More than a collection, Levi’s Wellthread is a laboratory for progress. It’s an effort to work through a set of design and manufacturing challenges in order to create a more sustainable future. For Spring/Summer 2021, progress comes in the form of exciting innovations and styles, including the introduction of 55% hemp blended fabrics, new natural-dye techniques, the expanded use of organically grown cotton, and the recyclability of every Wellthread garment.
This season, Levi’s Wellthread embraces looser silhouettes for men’s, adding a new fit; the 551 Z, an authentic straight fit updated with a zip fly. For women, Levi’s introduces the High Loose, the flattering high rise fit with a loose long leg. The women’s Trucker Jacket also gets an update with a silhouette that is casually loose or one that’s adjusted at the waist for a fuller balloon like fit.
Levi’s will also continue to offer its most sustainable jean ever, a garment made with organic cotton and Circulose, a breakthrough material made from worn-out jeans. Available as part of the Levi’s Wellthread line in the 502 for men, the jean represents more than five years of research in circular denim design. For women, it is available in the High Loose and the Ribcage.
Introducing 55% Hemp blends
Levi’s Wellthread has been hard at work over the last few seasons developing ways to make hemp a much softer and more usable fiber solution for the Levi’s fans. Hemp generally requires less water and fewer pesticides in cultivation than conventionally grown cotton resulting in cleaner, healthier soils. The hemp blended into these garments comes from rain-fed hemp crops, which reduces water usage even further. This season, we continue with Cottonized hemp across the Wellthread line, and also introduce new cotton and hemp blended fabrics that bumps the percentage of hemp up to 55%. By using more hemp, we save more resources and create even more sustainable garments. Our 55% blended hemp denim styles have the same look as traditional Levi’s denim and our non-denim is soft, comfortable and refined.
The increased 55% blend can be found across both men’s and women’s Trucker Jackets, in the 502 as well as in the Ribcage Straight and Daisy Field for women’s.
The 55% hemp blend is a refined fabric that’s both lightweight and incredibly soft. “Our Wellthread design methodology prioritizes environmental sustainability in the materials we use. This spring we continue to refine and develop hemp, seeking ways to optimize it for our collections. Our hemp denim products not only meet our customers’ expectations of authenticity and comfort but also reduce our garments’ water footprint.”—Una Murphy,Senior Innovation Designer at Levi’s.
Natural Dyes
This season, Levi’s Wellthread also addresses the use of plant-based natural dyes for denim and tees. Traditionally, plant based-dyes can require the use of toxic chemicals to make the dye penetrate the yarn. But Levi’s Wellthread uses a technique by which ultrasonic waves are used to apply the dye to the fiber reducing the need for harsh chemicals, and reducing the garment’s overall environmental footprint. Every T-shirt in the Levi’s Wellthread collection this season features this innovative, water saving plant-based dye technique.
In our men’s 551Z Authentic Straight in Botanic Blue, we are launching a unique plant-based indigo denim. This natural indigo is grown in the USA as a replacement crop for Tobacco farmers. The denim is made from 100% Organic Cotton from India and is dyed using water saving dye techniques.
To celebrate the plant-based nature of this collection, our lineup of graphic tees feature a range of plant based themes and images. Illustrated in a vibrant color palette, and dyed using natural dyes, each of the graphic tees are both a celebration of and testament to Wellthread’s commitment to preserving the natural environment. All our tees and denim are also made from Organic Cotton, grown without synthetic chemicals, pesticides or fertilizers. Organic Cotton helps keep the water, soil and surrounding environment clean and healthy as well as supporting healthier farming communities.
Washes
All Levi’s Wellthread washes are finished using our Water<Less techniques, which can save up to 96 percent of the water normally used in the finishing process. Across our business, Water<Less techniques have saved more than 3.5 billion liters of water since they were introduced nearly a decade ago. Levi’s Wellthread also applies the Screened Chemistry program that we developed. It’s a program that identifies the best in class, safest formulations to use in our products, preventing potentially harmful chemicals from entering our supply chain and products.
“We’re proud to bring forward this latest Wellthread collection,” says Paul Dillinger, VP of global product innovation at LS&Co. “It builds on all the work we’ve done in the past and continues to expand the future possibilities of design that makes sustainability the top priority at every step of the process, while still delivering products that consumers will love.”
Worker’s Well Being + Recyclability
All Levi’s Wellthread garments are designed with a future state of circularity in mind, using all-natural fibers—including the back patch, Red Tab, thread and pocketing—to ensure that they’ll be easier to recycle where the necessary programs and technology exist.
The entire collection was manufactured in facilities that have implemented LS&Co.’s Worker Well-being initiative, which aims to improve the lives of the women and men who make our products around the world with factory-based programs that address issues related to health, financial security and gender equality. The initiative operates on the premise that when workers are healthy, satisfied and engaged at work, factory productivity will increase.
About the Levi’s Brand
The Levi’s brand epitomizes classic American style and effortless cool. Since their invention by Levi Strauss & Co. in 1873, Levi’s jeans have become the most recognizable and imitated clothing in the world – capturing the imagination and loyalty of people for generations. Today, the Levi’s brand portfolio continues to evolve through a relentless pioneering and innovative spirit that is unparalleled in the apparel industry. Our range of leading jeanswear and accessories are available in more than 110 countries, allowing individuals around the world to express their personal style.
About Levi Strauss & Co.
Levi Strauss & Co. is one of the world’s largest brand-name apparel companies and a global leader in jeanswear. The company designs and markets jeans, casual wear and related
accessories for men, women and children under the Levi’s, Dockers, Signature by Levi Strauss & Co.TM and Denizen brands. Its products are sold in more than 110 countries
worldwide through a combination of chain retailers, department stores, online sites and a global footprint of approximately 2,800 retail stores and shop-in-shops. Levi Strauss & Co.’s reported fiscal 2013 net revenues were $4.7 billion.
Read more about Levi’s on the brand page: fashionunited.com/companies/levi-strauss
