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Integrated into its growing eco-friendly initiatives to reduce water consumption, energy usage, chemical pollution, and greenhouse emissions, Levi Strauss has just expanded its Water<Less jeans collection to Europe.
In total, the jeans are expected to encompass about 17 percent of the company’s winter collection this year. These jeans will include “over a dozen classic Levi’s jeans, including the Levi’s 501, and Levi’s 511 (slim fit) for men, as well as the Levi’s Curve ID finishes for women,” said the company.
The Water<Less jeans became available in the United States earlier this year, including the Levi’s 501, 511, 514 jeans, and the Levi’s trucker jacket. The spring collection of this year contained more than 1.5 million pairs of jeans with the Water<Less method, saving about 16 million liters of water, according to the company.
The line also includes jeans made with the brand’s traditional rigid finish, which utilized virtually no water in its production. The company also says that it will continue to introduce these finishing techniques to even more supplier factories around the world with the goal of increasing the number.
During the conventional production of jeans, the company says that, “a typical pair of jeans is ‘finished’ in large washing machines and dryers to achieve the many different looks that are popular with consumers. Using traditional garment washing methods, the average pair of jeans undergoes three-to-10 washing cycles – adding up to approximately 45 liters of water per unit.”
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The Water<Less method reduces water consumption in the finishing process by making small changes, including: combining multiple wet cycles into a single wet process; removing water from stone washing; and incorporating ozone processing into garments washing.
The company says that this method is expected to save about 20 million liters of water. “This is equivalent to around 725,887 seven-minute showers, 3.6 million toilet flushes, or drinking water of a town of 10,000 people for over two years,” it adds.
Last year, the company also implemented a global ban on sandblasting in all future product lines. In the past, sandblasting has been one of the company’s finishing techniques used to create a worn look for denim and other apparel.
The company said that sandblasting is safe when performed with proper safeguards to protect workers from exposure to crystalline silica (a compound found in sand), but some factories don’t apply safeguards, and put workers’ health at risk.
The Levi Strauss company said that in order to protect workers that produce denim garments, it decided to stop placing orders for sandblasted products.
Also as part of its initiatives, the company plans to donate 10 percent of proceeds to Water.org from its Water<Less products bought online through the Levi’s website in Europe.
Water.org is a non-profit organization that helps communities all across Africa, South Asia, and Central America by providing access to clean water and sanitation. Among its initiatives is building wells (which can vary in costs) in rural communities.
The non-profit says, “The cost of building a well or establishing a household water connection varies greatly depending on the country, location, terrain, and available resources. For example, it can range from $7,000 in Ghana to $30,000 in Kenya. “
To ensure sustainability in its projects, Water.org says that it also incorporates sanitation, health, and hygiene education as part of the community mobilization of its programs. “This holistic approach means lasting change for families and their communities,” says the non-profit.
The Levi Strauss company also says that as part of its water conservation efforts, it’s also working on reduced water usage during cotton cultivation as part of its participation in the Better Cotton Initiative.
Better Cotton Initiative is a non-profit membership association, which includes cotton producers, supplier, manufacturers, retailers, brands, and civil society. The initiative involves enabling farmers to implement crop protection practices, including:
- using water more efficiently.
- caring for the health of the soil.
- preserving the quality of the fibers.
- promoting a decent work environment.
- conserving natural habitat.
Among the 2012 goals of the initiative is for the number of those producing Better Cotton to globally grow to 100,000 farmers, and for those farmers to produce a combined global output of at least 1.3% Better Cotton production for the year. Better Cotton crops are currently farmed in Brazil, India, Mali, and Pakistan.
Encompassing its focus, the Levi Strauss company says, “In order to decrease our overall environmental impact, we need to continue our efforts within our own sphere of influence in addition to focusing on cotton production, and educating our consumers on the environmental impact of their fashion choices and responsible care of their washable garments.”
The company has ‘care tags’ on its products that encourage consumers to washing cold water, line dry when possible, and donate used clothes to Goodwill.
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