Old jeans made into new insulation

The non-profit began rounding up the jeans three months ago. Four thousand pairs are now waiting to be transformed, says Marketing Director Karen Murray-Boston.

"It only takes 500 pairs of jeans to insulate the average home," she said.

Loveland Habitat will send all the denim to a company in Arizona.

"They shred the jeans, they work them through the normal process. They are non-toxic, give off no off gases, and are completely safe to install in your home," Murray-Boston said.

The program, which is called "Blue Into Green," is not new. Branches of Habitat for Humanity in the East signed up after Hurricane Katrina and have found success, Murray-Boston said.

"This is just another way that we look at involving the community in what we do," she added.

She says it also promotes the organization's environmental mission.

"We look at our [Loveland Habitat] ReStore as saving things that go into our landfill and if we can save these jeans from going into the landfill and put them in Habitat homes, it completes the cycle of recycling," she said.

The Workwear Store at the Loveland Outlets has partnered with Habitat to push the program. On Saturday, both Habitat and The Workwear Store held a collection drive.

"The response has been overwhelming today," Murray-Boston said.

If you want to donate your old pair of jeans, you can drop them off at The Workwear Store.

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