LS&Co. Unzipped
Nov 03 2010
New Jeans. Incredible Finishes. Less Water.
Here’s how it all started. A team of us – all designers – went to one of our laundries and told the folks there that we wanted to do the most incredible denim finishing we’d ever done – but we didn’t want to use water.
If you’re into blue jeans like I am, you know that’s a tall order.
I mean, anyone can create a jean using less water. But the challenge is using innovative techniques to create the finishes customers want…without using a lot of water.
We believe we’ve done both.
Today, the Levi’s® brand is announcing our new Water<Less jeans, which are made using less water. Significantly less.
How much so?
Well, the average pair of jeans uses 42 liters of water in the finishing process. With Water<Less, we’ve reduced that the amount of water by an average of 28%. And in some products, we’ve cut it by 96%.
What’s cool is that we’re still using the same materials and techniques to create the same great styles and finishes our customers love – and that we love, too – but we’ve reduced water’s role.
We asked our designers to do things differently. And they did!
One example. We used to add stones to washing machines that were full of water to achieve a certain finish. Now, with the Water<Less process, we add stones to the washing machine without the water. The result…just as effective, but far more efficient.
In a nutshell, we rethought the traditional process and found a way to do it better – more sustainably.
Why is this important?
In the lifecycle of a pair of Levi’s® 501® jeans, we’ve found that the largest water impact comes from the cotton growing process and through the laundry habits of consumers, after they leave our stores.
But we can’t ask our suppliers and consumers to change their behaviors unless we’re also willing to make some changes ourselves.
The first Water<Less products will be in stores in January. They’ll include more than a dozen classic Levi’s® jeans, as well as the Trucker jacket.
We’re also including our “old school” Rigid finish products under the Water<Less label. We use almost no water to produce them.
I can’t wait for you to see Water<Less…try them on and take them home. I think you’ll agree that the finishes are incredible.
And if you know anything about how blue jeans are made, I think you’ll be pretty surprised that we were able to accomplish so much…with so little water.
Posted By: Carl Chiara, Director, Levi's® Brand Concepts & Special Projects |
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2013
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How much would it shrink? (not verified) - Jan 30 2013
Hello, I was about to buy a pair of 504. My size is 34/36 but the one I tried was 36/34. It fitted good. However I read that waterless jeans are expected to shrink. I would like to know how much would it.. Thanks in advance
Editor's note: Hello! I checked with a store manager who tells me that the Rigid finish can be expected to shrink more, simply because they've been processed much less in production. If you buy your "true size," you should wear them a month or two before washing them. (Just spot clean them along the way.) After wearing them, you should be safe in washing them -- but we recommend cold water and line drying.
David1246 (not verified) - Jan 07 2013
love these, best jeans ever
clintoncopland (not verified) - Sep 25 2012
hey>> levis ...............is a big brand but most of the time i observe that as soon as u become world famous u start decreasing ur quality but in this case i was agree levis provide as good quality clothes with best range .
Editor's note: Hi Clinton, and thanks for your comment. We work hard to ensure quality and our warranty against manufacturer's defects remains key to that -- regardless of where our product is made.
dennis (not verified) - Jun 11 2012
what is and do you know where i can get the Dr. (is it soap?) to shrink my 28/32 rinsed/ washed Levi's in , which apparently are no longer manufactured , wish you'd bring back that size , thank-you . ,a long time customer
Editor's note: Thanks for your comment and question. I will pass along the size request to the Levi's® product managers. As for Dr. Bronner's soap, I've seen them in typical supermarkets and grocery stores. You might find more information on their website. That said, it's considered to be a "gentle" soap to help preserve the jean color. It's not intended to shrink them. Thank again!
Luc (not verified) - Jan 30 2012
So if I put these in water will they shrink?
sarah james (not verified) - May 11 2011
http://www.marketingweek.co.uk/sectors/sustainability/levi’s-absorbs-e... "Levi’s says it wants to be “part of the solution” to the global water shortage affecting consumers and manufacturers because one in eight people on the planet (1.1 billion) do not have enough clean water to drink..." Err... what has making jeans got to do with millions of people having no clean drinking water and 5000 people dying every day? Is using less water making jeans saving lives? No. Is it even connected? No. It's bad taste greenwash spin. Please Levi's, have a serious word with your PR team, you can not abuse such serious issues like this and try and exploit them to see jeans. reducing water in making jeans is good. But not trying to sell them off the poor people in Africa who have no clean water. It's just plain sick!!
Sam (not verified) - Nov 04 2010
Can't wait to try a pair! Kudos!
Amy Williams (not verified) - Nov 04 2010
Fabulous steps forward in the field! Can't wait to bring a pair home.
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