Denim Drive to Recycle Used Denim is Coming to Campus

BY MADDI ACHTYL

Inspired by their trip to New Orleans on a H.O.P.E. trip, students Jessika Crockett-Murphy and Amanda Curran launched a denim drive to help insulate homes there.

The two led the trip from January 6 through 13 and pitched the idea of doing a denim drive on

campus when they returned.

On a tour of the St. Bernard Project Wearhouse, they learned that denim can be recycled

back into its original fiber state. It can then be used to make house insulation instead of fiberglass insulation, which can be dangerous and not as sturdy as denim.

“So all of it will be shredded and then used to pack the houses to make them sturdier and

better insulated. And it's recyclable and much better, a lot cleaner than using fiberglass, which

can rot a lot easier,” said Curran.

Curran said the jeans will be donated to Blue Jeans Go Green, a company that works with

large clothing sellers like Aeropostle, American Eagle, and Aerie to recycle people's old, worn-out jeans.

Blue Jeans Go Green is a company that collects denim and recycles it, transforming it

into something new to help divert textile waste away from landfills.

“We just sent an email. I have five pairs of jeans sitting on my desk now, and then we

have three bags that I have to break in already,” said Crockett-Murphy.

Their goal is to collect 100 pieces of denim. They should have no problem reaching this

goal, said Crockett-Murphy.

The denim drive is important for many reasons, including giving denim a new purpose

and helping communities in need, they said.

“Having that opportunity to be able to take even unusable clothes for other folks and

being able to put them to use and helping to end overproduction of materials and being able to

reuse and recycle to stop it from going to a landfill,” said Curran.

“It's another way for folks to help others in a way that works for their own lives and that

they can adjust their lives to,” said Crockett-Murphy.

The Chapel of Mary, Shields Science Center, and the Student Government Association

Office have drop-off boxes for used denim. The drive will run from now until April 1