JoAnn Fritz shows off a pair of R.E.U.S.E jeans -- made from recycled fabric -- at Frisco's Blue Door Boutique. Image: friscogreenliving.com

By Bill Sullivan

When JoAnn Fritz and Glenda McMichael shop for new inventory for Frisco’s Blue Door Boutique, they usually come back with something a little out of the ordinary.

The Blue Door Boutique on Main Street in Frisco. Image: friscogreenliving.com

Sometimes, that can be a picture frame made from recycled materials. Sometimes, it’s a bird cage put together from recycled wood or metal. By the time they’re done, a fair number of items give the place a decidedly green edge, an edge they consider an important part of the store’s personality.

“It’s been fun,” Fritz says. “For the most part, people really seem to like the idea. It’s a great concept. Some of the things we have come in are absolutely gorgeous.”

So much so, in fact, that keeping them on the shelves can be a challenge for the women, who opened the store in July of 2008. During a mid-December visit, there was nary a picture frame or bird cage to be found.

If you arrive in the mood for an environmentally-friendly pair of women’s blue jeans or denim shorts, however, you have come to the right place. Amid the charmingly eclectic mix of accessories, antiques, gifts and clothing is a selection of R.E.U.S.E jeans and shorts, made up mostly (about 80 percent) from leftover materials culled from garment manufacturers in China.

“They take the scraps that normally would be thrown away, break them down, and reuse them in other products,” Fritz explains.

R.E.U.S.E  — derived from the company motto “Recycle.Environment.U.Save.Earth” – is the brainchild of George Powell, an apparel manufacturer from Orange County, California. On a trip to the recycling station with his young son a few years ago, the early retiree began to think about how the concept of reuse could be applied to the retail garment industry.

Mindful that Chinese factories churn out plenty of leftover cut cloth and defects, Powell decided to buy the scraps and run them through a machine resembling a shredder. What comes out is almost indistinguishable from cotton picked from the field – and without the expense and water waste of actually growing more cotton.

The new material is spun into yarn, woven into new fabric and cut into new jeans. Anything left over goes right back into the recycling process.

When McMichael and Fritz learned about  R.E.U.S.E., it seemed like a perfect fit for the Blue Door. The unique jeans have been both an interesting addition to their green inventory and a popular seller.

Jewelry made from older items is part of the inventory at the Blue Door Boutique. Image: friscogreenliving.com

While keeping green inventory is an ongoing challenge, the owners do their best to find new sources. Fritz points to a selection of jewelry made by a local artist from recycled items and some clever napkin rings crafted from recycled soft drink cans.

The Blue Door Boutique is a two-woman operation. McMichael and Fritz struck up a friendship years ago when their daughters played on the same soccer team. McMichael brings some experience in retail and also is founder of the Fingerprints pre-school, which she still operates.

“Between the two of us, we keep busy and have fun with it,” Fritz says.

Having weathered the economic downturn, McMichael and Fritz are optimistic that the Blue Door will remain a viable part of downtown revitalization.

“It’s a little more eclectic, a little bit different,” Fritz said. “With the economy being what it is right now, you have to find your niche and be a little different from everyone else.

“Hopefully, we’ve found a little niche that people are looking for.”

The Blue Door Boutique is located at 6975 Main Street in Frisco. The phone number is 214-705-7701.