Insulation industry news from Global Insulation
US: PhytoGen, part of Corteva Agriscience and DowDuPont, is partnering with Cotton Incorporated’s Blue Jeans Go Green denim recycling program to turn used clothing into insulation. PhytoGen will be collecting used denim at various events throughout 2019.
“New seed technologies and the commitment of US cotton growers continue to make sustainable production gains, while the Blue Jeans Go Green denim recycling program addresses end-of-product-life sustainability,” said Stacey Gorman, Director of Communications for The Cotton Board.
To raise awareness for the program, PhytoGen and Corteva Agriscience started holding internal denim drives at their corporate offices and seed production locations in November 2018. With the support of the National FFA Foundation and local FFA chapters, this will now be expanded to collection drives across the Cotton Belt in early 2019 and collections will be organised at trade events.
Since its start in 2006, the Blue Jeans Go Green program has collected more than 2 million pieces of denim and over 350,000m2 of insulation has been upcycled from worn denim. Over 40 Habitat for Humanity affiliates have received denim insulation and more than 1000t of textile waste have been diverted from landfills. Corporate partnerships with the Blue Jeans Go Gerent program predominately have been with retailers and brands that offer a sales incentive for recycling used denim. Past partners include: Wrangler, Gap, American Eagle, J Crew and Madewell.