Ford Goes Green with Blue Jeans
December 2nd, 2010
We’ve all had to part with our favorite pair of jeans that we’ve worn too many holes in. But what happens to those jeans after we toss them? Thanks to Ford Motor Co., fewer pairs of our beloved jeans are ending up in landfills.
The 2012 Ford Focus, coming to Nebraska showrooms early next year, is giving our old jeans a new life. Ford is using recycled blue jeans as soundproofing material and carpet backing in the 2012 Ford Focus. This is just one aspect of Ford’s efforts to reduce their impact on the environment.
“Ford is continually looking for greener alternatives,” says Carrie Majeske, Product Sustainability Manager. “One of our key goals is to use more recycled or renewable materials without compromising performance or durability. Recycled content is a way to divert waste from landfills and reduce the impact on mining virgin material.”
Using recycled materials in vehicles is nothing new for Ford. Many Ford SUVs already contain upholstery made from recycled plastic milk bottles. Other vehicles have soy foam seat cushions, recycled yarn seat covers and natural-fiber plastic interior components.
Ford estimates about 85 percent of the 2012 Focus, by weight, will be able to be recycled. Considering about 95 percent of vehicles go to a dismantling and recycling facility at the end of their driving life, this could be a huge step to creating a better environment.
“The use of recycled clothing is one step, but what else are people discarding that could be used in our vehicles?” says Majeske. “Ford is determined to find out.”
With their innovative use of recycled materials, Ford’s future looks green and bright. It should be interesting to see what materials they’ll use next.
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