Levi Strauss launches its most sustainable jean
US denim giant Levi Strauss & Co has launched what is claimed to be its most sustainable jean yet, made with organic cotton and the newly-patented Circulose fibre made from cotton recycled from discarded textiles.
US denim giant Levi Strauss & Co has launched what is claimed to be its most sustainable jean yet, made with organic cotton and the newly-patented Circulose fibre made from cotton recycled from discarded textiles.
Developed as part of the Levi’s Wellthread line 2020 in collaboration with Re:newcell, the developed and producer of Circulose, new jean is said to mark a significant milestone in the denim industry’s transition to circularity.
“This is a sustainability challenge that we’ve been wrestling with for years, so it’s really exciting to see an aspirational concept become a familiar pair of Levi’s jeans that consumers can actually buy and wear,” says Paul Dillinger, Levi’s VP of global product innovation. “The fashion industry has long been chasing the potential of the ‘circular economy.’ The jeans we’ve made in collaboration with Re:newcell proves that it can be done.”
The technology developed by Swedish company Re:newcell breaks down the cotton in discarded textiles to the molecular level and reassembles it into a pristine natural material that requires no cotton fields, no oil, and no trees to produce.
The Levi’s recycled denim collection was made available on the Levi’s app and on Levi.com from 21 July.
In February, Swedish fashion retailer H&M Group became the first retailer to launch a collection featuring Circulose material.
