by Kade Agan
With cold weather fast approaching and the cost of heating a household constantly on the rise, autumn is the perfect time to consider just what keeps the cold out – or more accurately, the heat in – and what insulation material might be the best for your wallet and the planet.
The American Institute of Physics explains that the laws of physics teach us, “Heat only flows in one direction: from a hotter object to a colder one, such as when your morning cup of coffee cools until it is the same temperature as your kitchen. Insulation serves as a barrier to minimize the transfer of heat from one material (the coffee) to another (the air around you).”
But have any of us ever given much thought to just what’s in the insulation we use to keep our homes toasty warm in the depths of winter? The majority of modern, traditional insulation is made of fiberglass which contains formaldehyde, a toxic element. Thankfully an environmentally-friendly alternative now exists that is becoming ever more available to the general public: recycled blue jeans. That’s right, iconic work trousers turned fashion must-have can help keep you and your loved ones warm through the depths of winter. Levi Strauss never could have seen it coming.
This popular insulation choice has been featured on Building Green TV and is also now used by Habitat for Humanity thanks in part to a 2006 denim recycling drive conceived by none other than Cotton Incorporated. The program, called Cotton. From Blue to Green encouraged college students (perhaps the biggest blue jean enthusiasts on Earth) to donate their old denim to the cause. The material was then recycled and eventually sent to Bonded Logic, Inc., a manufacturer specializing in the production of sustainable insulation, and ultimately used in 2007 as a part of the construction of 12 new homes for families affected by Hurricane Katrina.
If you’re interested in getting denim insulation for your next home improvement project or new house, Bonded Logic, Inc. has a list of distributors by state online. This website provides a comprehensive list of retailers in the US and UK as well as a description of which type of denim insulation each store sells, and of course, there’s always Home Depot if you or your contractor aren’t sure where to start.
