Got a Lot of Old T-Shirts Hanging Around? Well … They Might Just Become Your Next Pair of Jeans!

We’re all guilty of it: a million old t-shirts stuck in deep corners of our drawers, never to see the light of day. Eventually, they’ll go one of two places – the trash, or a donation center … after which, they might very well end up in a landfill. In fact, Americans only Donate or recycle 15 percent of their used clothing, and over 13 million tons of clothing wind up in landfills every year.

It’s clear that this is a major problem, and one amazing company is working tirelessly to address it. Meet Evrnu, a Seattle-based startup that uses revolutionary technology to recycle cotton garment waste into premium, renewable fiber. Their website announces: “It is time to reimagine how we make and buy Apparel.” You can say that again!

So Evrnu teamed up with Levi’s to make a pair of Jeans out of five used cotton t-shirts. Five cotton t-shirts! You probably have a least that many in your closet. The result? A brand new pair of Levi’s 511s – the first pair of Jeans made out of post-consumer waste!

Using the most advanced technology in the U.S., Evrnu “purifies cotton garment waste, converts it to a pulp, and extrudes it as a pristine new fiber for the creation of premium textiles.  It is finer than silk and stronger than cotton,” according to their website.

You can learn more about this innovative company by watching the video below:

We hope that more fashion and textile companies follow Levi’s lead by pairing with groundbreaking startups like Evrnu. Imagine a world where all of the new clothes that hit the shelves came from old clothes! In the meantime, we can all do our part in changing our habits by minimizing our consumer habits!

What Can You Do?

• First one’s a no-brainer – only buy what you really need! And when you do, make sure your clothing comes from ethical sources.

• Participate in a clothing swap when you want to liven up your closet!

• Upcycle your items into a new, useful item!

Image Source: Wikimedia Commons