combined with recent technological advancements in recycling, we believe the Flake produced at the bottle processing facility enhances our ability to grow REPREVE into other markets, such as nonwovens, carpet fiber, and packaging. The prices of the principal raw materials used by UNIFI continuously fluctuate, and it is difficult or impossible to predict trends or upcoming developments. In any event, UNIFI monitors these dynamic factors closely and does not currently engage in hedges of polyester or nylon raw materials. 6 Products, Technologies, and Related Markets Our virgin and recycled products sold across all geographies range from specialty, value-added, to commodity. We provide products to a variety of end-use markets, principally apparel, industrial, furnishings, and automotive. We estimate our consolidated net sales for fiscal 2025 were distributed across our primary end markets as follows: • Apparel (including hosiery and footwear) represented approximately 58% of our consolidated net sales. • Industrial represented approximately 12% of our consolidated net sales, and includes medical, belting, tapes, filtration, ropes, protective fabrics, and awnings. • Furnishings (including both contract and home furnishings) represented approximately 12% of our consolidated net sales, and is largely dependent upon the housing market, which, in turn, is influenced by consumer confidence and credit availability. • Automotive represented approximately 6% of our consolidated net sales. • All other markets represented approximately 12% of our consolidated net sales. In addition to the above, UNIFI combines its research and development efforts with the demands of customers and markets to develop innovative technologies that enhance yarn characteristics. Application of these technologies allows for a diversity of benefits, including: water repellency, flame retardation, soil release, enhanced color-fastness achieved with less water use, and protection from ultra-violet rays, among other attributes. As we continue to diversify our portfolio beyond apparel and pursue new end markets, we expect to gain margin accretive sales and improve facility utilization. Indicating our expanded product portfolio and enhanced technological capabilities, we recently introduced new products based on the Textile Takeback platform and Thermaloop insulation. Customers UNIFI’s Americas Segment, Brazil Segment, and Asia Segment serve approximately 480, 360, and 540 customers, respectively, all in a variety of geographic markets. UNIFI’s products are manufactured according to customer specifications and are shipped based upon customer order requirements. Customer payment terms are generally consistent with prevailing industry practices for the geographies in which we participate. UNIFI’s consolidated net sales are not materially dependent on a single direct customer and no single direct customer accounts for 10% or more of UNIFI’s consolidated net sales. In fiscal 2025, OIA Global comprised 10% of the Asia Segment's sales. UNIFI’s top 10 direct customers accounted for approximately 24% of consolidated net sales for fiscal 2025 and approximately 26% of receivables as of June 29, 2025. However, UNIFI’s consolidated net sales are dependent on demand from a relatively small number of brand partners. Sales and Marketing UNIFI employs an internal sales force operating out of sales offices primarily in the U.S., Brazil, China, El Salvador, Colombia, Turkey, India, and Europe. UNIFI also relies on independent sales agents for sales in several other countries. UNIFI seeks to create strong customer relationships and to build and strengthen those relationships throughout the supply chain. Through frequent communications with customers, partnering in product development, and engaging key downstream brands and retailers, UNIFI has created significant pull-through sales and brand recognition for its products. For example, UNIFI works with brands and retailers to educate and create demand for its products, including recent engagements involving REPREVE, and other performance technology products at multiple events and venues in the U.S. and globally. UNIFI then works with key fabric mill partners to develop specific fabrics for those brands and retailers utilizing UNIFI products. In many of these regards, UNIFI draws upon and integrates the resources of its research and development personnel. In addition, UNIFI is enhancing co-branding activations with integrated point-of-sale and online marketing with popular brands and retailers to enable consumers to find REPREVE and other performance technology products in multiple retail channels. Our sales and marketing strategy leverages a multi-channel digital approach, including targeted social media collaborations and campaigns, dynamic website engagement, and strategic media outreach, to enhance brand visibility, drive customer acquisition, and support product conversion across key markets. Based on the establishment of many commercial and branded programs, this strategy has been successful for UNIFI. Product Customization and Manufacturing Processes UNIFI uses advanced production processes to manufacture its high-quality products cost-effectively in North America, Central America, and Brazil and transfers relevant technical knowledge to its asset light operations in Asia for manufacture with trusted supply chain partners. 7 Additional processing of UNIFI’s polyester POY includes texturing, dyeing, twisting, beaming, draw winding, and covering. The texturing process involves the use of high-speed machines to draw, heat, and false-twist POY to produce yarn with different physical characteristics, depending on its ultimate end-use. Texturing gives the yarn greater bulk, strength, stretch, consistent dye-ability, and a softer feel, thereby making it suitable for use in the knitting and weaving of fabric. Solution dyeing and package dyeing allow for matching of customer-specific color requirements for yarns sold into various markets. Twisting incorporates real twist into filament yarns, which can be sold for a variety of uses, such as sewing thread, home furnishings, and apparel. Beaming places both textured and covered yarns onto beams to be used by customers in warp knitting and weaving applications. The draw winding process utilizes heat and draws POY to produce mid-tenacity, flat yarns. Lastly, covering operations utilize a spandex core to produce yarns with more stretch, compression, or comfort. UNIFI’s subsidiaries in Asia offer the same high-quality and innovative products and technologies through contract manufacturing arrangements with local manufacturers. This asset-light model allows for seamless integration of our products into the global supply chains of our customers. As we expand our Asian operations to meet the needs of our global customers, we will continue to leverage the asset-light model where the existing infrastructure can accommodate our highly technical processes, while continually evaluating the need for additional UNIFI assets in response to ever-changing market dynamics. Research and Development UNIFI employs research and development personnel, primarily in the U.S., who work closely with UNIFI’s customers, brand partners, and others to develop a variety of new yarns as well as improvements to the performance properties of existing yarns and fabrics. Among other things, UNIFI evaluates trends and uses the latest technology to create innovative yarns that meet the needs of evolving consumer preferences. Most of UNIFI’s branded yarns, including its flagship REPREVE brand, were derived from its research and development initiatives. UNIFI also includes, as part of its research and development initiatives, the use of continuous improvement methodologies to increase its manufacturing and other operational efficiencies, both to enhance product quality and to derive cost savings. For fiscal 2025, 2024, and 2023, UNIFI incurred $8,750, $9,599, and $10,871, respectively, in costs for research and development (including employee costs). Intellectual Property UNIFI has numerous trademarks registered in the U.S. and in other countries and jurisdictions around the world. Due to its current brand recognition and potential growth opportunities, UNIFI believes that its portfolio of registered REPREVE trademarks is its most significant trademark asset. Ownership rights in registered trademarks typically do not expire if the trademarks are continued in use and properly protected under applicable law. UNIFI licenses certain trademarks, including Dacron ® and Softec™, from Invista S.a.r.l. (“INVISTA”). UNIFI also employs its innovative manufacturing know-how, methods, and processes to produce and deliver proprietary solutions to customers and brand partners. UNIFI relies on the copyright and trade secret laws of the U.S. and other countries, as well as nondisclosure and confidentiality agreements, to protect these rights. Human Capital As of June 29, 2025, UNIFI had approximately 2,700 employees, which includes approximately 200 individuals working under temporary labor contracts. The number of employees in each of the Americas, Brazil, and Asia Segments and the corporate office were approximately 1,700, 800, 100, and 100, respectively, at June 29, 2025. In fiscal 2025, UNIFI reduced its headcount due to the transition of the Madison, North Carolina manufacturing operations to other production facilities in North and Central America. While employees of our Brazil Segment are unionized, none of the labor forces employed by UNIFI’s domestic or other foreign subsidiaries are currently covered by a collective bargaining agreement. UNIFI believes the Company has a good relationship with its employees. We believe in the importance of the retention, growth, and development of our employees. UNIFI endeavors to offer competitive compensation and benefits packages to our employees, as well as professional development opportunities to cultivate talent throughout the organization. We focus on employee health and safety initiatives, with thorough training and monitoring practices to enhance workplace safety. We also value people and ideas from varying backgrounds and are constantly striving to create a more diverse workforce and inclusive organization. Geographic Data Geographic information reported in conformance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) is included in Note 24, “Business Segment Information,” to the accompanying consolidated financial statements. Information regarding risks attendant to UNIFI’s foreign operations is included in “Item 1A. Risk Factors” in this report. 8 Seasonality UNIFI is not significantly impacted by seasonality; however, UNIFI typically experiences its highest sales volumes in the fourth quarter of its fiscal year. Excluding the effects of fiscal years with 53 weeks rather than 52 weeks, the most significant effects on UNIFI’s results of operations for particular periods during a year are due to planned manufacturing shutdowns by either UNIFI or its customers for certain holiday or traditional shutdown periods. Backlog UNIFI’s level of unfilled orders is affected by many factors, including the timing of specific orders and the delivery time for specific products, as well as a customer’s ability or inability to cancel the related order. As such, UNIFI does not consider the amount of unfilled orders, or backlog, to be a meaningful indicator of expected levels of future sales or to be material to an understanding of UNIFI’s business as a whole. Working Capital UNIFI funds its working capital requirements through cash flows generated from operations, along with short-term borrowings, as needed. For more detailed information, see “Liquidity and Capital Resources” in “Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in this report. Inflation Prior to fiscal 2022, UNIFI’s input costs had experienced steady and predictable increases. However, in fiscal 2022, UNIFI, along with many other textile manufacturers and a range of other industries, began to experience above-average inflationary pressures on a range of input costs, including, but not limited to, labor, freight, energy, and raw materials. Accordingly, we began implementing responsive selling price adjustments during fiscal 2022 to protect gross margins. In calendar 2023, UNIFI experienced a slight decline in these inflationary pressures, but some of these input costs were still above historical levels. While our selling price adjustments have thus far been successful at mitigating much of the inflationary pressure that has occurred, further significant fluctuations in input costs may not be immediately recoverable via selling price adjustments and our gross margins could suffer. However, we monitor our input costs closely, and we expect to maintain our ability to respond quickly to cost fluctuations to minimize any potential adverse impacts to earnings. Beyond the inflationary environment experienced during fiscal 2023 through 2025, UNIFI expects that costs could continue to rise long-term for certain consumables used to produce and ship its products, as well as for its utilities and labor. UNIFI expects to mitigate the impacts of such rising costs through increased operational efficiencies and increased selling prices, but rising inflation could be a factor that negatively impacts UNIFI’s profitability. In the past, selling price adjustments were primarily associated with changes in the price of polyester and nylon raw materials, but the current economic environment requires that selling price adjustments accommodate significant increases in all categories of input costs, including packaging, supplies, additives, and labor. For the majority of our portfolio, we have been able to implement selling price adjustments to protect gross margins. However, some selling price adjustments in the U.S. and Central America were not realized rapidly enough to avoid temporary gross margin declines in certain portions of our portfolio. While we navigated the dynamic cost environment during fiscal 2023 through 2025 better than in earlier prior years, low manufacturing utilization and manufacturing productivity have adversely impacted our gross margin and remain current headwinds to UNIFI’s profitability, most notably in the Americas Segment. Environmental Matters UNIFI is subject to various federal, state, and local environmental laws and regulations limiting the use, storage, handling, release, discharge, and disposal of a variety of hazardous substances and wastes used in or resulting from its operations (and to potential remediation obligations thereunder). These laws include the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, the Clean Air Act, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (including provisions relating to underground storage tanks), the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, commonly referred to as “Superfund” or “CERCLA,” and various state counterparts to such laws. UNIFI’s operations are also governed by laws and regulations relating to workplace safety and worker health, principally the Occupational Safety and Health Act and regulations issued thereunder, which, among other things, establish exposure standards regarding hazardous materials and noise standards and regulate the use of hazardous chemicals in the workplace. UNIFI believes that it has obtained, and is in compliance in all material respects with, all significant permits required to be issued by federal, state, or local law in connection with the operation of its business. UNIFI also believes that the operation of its production facilities and its disposal of waste materials are substantially in compliance with applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations, and that there are no material ongoing or anticipated capital expenditures associated with environmental control facilities necessary to remain in compliance with such provisions. UNIFI incurs normal operating costs associated with the discharge of materials into the environment but does not believe that these costs are material or inconsistent with those of its domestic competitors. 9 On September 30, 2004, Unifi Kinston, LLC (“UK”), a subsidiary of Unifi, Inc., completed its acquisition of polyester filament manufacturing assets located in Kinston, North Carolina (“Kinston”) from INVISTA. The land for the Kinston site was leased pursuant to a 99-year ground lease (the “Ground Lease”) with E.I. DuPont de Nemours (“DuPont”). Since 1993, DuPont has been investigating and cleaning up the Kinston site under the supervision of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (the “DEQ”) pursuant to the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Corrective Action program. The program requires DuPont to identify all potential areas of environmental concern (“AOCs”), assess the extent of containment at the identified AOCs, and remediate the AOCs to comply with applicable regulatory standards. Effective March 20, 2008, UK entered into a lease termination agreement associated with conveyance of certain assets at the Kinston site to DuPont. This agreement terminated the Ground Lease and relieved UK of any future responsibility for environmental remediation, other than participation with DuPont, if so called upon, with regard to UK’s period of operation of the Kinston site, which was from 2004 to 2008. At this time, UNIFI has no basis to determine if or when it will have any responsibility or obligation with respect to the AOCs or the extent of any potential liability for the same. UK continues to own property (the “Kentec site”) acquired in the 2004 transaction with INVISTA that has contamination from DuPont’s prior operations and is monitored by the DEQ. The Kentec site has been remediated by DuPont, and DuPont has received authority from the DEQ to discontinue further remediation, other than natural attenuation. Prior to transfer of responsibility to UK, DuPont and UK had a duty to monitor and report the environmental status of the Kentec site to the DEQ. Effective April 10, 2019, UK assumed sole remediator responsibility of the Kentec site pursuant to its contractual obligations with INVISTA and received $180 of net monitoring and reporting costs due from DuPont. In connection with monitoring, UK expects to sample and report to the DEQ annually. At this time, UNIFI does not expect any active site remediation will be required but expects that any costs associated with active site remediation, if ever required, would likely be immaterial. Joint Ventures and Unconsolidated Affiliates UNIFI participates in one joint venture located in the U.S. that supplies raw materials to the Americas Segment. As of June 29, 2025, UNIFI had $1,151 recorded for this unconsolidated affiliate investment. Other information regarding UNIFI’s unconsolidated affiliates is provided in “Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in this report and under the subheading “ Investments in Unconsolidated Affiliates ” in Note 10, "Other Non-Current Assets," to the accompanying consolidated financial statements. Available Information UNIFI’s website is www.unifi.com . Our Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K, and all amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), as well as proxy statements and other information we file with, or furnish to, the SEC are available free of charge on our website. We make these documents available as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically transmit them to the SEC. Except as otherwise stated in these documents, the information on our website or linked to or from our website is not a part of this report and is not incorporated by reference in this report or any of our other filings with the SEC. In addition, many of our corporate governance materials are available on our website, including the charters for the Audit Committee, the Compensation Committee, and the Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee, the Corporate Governance Guidelines, the Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, the Ethical Business Conduct Policy Statement, the Code of Ethics for Senior Financial and Executive Officers, the Insider Trading Policy, and the Incentive-Based Compensation Recovery Policy. Copies of such corporate governance materials, as well as any of our SEC reports and all amendments thereto, may also be obtained without charge by writing to Unifi, Inc., 7201 West Friendly Avenue, Greensboro, North Carolina 27410, Attention: Secretary. 10