Levi’s Mission Towards Sustainability
I recently visited the Levi’s store in San Jose. I talked to Dawn, a representative from Levi’s about the company’s sustainability practices because I knew Levi’s was particularly focused on this aspect of their brand. First, Don mentioned the waterless technology used to make their jeans. They use far less water than traditional means. There have been “4.2 billion liters of water saved since introducing Water<Less® in 2011 and 6 billion liters of water reused and recycled” due to this program. Levi’s also has a happy return option. SHe explained that instead of using traditional packaging, customers have the option to use eco-friendly reusable totes to deliver items and return these bags to the store. This reduces plastic and paper waste through reducing packaging and is box and label free.
I also visited Levi’s website to investigate further. In terms of social sustainability, Levi claims, “65% of our products are currently made in factories that run our Worker Well-being programs”. They introduced the Tailor Shop to repair products and recently introduced the SecondHand program in 2020, similar to Patagonia’s initiative and other brands that have introduced a way to thrift for customers within their business. They also highlight the durability of their denim products with their motto, “Buy Better. Wear Longer.” This enables consumers to contribute their own sustainability practice by keep the products as long as possible to reduce turnover rates.
On their “Annual Sustainability Update”, Levi’s noted that their specific target areas are water, climate, chemicals, and people. They write, “We’re working towards industry-leading targets including: 100% sustainably sourced cotton by 2025. 100% renewable energy in owned & operated facilities by 2025. 40% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in our supply chain. 50% reduction of water use in manufacturing in water-stressed areas by 2030. 80% of products made in Worker Well-being facilities by 2020.” In my opinion, Levi’s recognizes that becoming a sustainable brand is not effortless or cheap. It takes a long time but will benefit the company, the Earth, and stakeholders in the long run. I think it will also give Levi’s a competitive advantage as they lead the charge in Sustainable practices: This past summer they were “recognized as one of only 28 companies in the world — and the only apparel company – committed to climate targets aligned with limiting global temperature rise to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.” I urge you to consider paying slightly more for a higher quality and more sustainable product next time you shop!
