DEARBORN, Mich. -

They’re probably in the back of your closet or bottom dresser drawer — those old, tattered jeans your spouse insists on discarding. But they are being put to good use by Ford.

The automaker is using recycled cottons in the interior of the new 2012 Focus as part of carpet backing and sound absorption material. The company explained cotton from post-consumer recycled blue jeans is an example of the material used in the new Focus as part of its strategy to find creative eco-friendly materials. Executives have dubbed it “reduce, reuse and recycle.”

Ford determined the amount of post-consumer cotton from blue jeans used in a vehicle comes out to roughly two pairs of average-sized American jeans, based on pounds of cotton used per yard of denim and the yards of denim used to make a pair of jeans.

“Ford is continually looking for greener alternatives,” explained Carrie Majeske, Ford’s product sustainability manager.

“One of our key goals is to use more recycled or renewable materials without compromising performance or durability,” Majeske continued. “Recycled content is a way to divert waste from landfills and reduce the impact of mining virgin material.”

The company went on to emphasize its “reduce, reuse and recycle” commitment is part of the its broader global sustainability strategy. Ford wants to reduce its environmental footprint while at the same time accelerating the development of advanced, fuel-efficient vehicle technologies around the world.

Over the past several years, Ford noted that it has concentrated on increasing the use of non-metal recycled and bio-based materials. Those endeavors have included soy foam seat cushions, recycled resins for underbody systems, recycled yarns on seat covers and natural-fiber plastic for interior components.

Ford believes its vehicles continue to become more eco-friendly through the creative use of renewable and recycled materials.

“The good news is these jeans didn’t end up in a landfill, nor did we use the water, fertilizer and land to grow virgin cotton,” Majeske pointed out.

“It’s an alternative that our customers can appreciate, it’s cost effective, and it’s better for our planet. These are the kinds of sustainable solutions we are looking for in all our vehicles,” she added.

The 2012 Focus goes on sale early next year in North America and Europe. The vehicle is set to be manufactured in Ford plants in Asia, Europe and North America.

“Great fuel economy is our first priority for reducing the vehicle’s impact on the environment,” Majeske declared.

“As we deliver that, we also seek to use materials inside a vehicle that reduce the environmental impact as well,” she went on to say. “The use of recycled clothing is one step, but what else are people discarding that could be used in our vehicles?  Ford is determined to find out.”