Old jeans could shield your home from the next heatwave

A French company says people should not throw away their old jeans, because denim fibres can serve as building insulation that protects against both cold and heat. The claim was reported on 12 October by the international news channel France 24 in its environment programme "Down to Earth".

Recycling at a factory

According to the programme, millions of pairs of jeans have already been recycled at a factory in the north of France. The used fabric is turned into insulating panels intended for use in buildings.

Used in well-known buildings

The panels have also made their way into some of France's most iconic buildings. That suggests the material made from textile waste is being used in real construction projects, not only in trials.

The programme presents the idea as a use for the old clothes that many people keep at the back of their wardrobes. Instead of ending up as rubbish, the jeans can be turned into a material that helps keep buildings at a comfortable temperature in both cold and hot weather.

The France 24 item is a video report produced by the "Down to Earth" team. The source does not give technical details about the panels' performance, their price or the name of the company, so those questions remain unanswered.