LS&Co. Unzipped
Oct 04 2011
That Tab on Your, Um, Pocket? It's 75!
One of the most recognizable trademarks in the world has just turned 75. And we’re proud to say, it’s ours.
That trademark is officially known as the “Tab Device.” You might just call it “the red Tab” when you see it on someone’s, um, back pocket.
To vintage clothing collectors, graphic artists, designers and advertising executives, the Tab Device is an icon, and it’s sometimes hard to believe it hasn’t been a part of Levi’s® jeans since the beginning.
It was first used in 1936, but its story goes back much further.
Levi Strauss & Co. and tailor Jacob Davis received a U.S. patent to make riveted denim pants in 1873: the first blue jeans. In 1890, that patent went into the public domain, which happens to all inventions after a certain number of years.
Suddenly it seemed everybody who had a dry goods business or was somehow linked to the clothing industry started making riveted denim clothing. And of course, theirs looked just like ours.
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, right?
Brands such as Stronghold, Can’t Bust ‘Em, Boss of the Road and others started flooding the western market with dark blue, riveted denim jeans, which also happened to have a leather patch on the waistband and pocket stitching that was suspiciously similar to our Arcuate stitching design.
Now, this went on for decades, and in the 1930s our managers were, understandably, pretty frustrated. They were always doing informal market surveys – which generally meant looking at the public’s rear ends on the street and at rodeos – and had trouble distinguishing our products from the competition when viewed at a distance.
The problem was solved in 1936.
National Sales Manager Chris Lucier came up with the idea of placing “a folded cloth ribbon in the structural seam of a rear patch pocket,” which is how he described his idea to fellow employees. The word LEVI’S® was woven in white on the red ribbon and it was sewn onto the right back pocket of the 501® jeans.
It worked beautifully: the deep red contrasted with the dark blue denim, and suddenly management had a much easier time with its market surveys.
LS&Co. also made sure to include the phrase “Look for the Red Tab” on a variety of in-store and outdoor advertising in the 1940s and 1950s.
The Tab Device was registered as a trademark, and in 1938 it was first used on Levi’s® jackets. Beginning in the early 1960s the Tab Device color moved beyond red to white, orange, black, and silver. These represented different lines of clothing, from corduroy flares to boot cut jeans to womenswear.
But red is where it all started. Those early managers sure knew how to pick the right color – and where to put it!
Posted By: Lynn Downey, Historian, Levi Strauss & Co. |
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Tags: Levi's® |
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Jennifer (not verified) - Dec 06 2012
My "red tab" on the back pocket is made of leather. Has anyone heard of this?
Editor's note: Yes, it's true! We have made some of the "Red Tabs" in leather, including in black, white, orange and brown. Thanks for your comment and question!
Lise (not verified) - Oct 11 2012
Thank you so much for the answer! :) Already spent som time digging through your archives (and.. actually your listed trademarks trying to find the information about this one), and I´m sure Lynn Downey would have some very interessting things to tell! :) And also, thanks for making such great jeans! They are very easy and pleasing to sell! :D Cheers from Norway!
Editor's note: Thanks so much, Lise! Glad you've found the information helpful. And thank you for selling our jeans. Cheers to you from San Francisco!
Lise (not verified) - Oct 07 2012
I sell Levi´s, and I have a few customers that are curious about the exact percentage of blank red tabs being made. Could you tell me? :) And also, could you link me to somewhere I could read more about the trademark itself? There are so many rumours about why you make them like that, and I would really like to be able to know the complete story behind it. Thanks in advance, Lise from Norway
Editor's note: Hi Lise. First off, thank you for selling our product in Norway! We make about 10% of our Red Tabs blank, with just the ® symbol. This is intended to protect the Red Tab itself as a trademark device. For more information, you may want to click through our About/Heritage section on this website. Between the Archives, Resources and Related Links in this section, you'll find lots about the company and its history. You're also welcome to reach out to our company historian, Lynn Downey for more information. Her email is ldowney@levi.com. Thanks for your comment!
John Blythe (not verified) - Nov 11 2011
Great story!! I have one question, where are the silver tab jeans??? I have been looking for at least 6 months online and can't find any. I am currently stationed in Germany so I do not have the luxury of just stopping down to any retailer. Sears, JCPenney, you name it. I can't find them. These are the only jeans I have worn for yearsssssss!! Looks like I have have to actually start shopping for another brand which will be weird because I have only bought levi. Thx John
Gary (not verified) - Nov 08 2011
Great story. One question. What is the reason that one out of ten Red Tabs don't have the Levi's lettering. Just interested. Thanks Gary
mordechai (not verified) - Oct 04 2011
best post yet!!!! thanks Lynn
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