Levi Strauss could not have imagined his blue jeans would set the fashion trend of the century, but now blue jeans are on the cutting edge of a new trend in recycling. Denim paper is the invention of Stefan Watson. He says cotton is better than wood for making paper because it requires fewer chemicals and produces less waste. Watson says cotton paper is also stronger and can be recycled many more times. Every pair of blue jeans going to the Watson Paper Company in Albuquerque, New Mexico is one less pair going to a landfill.
Denim paper is among the latest ideas in a growing industry called treeless paper.