Levi's® Announces "Levi's® Waste<Less™", an Eco-Conscious Product Line

Levi's® Launches Eco-Conscious "Levi's® Waste<Less™" Product Line

Levi Strauss & Co. announced globally that it will launch "Levi's® Waste<Less™," a denim collection made from recycled plastic bottles, as a new environmentally conscious initiative for the Levi's® brand, starting January 2013.

Text by IWANAGA Morito (OPENERS)

One Pair of Jeans Born from Eight Plastic Bottles

The "Levi's® Waste<Less™" line repurposes post-consumer waste, such as recycled plastic bottles and household waste like food trays, into jeans. Each pair in this collection uses at least 20% recycled materials, with an average of eight 1500ml plastic bottles (approximately 340-567g) incorporated. This represents the latest initiative in "Sustainability," one of Levi Strauss & Co.'s corporate philosophies.

Through corporate partnerships, household waste like plastic bottles is collected via municipal recycling programs in the United States. These materials are sorted by color, finely ground into polyester fibers, and then blended with cotton fibers. Finally, they are transformed into denim fabric using traditional cotton yarns by Cone Denim, which is then used for jeans and trucker jackets. This unique fabric also contributes to a distinctive design.

The "Levi's® Waste<Less™" products, part of the Spring 2013 collection, will be available for both men and women. Over 3.5 million recycled plastic bottles are utilized in this collection. This line demonstrates that environmental consciousness does not require compromising on quality, comfort, or fashion.

This collection will be available worldwide at Levi's® stores. In Japan, it will be released sequentially from January 2013 at Levi's® stores nationwide. It is also scheduled to be available on the LEVI'S® E-SHOP (http://www.e-levi.jp).