The problem with old jeans is that they don't fit neatly into the standard donation advice. Ripped jeans, jeans that no longer fit, jeans with worn-through knees — none of these are going to sell at Goodwill. They'll get sorted into the salvage stream and sold by the pound to a textile recycler. Which isn't terrible, but you can do better by going directly to a program built specifically for denim.
The good news: there are more options now than at any point in the past. Multiple retailers have built denim take-back programs, the largest denim-specific recycling program in the US has collected nearly 5 million pieces, and some of these programs will actually give you a discount on your next pair of jeans in exchange for your old ones.
pairs of jeans produced globally every year. About 1.8 billion of those — nearly 30% — are never worn. When they reach landfill, the cotton component may take up to 10–12 months to break down, while any synthetic stretch fibers can persist for 40–200 years.
Blue Jeans Go Green — The Dedicated Denim Recycler
If you want to ensure your jeans are specifically recycled into something new — not just sorted into a general textile pile — Blue Jeans Go Green is the program you want. Run by Cotton Incorporated, it's been operating since 2006 and has collected nearly 5 million pieces of denim, diverting over 700 tons from landfills.
Blue Jeans Go Green™
bluejeansgogreen.orgWhat they accept: Any denim apparel that is at least 90% cotton — jeans, jackets, shorts, skirts. Any brand, any condition. Rips, holes, stains, missing buttons, embellishments — all fine. The only requirement is 90%+ cotton content (no mostly-polyester stretch denim).
What happens to it: Collected denim goes to Phoenix Fibers in Phoenix, Arizona, where hardware is mechanically removed (buttons, zippers, rivets) and the cotton fabric is shredded back into loose fiber. That fiber goes to Bonded Logic, which transforms it into UltraTouch™ Denim Insulation — used for home insulation, pet bed inserts, and thermal packaging. A portion is donated to Habitat for Humanity affiliates.
Where to drop off: Anthropologie (200+ US stores, year-round), Madewell stores, Levi's stores, American Eagle, Carhartt (joined 2024), rag & bone, Rails, FRAME, Boot Barn, Abercrombie & Fitch, and Zappos for Good (free mail-in). Find your nearest drop-off at bluejeansgogreen.org/recycle-denim.
🏭 What Happens to Your Jeans After Drop-Off
Your jeans arrive at Phoenix Fibers (Phoenix, AZ)
Denim from drop-off locations across the country is consolidated and shipped to the processing facility.
Hardware is mechanically separated
Buttons, zippers, and rivets are removed — metal gets recycled separately. This is why condition doesn't matter; the machines don't care about rips or stains.
Cotton fabric is shredded into fiber
The denim is mechanically processed back into loose cotton fiber — essentially reversing the manufacturing process.
Fiber becomes UltraTouch™ Denim Insulation
Bonded Logic processes the fiber into insulation batts. These end up in homes, pet beds, and thermal packaging liners. Some go to Habitat for Humanity builds.
Retail Take-Back Programs That Reward You
Several major retailers now offer denim recycling programs that give you something in return — usually a discount on your next purchase. These are worth knowing about if you were planning to buy a new pair anyway.
Madewell Denim Recycling
madewell.comOne of the longest-running retail denim recycling programs in the US, launched in 2014. Bring any brand of old jeans to any Madewell store and receive $20 off full-price Madewell jeans (in-store or online). Over 1 million pairs collected, diverting 548+ tons of waste.
Wearable jeans get resold through Madewell Forever or ThredUp. Worn-out pairs go to Blue Jeans Go Green for insulation. J.Crew (sister brand) participates in the same program. You can also request a ThredUp Clean Out Kit for mail-in.
Note: Discount not valid on Madewell Forever resale styles, third-party brands, or sale items. Check current terms at madewell.com.
Levi's Denim Recycling + SecondHand
levi.com | levisecondhand.comLevi's runs two separate programs. Their denim recycling partnership with Blue Jeans Go Green accepts any brand of clean, dry denim at Levi's stores — you get 20% off one full-price item. In 2019 alone, this converted nearly 133,000 pairs into insulation.
Their SecondHand/Trade-In program is different: it accepts Levi's-branded items only (jeans, shorts, Trucker Jackets — max 5 per appointment). Staff assess condition and offer $5–$30 in store credit. Resellable items get cleaned and listed on the Levi's SecondHand online store.
American Eagle Outfitters
ae.comDrop any brand of old jeans at collection boxes in 800+ American Eagle stores. RealRewards members receive $10 off their next pair of AE jeans. Collected denim goes to Blue Jeans Go Green.
H&M Garment Collecting
hm.comH&M accepts any brand, any condition, any clothing or textile — not just denim — at all of their 4,200+ stores globally. You receive 15% off your next in-store purchase. Since 2013, H&M has collected over 172,000 tonnes of textiles globally. Collected items are sorted by Looper Textile Co. (an H&M Group partnership).
If you have multiple pairs to recycle and you're already planning to buy new jeans, stacking programs is smart. Recycle your old Levi's through their trade-in for store credit, use the H&M program for any mixed-brand extras, and keep an eye on Anthropologie (which participates in Blue Jeans Go Green year-round and sometimes runs bonus incentive events).
Why Not Just Donate Them to Goodwill?
For jeans that are in genuinely wearable condition — just not your style anymore, or don't fit — Goodwill is a reasonable option. Someone will buy them and wear them.
But for jeans that are worn out, ripped at the knees, have bleach stains, or are just degraded beyond wearable use, a general thrift store is not the best path. Goodwill will sort those into their salvage stream, sell them by the pound to a textile recycler, and the recycler may or may not do something useful with them. You're adding a middleman (and associated processing emissions) to a journey that could go directly to Blue Jeans Go Green.
The other issue is that denim is heavy. A pair of jeans weighs roughly three-quarters of a pound. When Goodwill processes large volumes of clothing, heavier items like denim affect the economics of what gets prioritized for different disposal routes. Going directly to a dedicated program is just more efficient.
The Environmental Case for Denim Recycling
Denim is one of the most resource-intensive textiles in fashion. A single pair of jeans requires approximately 3,781 liters of water to produce across its full lifecycle — most of that going to growing the cotton. Denim accounts for roughly 35% of globally produced cotton, making it the single largest cotton consumer in the fashion industry.
The carbon footprint of one pair runs about 33 kg of CO₂-equivalent over its full lifecycle, with a significant portion coming from consumer washing and eventual disposal. When jeans end up in a landfill, the cotton component generates methane as it breaks down, and denim dyes can leach into surrounding soil and groundwater.
The math for recycling is compelling. When your jeans become UltraTouch Denim Insulation, they're doing two useful things at once: keeping cotton fiber in circulation rather than sending it to decompose, and replacing fiberglass insulation that would have required virgin materials to produce. A pair of jeans that becomes home insulation might help keep a house warm for the next 30 years.
Not Sure What to Do With Your Clothes?
Our free tool covers jeans and every other type of clothing — match your donation to the right option in about 30 seconds.
🌿 Find the Right OptionQuick Reference: Which Program for Which Jeans
- Worn out, ripped, any brand: Blue Jeans Go Green drop-off (Anthropologie, Madewell, Levi's, American Eagle stores)
- Still wearable + buying new Madewell: Madewell trade-in for $20 off
- Levi's brand in good condition: Levi's SecondHand trade-in for $5–$30 credit
- Mixed bag of clothing including jeans: H&M Garment Collecting for 15% off
- Good condition, any brand, no purchase planned: Donate to Goodwill or local thrift — they'll actually sell them
- Very good condition designer denim: ThredUp, Poshmark, or The RealReal for actual resale value
The most important thing is to not let "I don't know what to do with these" become a reason to just throw them in the trash. Any of these routes — even a general thrift store for wearable pairs — is meaningfully better than a landfill. The dedicated recycling programs just take it one step further.