Levi boss Chip Bergh hasn’t washed his jeans for ten years

When was the last time you washed your jeans? Last week? Or, if you’re really pushing it, last month? 

The CEO of renowned denim brand Levi’s made headlines a few years ago when, at a May 2014 event, he revealed that he hadn’t washed his jeans for over ten years. 

Now, Chip Bergh, 61, has been speaking to CNN about his denim cleaning habits, admitting his beloved ten-year-old Levi 501s “have never been in the laundry”.

Bergh explained: “If you talk to real denim aficionados, they will all agree you should never put a pair of jeans in the washing machine.”

A quick glimpse at Levi’s ‘Caring For Denim‘ page also backs up his statement, stating: “It’s best to wash denim as little as possible”.

As to why? Levi’s says: “Not only to prevent shrinking and fading, but to conserve water, which lessens negative impact on the environment.”

For those with clumsy tenancies, Bergh says: “I spot clean my jeans when they need to be washed. Worse case, I’ll hand wash them.”