The company, founded 10 years ago by and his sons, and , borrowed the idea of using scrap denim to make insulation from a company that had done it in the East. They then refined and improved the process.

Bonded Logic buys shredded denim fibers from brokers who get the castoff material from jeansmakers. It also makes cotton-based insulation from recycled sweat shirts and socks.

Desmond said his company's product, UltraTouch, provides the same thermal performance as fiberglass insulation and better acoustics but doesn't irritate the skin, eyes, nose or throat and requires no carcinogenic warning labels.

Cotton-based insulation does cost more, about 50 cents to 60 cents a square foot compared with 30 cents to 40 cents for fiberglass. But that hasn't stopped its spread.

As a reward for increasing gross income by 10 percent in 2005, all 17 full-time employees of the cosmetic-surgery center were jetted to California wine country for a long weekend of sightseeing, dining, entertainment and pampering.

Medical Director said he is a strong believer in rewarding his employees through incentives and team-building activities, which in turn boost productivity and give them a sense of ownership.

The staffers stayed at the Vintage Court boutique hotel in San Francisco and took in a show Friday evening. On Saturday afternoon, they were driven by limo bus to several Napa Valley wineries for tastings, followed by an evening of dancing and entertainment. On Sunday, they were set free to take in the sights.

. . . The smallest winner: The Lavidge Co. has borrowed a page from reality TV in an effort to shape up its employees for swimsuit season. The Scottsdale ad agency is staging a "Lavidge Loser" contest patterned after The Biggest Loser, in which large contestants try to lose more weight than other large contestants. The Lavidge contest is on a much smaller scale and pits teams of employees against one another.

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