Get the latest delivered to your inbox
Privacy Policy

Now Reading

Levi's Brand Launches 100% Organic Cotton Jeans; Denim Leader to Offer Organic Options in its Most Popular Styles for Fall 2006

Levi's Brand Launches 100% Organic Cotton Jeans; Denim Leader to Offer Organic Options in its Most Popular Styles for Fall 2006

Published 07-05-06

Submitted by Levi Strauss & Co.

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 5, 2006--The Levi's(R) brand today announced it will include jeans made with 100% organic cotton in its fall 2006 product line. Organic cotton will be used in select new and popular men's and women's styles within its Red Tab and recently launched Levi's(R) Capital E(TM) lines. The jeans will be identified as "Levi's(R) Eco" and be available in November 2006 exclusively at Levi's(R) U.S. stores with additional products to be introduced in spring 2007.

"As the inventor of the jeans category, it is critical for us to continue to innovate with our products and within the category itself in order to drive positive change," said Robert Hanson, Levi's(R) U.S. brand president. Building off the brand's world-famous product guarantee, Quality Never Goes Out of Style, Hanson added, "Given our history as a leader in responsible manufacturing and business practices, this initiative is about quality and responsibility never going out of style. With Levi's(R) Eco, consumers who seek to minimize their personal impact on the environment can choose jeans that demand less from the environment without forfeiting the style or quality they've come to expect from the Levi's(R) brand."

Famous for style leadership and its product iconography, Levi's(R) jeans made with organic cotton will be available in a range of popular fits and finishes and marked with a few subtle identifiers. Jeans made with all, or a significant percentage of, organic cotton will be signified as "Levi's(R) Eco" and feature an embroidered lowercase "e" inside the front pocket, or at the bottom of the right leg of each jean. A natural colored canvas "Levi's(R)" tab and "Two Horse Patch" made from 100% organic fabric as well as natural colored pocket stitching of the brand's famous arcuate will also indicate the jeans are made from organic cotton. All external packaging will be made from organic fabric or recycled paper and printed with soy-based ink.

Among the styles made with 100% organic cotton are the Red Tab Vintage Straight Jean for men, and the women's Skinny Jean and Skinny Knee Knocker Short. In the brand's super premium line, Levi's(R) Capital E(TM), a selvedge denim Shrink-to-Fit(R) 501(R) Original Jean, and forward fits like the men's Wrapped Skinny Jean and Skinny Slouch jeans, and the women's Twisted Skinny and Twisted Cropped jeans will be made from 100% organic cotton. Other elements of the Levi's(R) Capital E(TM) lines including the use of recycled buttons, rivets and zippers and natural indigo to dye some styles of jeans were employed for their minimized impact on the environment.

Global Organic Jeans Offering

The fall U.S. introduction is part of a global launch of products made with 100% organic cotton. In Europe, the Levi's(R) brand will offer certified organic denim versions of its most popular styles -- the Levi's(R) 506 Standard Fit Jean for guys and the Levi's(R) 570 Straight Fit Jean for girls. They will be available in select stores within Europe at the end of 2006. Additional styles made from 100%, or a significant percentage of, organic cotton will be introduced in both regions in 2007. (EDITOR'S NOTE: For information on Levi's(R) Europe contact: Paola Brandi, pbrandi@levi.com; Brussels: 32-2-641-6327)

About Organic Cotton

Organic farming practices can be used to grow natural fibers including cotton as well as food. Organic cotton farming starts with seeds that have not been genetically modified or treated with pesticides or fungicides. During the growth phase, weed control is achieved through hand hoeing or physical removal and pest control is accomplished through the use of natural predators, trap crops and other biological and cultural practices. Farmers rely on natural processes such as seasonal freezes, rather than the application of chemical defoliants, to prompt the opening of the cotton boll and allow the cotton bud to be picked by hand or machine. From growth through harvesting, the process is monitored according to a set of organic growing standards adopted by governmental bodies including the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the European Union. (Source: Organic Exchange, "Organic Cotton: Growing Together," 2005. For more information on organic cotton, please contact Rebecca Calahan Klein, rebecca@organicexchange.org, 510-597-9949.)

About Levi Strauss & Co.

Invented in 1873 by Levi Strauss, Levi's(R) Jeans are the original, authentic jeans. They are the most successful, widely recognized and often imitated jeans products in the history of apparel. Levi's(R) Jeans have captured the attention, imagination and loyalty of generations of diverse individuals in more than 100 countries around the world and continues to do so today through jeanswear innovation. Levi Strauss & Co. has been a leading brand for more than 150 years. For more information about the Levi's(R) brand, its products and Levi's(R) stores, visit www.levi.com.

Copyright Business Wire 2006

Levi Strauss & Co. Logo

Levi Strauss & Co.

Levi Strauss & Co.

More from Levi Strauss & Co.

Join today and get the latest delivered to your inbox