The ISU chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America hosts a Denim Drive on campus until April 21.

Cotton Inc. and PRSSA are asking students to donate their old denim jeans, skirts and jackets. The event is part of Cotton Inc.’s “Dirty Laundry Tour” that is traveling across the country collecting old jeans that will be made into home insulation.

“This is the first year we are doing this on the ISU campus and I hope that it will be annual,” said Nickie Dix, PRSSA member and senior in communication studies. “It is a great way to help others in need.”

Donations can be made at a booth set up in the Memorial Union from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Wednesday for the next three weeks. Allison Vennerberg, PRSSA member and senior in journalism and mass communication, said donations can be made at other places around campus as well.

“We are setting our goals high and we want to break the record of 3,000 pieces of denim,” Dix said. “So far we have 230 pieces and it’s only been a couple of days.”

The event titled “Cotton. From Blue to Green” takes place at college campuses around the country, with all donations being given to UltraTouch.

UltraTouch is an organization that makes natural cotton-fiber insulation for buildings out of recycled denim.

“Cotton Inc. came to us with the idea,” Vennerberg said. “They did a Dirty Laundry Tour campaign [in 2005] that was similar to the Cotton. From Blue to Green campaign we’re doing now. Cotton worked with PRSSA chapters in the past and had good luck, so they decided to go with PRSSA chapters for this campaign too.”

Last year, the event occurred at 14 other college campuses around the United States. Students were able to collect thousands of pairs of jeans.

“If all the participating schools reach their goal of 500, enough insulation for 14 houses will be produced,” Vennerberg said.

Currently donations are being made into insulation that will help rebuild and renovate schools in Baton Rouge, La. This insulation is often used to help rebuild homes that were destroyed in Hurricane Katrina.

For more information about the Denim Drive and Cotton Inc.’s Dirty Laundry Tour, visit www.accesscotton.com.