How Chipotle pants became a thing: Food chain napkins get upcycled by designer known for unconventional materials

• Chipotle collaborated with upcycling designer, Nicole McLaughlin to create the 'Napkin Cargo Pants'.
• The virtual version of the bottoms became widely popular on gaming platform Roblox.

Chipotle Mexican Grill teamed up with internet-famous upcycling designer, Nicole McLaughlin, for a fashion upgrade of — you guessed it — its brown paper napkins.

The chain restaurant's latest marketing campaign features 'Chipotle Deluxe Napkin Shorts' and 'Napkin Cargo Pants' — inspired by shorts first posted online as a joke in 2021.

A post shared by Chipotle (@chipotle)

The design became even more popular after they were added to the game platform Roblox as part of the Chipotle Burrito Builder Experience, Food & Wine reports.

The virtual success is now followed by a real-life version of the eco-friendly shorts with the help of the recyclable-fashion guru.

Cue McLaughlin – a designer who's well known online for her viral creations using unconventional materials.

"With our commitment to sustainable food and fashion, Nicole was the perfect partner to help us bring the 'Napkin Cargo Pants' to life tastefully and responsibly," Chipotle's Chief Marketing Officer Chris Brandt said, according to Food & Wine.

The pants are made with zippers in each leg that can be undone to turn the garment into shorts.

If you're a fan of the design, you may have to wait a while. Chipotle said there are no plans to mass produce and sell the quirky clothing, according to a report from the Kitchn.

But, according to McLaughlin, they're the perfect pants to "wipe your hands on."

Chipotle fans shared their love for the upcycled concept on social media: "The entire Chipotle marketing team deserves a raise," one user commented. "GENIUS! Genius GENIUS!!!!!"

Upcycling is a fashion practice that's grown popular on social media. It involves creating something high quality from old materials that may otherwise be discarded, according to sustainability site Brightly.

In August, the chain unveiled a lemonade-scented "'Water' Cup" candle – a play on those who fill their free water-only cups with soda. The candles were originally $28 and were sold out in minutes, and soon candles appeared on resale sites for up to $90, Insider's Britney Nguyen reported.