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Lifecycle Assessment

Understanding the total environmental impact of our products requires considering their full lifecycle, from cotton production to materials manufacturing, from transportation to customer use. Taking a “cradle to grave” approach allows us to discover a diverse range of impacts and helps us formulate many of the tactics that comprise our Environmental Sustainability strategy.

In 2007, we performed a lifecycle assessment of our Levi’s® 501 jeans and Dockers® Original Khakis. From growing the cotton that eventually becomes a pair of jeans to recycling those jeans, the impacts are clear:

• CO₂ -equivalent emissions. From cotton production to transport exhaust, from washer-and-dryer use to final disposal, over 32 kg of CO₂-equivalents are produced over the creation and life of a typical pair of 501s. This is equivalent to:
  • 78 miles driven by the average auto in the United States
  • The carbon sequestered by six trees per year (based on EPA representative sequestration rates of ton of carbon per acre per year)
• Water consumption. Over three thousand liters of water are used during the full product lifecycle of the 501 jean, from the cotton production and manufacturing process to keeping the jeans clean. This is equivalent to:
  • Running a garden hose for 106 minutes
  • 53 showers (based on 7 minute showers)
  • 575 flushes of a 3.78 liter flush/low flush toilet
• Energy consumption. With sources ranging from factory operations to heating water for warm-washing at home, over 400 MJ of energy are consumed during the full product lifecycle of a pair of 501s. This is equivalent to:
  • Running a plasma screen television for 318 hours
  • Powering a personal computer for 556 hours

Our assessment showed that, from a lifecycle perspective, some of the greatest opportunities for reducing environmental impact exist at the cotton production and customer use stages. In fact, 49% of water is used during the cotton production phase, and 45% occurs during the wash-and-dry home care by the customer. As a result, we’re developing a comprehensive cotton strategy that addresses every stage of production. We’re also encouraging customers to wear responsibly with a number of suggestions for reducing the CO₂, water, and energy impact of the clothes they love.