REUSE Jeans is a wonderful company with a great background. REUSE (which is an acronym for “Recycle. Environment. U. Save. Earth.”) is a premium denim company that introduced its eco-friendly fashion line (for both women and men) that produces each pair of jeans from 80% recycled cotton in early 2010. These aren’t recycled jeans; they’re brand new jeans made from recycled cotton.
The inspiration for the company began when its founder, George Powell, and his son were taking out the recycling. Powell had retired from the garment industry, but at that moment he realized the clothing business was creating a lot of needless waste and few companies were doing something about it. He then decided he wanted to get back in the business and make a difference. He started in China, where many major brands have their production facilities, and began to look at ways to reduce waste. From REUSEjeans.com:
“While it may seem counterintuitive, our production process takes place in China. As a region that has long been the center of inexpensive manufacturing, without regard to environmental preservation, China’s landfills are fraught with textile waste, while the air in many urban settings has been deemed unsafe. Notably, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, on certain days, one-fourth of the particulate matter (dust and soot) in Los Angeles originates from China. By helping to reverse the damage in China, we’re not only cleaning-up Asia, but we’re also contributing to a healthier Earth.”
The inspiration for the company began when its founder, George Powell, and his son were taking out the recycling. Powell had retired from the garment industry, but at that moment he realized the clothing business was creating a lot of needless waste and few companies were doing something about it. He then decided he wanted to get back in the business and make a difference. He started in China, where many major brands have their production facilities, and began to look at ways to reduce waste. From REUSEjeans.com:
“While it may seem counterintuitive, our production process takes place in China. As a region that has long been the center of inexpensive manufacturing, without regard to environmental preservation, China’s landfills are fraught with textile waste, while the air in many urban settings has been deemed unsafe. Notably, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, on certain days, one-fourth of the particulate matter (dust and soot) in Los Angeles originates from China. By helping to reverse the damage in China, we’re not only cleaning-up Asia, but we’re also contributing to a healthier Earth.”
“Step into a smaller carbon footprint one leg at a time.”Powell and his team discovered a way to use the textile scraps that would otherwise be put in a landfill and recycle them into useable material to make new denim. Using 80% recycled cotton, REUSE’s process saves approximately 2,560 gallons of water for every pair of men’s jeans produced (nope, that’s not a typo). It takes around 1,600 gallons of water to grow 1 pound of cotton, and it takes about 2 pounds of cotton to produce one pair of men’s jeans. The resulting recycled jeans help counteract the human effect of the disposable fashion industry, while contributing to a cleaner, more sustainable earth. REUSE Jeans can be found in boutiques across the U.S., on its website and at the company’s two flagship stores: one in Laguna Beach, CA, and the other in Dallas.
