Keeping denim out of landfills is a big priority for Cotton Incorporated. The company’s Blue Jeans Go Green program founded in 2006 allows people to recycle their old denim clothing of any brand in exchange for savings on new pairs of jeans. The program has collected more than two million pieces of denim. Those who’d like to recycle their denim jeans, skirts and similar items are able to drop them off at select clothing retailers, which offer a discount on a new pair of jeans.
The collected denim will be returned to its natural cotton fiber state and upcycled into Ultra Touch Denim Insulation for housing organizations across the US, helping to divert denim from landfills where millions of pounds of textiles are discarded annually.
To date, the program has kept over 700 tons of textile waste out of landfills. The Ultra Touch Denim Insulation is made of 80 per cent post-consumer recycled denim. It’s durable, environmentally friendly, has great sound absorption and is also mildew resistant. It’s a high-quality housing insulation product.
The average American throws away approximately 70 pounds of clothing and other textiles each year. Textile waste, including denim, which is made from biodegradable cotton, takes up nearly five per cent of all landfill space.
