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That\u2019s why Levi\u2019s has been working to make its offering more sustainable, with its iconic 501s the latest design to receive an eco-friendly overhaul. \u201cIt\u2019s a really exciting moment for us,\u201d Paul Dillinger, vice president of global product innovation at the brand, tells Vogue via Zoom from his San Francisco home. \u201cWe\u2019ve been working towards this goal of bringing true circularity to the main line [for a long time]. The idea that we could bring it to the 501, the marquee product of the brand, this 149-year-old design \u2013 that\u2019s a big deal because you don\u2019t get to mess around with the 501 very often.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Circularity refers to a system where products can be reused, recycled or returned to the earth (by being biodegradable or compostable) \u2013 a concept that\u2019s becoming increasingly important for fashion as it looks to reduce its environmental impact. Designed with this in mind, the new 501s are made from a blend of certified organic cotton, sustainably-sourced wood pulp and Circulose \u2013 a textile made by Swedish company Renewcell by chemically recycling cotton textile waste. Attention to detail is key: the threads, pockets, labels and patches are all made from 100 per cent cotton to allow for the jeans to be recycled once they\u2019re finished with.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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\u201cTrue circularity [means you] have to make sure that you\u2019ve designed [a product] in a way that means it can go back into its own system,\u201d Dillinger continues. \u201cWe\u2019ve actually sent the jeans back to Renewcell and we\u2019re confident it can keep [being recycled] as it needs to be.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s taken a long time to reach this point, with the 501s being the first Levi\u2019s jeans to meet the requirements set out by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation\u2019s Jeans Redesign initiative (other participants include the likes of Tommy Hilfiger, Gap and H&M). \u201cIf we want to create a fashion industry that can thrive in the long term, then we have to shift from the take-make-waste approach to a circular economy designed to eliminate waste and pollution, circulate materials and products, and regenerate nature,\u201d Laura Balmond, lead of the Make Fashion Circular programme at the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, says. \u201cThe reason we picked jeans [for the redesign programme] is that they are an iconic product that can be used to demonstrate what\u2019s possible for the rest of the fashion industry.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Still, there\u2018s plenty room for improvement, as Dillinger readily admits. The new 501s currently contain only around 16 per cent recycled cotton, a figure that Levi\u2019s is hoping to improve on. \u201cThe quantity of cotton that we\u2019ve integrated in this form doesn\u2019t shed; it doesn\u2019t weaken,\u201d he explains of the need to balance product longevity with the use of recycled material. \u201cIn the future, we have the opportunity to increase that recycled cotton content and eventually it will become probably 40 per cent or 50 per cent recycled \u2013 that\u2019s the path of development here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The dyeing process is another area that Levi\u2019s is focusing on, with chemical usage being a key issue when it comes to the recycling of garments. Currently, the jeans don\u2019t use any chemicals on the Zero Discharge Of Hazardous Chemicals\u2019s manufacturing restricted substance list, as per the Jeans Redesign guidelines, but Levi\u2019s is now exploring natural alternatives, partnering with Tennessee-based company Stony Creek Colors to pilot the use of plant-based indigo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Of course, creating a more eco-friendly and circular product is only part of the story: the way that customers use and take care of their jeans is also essential when it comes to sustainability. \u201cWe\u2019re going to ask customers to buy better, to wear longer, and then to care for things in a nicer way \u2013 to wash things on cold, to hang them to dry, to wash infrequently,\u201d Dillinger says. \u201cThen we\u2019re going to ask them if you\u2019re not interested in the clothes, can you exchange them with a friend? Can you resell them? Can you do anything but throw them away?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Overhauling its iconic 501s will undoubtedly bring the importance of sustainability to a wider audience. Ultimately, though, it\u2019s still about maintaining that longevity that the 501 has always had. \u201cI hope it gets people to notice that there\u2019s an important sea change happening in the industry,\u201d Dillinger concludes. \u201c[But] if they don\u2019t notice, I don\u2019t really mind. Because they\u2019re just going to get a great high quality 501 that\u2019s going to last forever.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n