American Eagle Outfitters and Make It Right Launch National Denim Recycling Program for Earth Day

In honor of Earth Day, Make It Right is kicking off a partnership with leading apparel company American Eagle Outfitters to recycle used and unwanted denim into building materials for affordable homes.

Starting April 11, customers can bring their old denim into any of American Eagle Outfitters’ 823 stores across the United States and Canada, and receive a 20% discount on a new pair of jeans. Any collected unwearable denim will be shredded and recycled into UltraTouch™ Denim Insulation and other building materials for use in Make It Right’s affordable homes around the country. UltraTouch Denim Insulation provides both energy saving thermal performance as well class leading sound absorption, creating efficient, quiet, and healthy living spaces wherever it is installed.

American Eagle Outfitters is bringing the growing issue of textile waste to the forefront of the apparel industry. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, more than 24 billion pounds of unwanted clothing, shoes and other textiles end up in U.S. landfills annually, so in partnership with I:Collect USA (I:CO), a global, textiles closed loop recycling solutions provider, the company has been collecting clothing and shoes for reuse and recycling since January of last year.

“American Eagle Outfitters and its customers’ commitment to recycling denim is a great example of how we can all work together to conserve resources,” said Cesar Rodriguez, Make It Right’s products director. “These jeans will provide safe, sustainable insulation — an important part of Make It Right’s high-performance, solar-powered homes. Better insulation increases energy-efficiency, leading to lower power bills for working families. We’re grateful to American Eagle Outfitters and I:CO for supporting Make It Right and providing consumers with the opportunity to be a part of sustainable solutions on Earth Day.”

“American Eagle Outfitters is excited about our partnership with Make It Right and I:CO to continue our conservation efforts. This partnership underscores our commitment to eliminate waste and preserve vital resources, while enabling our customers to become involved in our sustainability efforts and to truly close the loop on the textile waste cycle. The more we engage our customers, the more denim we will collect, ultimately reducing textile waste and increasing our ability to build low-cost, sustainable homes in our communities,” said Helga Ying, American Eagle Outfitters Vice President of External Engagement & Social Responsibility.

Founded by Brad Pitt, Make It Right builds sustainable, affordable homes, buildings and communities for people in need. The organization began in 2007 rebuilding homes for Hurricane Katrina victims in New Orleans and is now working across the country, from apartments for disabled veterans in New Jersey to single-family homes for Native Americans in Montana. Make It Right is committed to meeting the highest standards of green building and using Cradle to Cradle certified products — building materials that can be recycled into new products at the end of their use — for their LEED Platinum, affordable homes.

About American Eagle Outfitters, Inc.

American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. (NYSE:AEO) is a leading global specialty retailer offering high-quality, on-trend clothing, accessories and personal care products at affordable prices under its American Eagle Outfitters® and Aerie® brands. The company operates more than 1,000 stores in the United States, Canada, Mexico, China, Hong Kong and the United Kingdom, and ships to 81 countries worldwide through its websites. American Eagle Outfitters and Aerie merchandise also is available at 105 international stores operated by licensees in 18 countries. For more information, please visit www.ae.com.

About I:CO

I:Collect USA (I:CO®) is a global, end-to-end solutions provider for apparel, footwear and other textiles reuse and recycling. Through its simple take-back system and worldwide infrastructure, I:CO aims to keep used clothing and shoes in a continuous closed loop product cycle thus reducing waste, preserving material resources, protecting the environment and enabling sustainable consumption. For more information, visit www.ico-spirit.com.

About Bonded Logic Inc.

With over 35 years of insulation experience, Bonded Logic markets and manufactures a wide range of thermal and acoustical insulation products for multiple industries. Based in Chandler, Arizona, Bonded Logic offers a superior performing natural fiber product to meet every insulation need, while keeping consumers and the environment safe and healthy. The company is best known for its UltraTouch Denim Insulation – sourced entirely of post-consumer blue jeans and free of harsh chemicals. For more information, visit www.bondedlogic.com.

About Make It Right

Founded by Brad Pitt, Make It Right builds sustainable, affordable homes, buildings and communities for people in need around the United States. Visit makeitright.org.