From blue jeans to soy beans, here are 5 affordable and eco-friendly ways to insulate your home.

Fall is officially here, which means that winter is not far away. It’s only going to get colder outside, so you want to make sure that your home is properly insulated from the wintry weather.  If you’re interested in finding an affordable, green alternative to traditional thermal insulation, then take a look at these 5 ways to insulate your home.

These 5 environmentally friendly alternatives prove that you can insulate your home by spending less money and caring more about the environment.

Recycled Denim


Image: Ecouterre

Recycling your old cotton blue jeans into insulation is a great way to go green in your home.  Denim insulation is made from old jeans that have been cleaned, stripped and then covered in boric acid (which is fire, insect and mold resistant).

Benefits of denim insulation

1. Requires less energy to produce and is 100% recyclable.
2. Doesn’t contain any throat or skin irritants.
3. Soft to the touch and easy to install.
4. Cotton creates a great sound barrier.
5. Readily available in most building supply stores.

Check out: BondedLogic, a company that recycles denim into UltraTouch Natural Cotton Fiber Insulation.  UltraTouch contains 90% post-consumer recycled fibers and is VOC and chemical-free.

Sheep Wool


Image: SecondNatureUK

Sheep have been surviving in the harshest environments for thousands of years, thanks to their thick wool, so it makes sense that their wool would be a perfect insulation for buildings.  Sheep wool has the amazing ability to form air pockets that trap air, which in turn keeps the sheep warm in the winter and cool in the summer.  It can do the same for your home.

Benefits of sheep wool insulation

1. All natural and renewable.
2. Requires 15% less energy to produce than fiber glass insulation.
3. Completely safe to touch and easy to install.
4. Doesn’t irritate your eyes, skin or lungs.
5. Will extinguish itself in the event of a fire.

Check out: SheepWoolInsulation, an Irish company that has been selling natural sheep wool insulation since 2001.

Straw Bale


Image: TheLastStraw

Straw bale insulation has been around for centuries. It consists of stacking bales of straw together that have been packed and tied together with bamboo or wood.

Benefits of straw bale insulation

1. Straw is renewable resource and can grow quickly.
2. It is extremely energy efficient.
3. Insulating with straw is much less labor intensive than insulating with other materials.
4. More affordable than other forms of insulation.

Check out: AHouseofStraw, a straw bale house that was built for $50,000 by Carolyn Roberts, Jon Ruez and a host of friends.

Cellulose (Recycled Paper)


Image: flickr

Cellulose insulation is primarily made from recycled newspaper that has been shredded and mixed with fire resistant Boric acid.  It is blown and packed into your walls and ceilings and can be used to fill in the smallest of spaces.

Benefits of cellulose insulation

1. It is 100% recyclable.
2. It takes 10 times less energy to produce than fiberglass insulation.
3. It is non-corrosive to steel, copper and aluminum.
4. It doesn’t support mold or fungus growth.

Check out: GreenFiber.com, a North Caroline-based company that is the largest manufacturer of natural fiber insulation in America and Canada.

Soy Spray Foam


Image: NotSoBigShowhouse

The soy bean is everywhere, and apparently it’s now being used as an eco-friendly foam insulation.  Soy bean spray is perfect to use in tight spaces because it’s expandable, chemical-free and creates a seal that reduces air infiltration.

Benefits of soy spray foam insulation

1. Contains all natural ingredients.
2. Foam expands to 100 times its size to fill in small spaces.
3. Lightweight and easy to control.
4. Resistant to mold and mildew.

Check out: BioBasedInsulation, an Arkansas-based company that has manufactured bio based spray foam since 2003.

As you can see, going green with your home insulation is a great way to save money and to improve the energy efficiency of your home.  If you had to choose, which green insulation would you put in your home?