Fresh Produce And Blue Jeans Go Green™ Collaborate For Bring In Your Blues Promotion

Denim Recycling Program Gets Retail Reach

NEW YORK, Jan. 7, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Cotton Incorporated, the research and marketing company for cotton, and Fresh Produce, a leading national apparel brand for women, today announced a collaboration that benefits Fresh Produce customers and the environment. From January 7 through January 31^st, Fresh Produce customers that drop off unwanted denim at any of the brand's 24 stores will receive 15% off KUT, the new denim line from Fresh Produce. Through the Blue Jeans Go Green™ program, the collected denim will be converted into housing insulation for communities in need.

"Blue Jeans Go Green is delighted to begin the New Year with this exciting collaboration with Fresh Produce," said Andrea Samber, Co-Director, Strategic Alliances, Cotton Incorporated. "We love the bright colors Fresh Produce apparel is known for and we know that their customers will love this unique program that gives new life to unwanted denim. By donating jeans and other denim items to Blue Jeans Go Green, Fresh Produce customers are not only helping to divert textiles from landfills, they are helping provide housing insulation to communities in need; and getting a discount on new denim purchases at Fresh Produce," added Samber.

For the re-launch of denim at Fresh Produce, customers are invited to bring in their blues to any of the 24 company-owned, non-outlet Fresh Produce stores located across the country. All denim will be accepted regardless of brand or quality. The collected denim will be shipped to Blue Jeans Go Green™ and converted into UltraTouch^TM Denim Insulation by Bonded Logic, Inc.

"The beginning of a new year is always a lively time for us with new styles, colors and adventures on the horizon for our brand and our shoppers," says Mary Ellen Vernon, Fresh Produce Founder. "Recycling unwanted denim into a resource for communities in need is such a cool idea and represents who we are at the core of our brand. We are jazzed to be collaborating with Blue Jeans Go Green™ on this inspiring initiative as we bring denim back into Fresh Produce stores and online."

Retail promotions such as Bring In Your Blues, and other activities including a direct mail-in option, helped the Blue Jeans Go Green ™ program reach its "millionth pair milestone" last fall. To date, the program has received over 1 million pieces of denim for recycling and has diverted over 600 tons of waste out of landfills, resulting in approximately 2 million square feet of UltraTouch™ Denim Insulation.

For more information about the program, please visit www.BlueJeansGoGreen.org.

About Fresh Produce:
For nearly three decades Fresh Produce has delighted women with inspiring color, vibrant prints, and stylish, comfortable clothing. Fresh Produce has been American-made since 1984 and is known for its signature garment dye process, exclusive prints and colorful basics. Fresh Produce creates styles that women want to wear because of the considerate details and high quality. Fresh Produce apparel is sold in more than 400 independent retail locations, 26 company-owned stores and online at www.freshproduceclothes.com.

About Cotton Incorporated:
Cotton Incorporated, funded by U.S. growers of upland cotton and importers of cotton and cotton textile products, is the research and marketing company representing upland cotton. The Program is designed and operated to improve the demand for and profitability of cotton.

UltraTouch™ Denim Insulation is a trademark of Bonded Logic, Inc.

SOURCE Cotton Incorporated