Levi's Introduces Sustainable Denim
Levi Strauss & Co. has introduced a new denim manufacturing and finishing process to conserve water here in the U.S. and in 110 other countries around the globe. Known as Levi’s Water<Less™ collection, its inaugural shipment was delivered to Levi’s stores this spring. In 2011 alone, the techniques used in Water<Less™ lines have saved 156 million liters of water around the world. “It’s part of a global initiative to improve the way Levi’s produces its products, to save water, and to help deliver this excess water to the communities that need it most,” explained Levi’s vice president of social and environmental sustainability Michael Kobori.
Global conservation is in the interest of Levi’s customers and shareholders, as the anticipated water shortages of climate change could inhibit cotton growth — or stoke its price point out of range of some consumers. Cotton cultivation consumes over three percent of the world’s agricultural water use and 95 percent of Levi’s products are made from cotton. “We did an environmental product life cycle assessment on a pair of 501s and found that — from the raw materials stage to manufacturing to customer laundering patterns — 919 gallons of water are used. That’s significant,” said Kobori. “We charged our concept design team with figuring out how Levi’s could produce the looks and finishes our customers love using less water.” The company identified savings at every stage of the product life cycle. First, they reached out to growers — from India and Brazil to here in the U.S. — to share innovations in irrigation, pesticide use, and rainwater catchment that improve crop yields while reducing cost. Water and pesticide use fell by an average of 32 percent while profits rose by 20 percent.
Suppliers were introduced to techniques like combining multiple wet cycle treatments into a single process, incorporating ozone processing into garment washing, and removing the water from stone washing. Water use was cut between 28 and 96 percent, depending on the denim line to which the Water<Less process was applied. Next, Levi’s partnered with global nonprofit Water.org on a Facebook-based initiative to raise awareness of water’s value. The company introduced the sustainability philosophy behind its new Water<Less process and encouraged consumers to conserve water in ways that could raise funds for Water.org. People have embraced the concept. Products with Water<Less tags are experiencing higher sell-through rates than their traditionally manufactured brethren. Levi’s is expanding its Water<Less product lines and adding retailers to the distribution network.
On Facebook, 33,168 pledges were made to save 200 million gallons of water. Levi’s in turn donated $250,000 to Water.org, enough to provide 8,000 people in water-challenged regions with clean water for the rest of their lives. Consumers could save more: “If people wash their jeans less — say every two weeks — their estimated water consumption goes down by about 32 percent. If they launder them every four weeks, it goes down by 48 percent,” said Kobori. With tens of millions wearing Levi’s around the world, that could amount to a remarkable level of water conservation. Offered at the same price point with less environmental cost, Levi’s Water<Less jeans deliver one attractive bottom line.