MEMPHIS, TN – Hold on to the denim jackets and blue jeans in your closet. Habitat for Humanity wants to give them a new life. Recycled cotton from denim can help insulate a new home, and students at the University of Memphis are spearheading a collection drive to help."We've collected probably about 200 pairs of denim, maybe a little more,” said Denzel Johnson, treasurer of the university’s student chapter of Habitat. “Our goal is to recycle 500 -- we're trying to really reach a thousand if we can."
The student group is working with Cotton Incorporated to use the denim to help make homes green.
“It's a project called ‘Cotton: From Blue to Green,’" explained Angie Dunlap, advisor for the student group. “The denim actually gets recycled into insulation that's donated for housing for rebuilding communities."
Many of those communities were hit by Hurricane Katrina, and many of the homes will be built by Habitat for Humanity, explained Brad Robb, vice president of communications for the Cotton Board.
“[The recycled cotton] is environmentally friendly,” said Robb, whose organization works with the program. “Not only is it just as good as regular insulation, you don’t have to use gloves. It’s not itchy, so that’s a plus.”
He said recycled cotton adds up to a lot of insulation.
“[It takes] roughly about 500 average size jeans for an average size house, around 1600 feet,” Robb explained.
Johnson said the project is a point of pride for students.
“It’s going to a good cause, and I feel very privileged to be a part of this,” he said.
Students will continue their collection drive through the end of the month. You can donate your old jeans to the project. Collection boxes are set up across the University of Memphis campus. Students will also hold a collective drive Wednesday from 10:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. in front of the Tiger's Den.
