Levi's launches global fellowship program for sustainable apparel

By

Obi Anyanwu

Published
Jun 1, 2016

Levi’s on Wednesday announced the launch of LS&Co. Collaboratory, an annual fellowship program for socially and environmentally conscious entrepreneurs.

 
LS&Co. Collaboratory is the first of its kind with a curriculum designed in collaboration with the Aspen Institute Business & Society Program. The fellowship program is designed to bring together innovators, designers and bold thinkers who are working to advance sustainability in the apparel industry. The fellows that participate in the program will have the opportunity to work at LS&Co.’s Eureka Innovation Lab to tap into the company’s deep network of people and resources.
 
Each year, the program will focus on a specific social or environmental issues facing the industry including textile waste, water shortages and workers’ rights. The first issue that will be addressed is water usage, and the initial fellowship program will target entrepreneurs who are interested in developing new technologies and methodologies to understand and reduce the water footprint.  

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“Water is a critical resource–not only for the apparel industry, but for our planet and society as a whole,” said Nancy McGaw, Deputy Director of the Aspen Institute Business & Society Program. “It is critical that the non-profit and private sector come together to create impactful and lasting change across the industry. With LS&Co., we are setting the stage for a new generation of sustainably-minded apparel leaders who will define the new industry standard and we’re proud to be part of this important initiative.”
 
Global entrepreneurs and social entrepreneurs are invited to attend an immersive workshop at the Eureka Innovation Lab in San Francisco to work alongside leaders in design, sustainability and innovation on water sustainability ideas. In addition, fellows may receive up to $50,000 in funding to implement their ideas.
 
“As an industry, we need to make sustainability a top priority and this means coming together to tackle the big social and environmental issues of our time,” said Chip Bergh, President and CEO of LS&Co. “The LS&Co. Collaboratory embeds the principles we’ve followed over the last 163 years to help foster the next generation of designers and entrepreneurs so that together we can build an apparel industry that restores the environment and protects our most vital resources.”
 
Applications for the LS&Co. Collaboratory are open now and the 2016 fellows will be announced this summer.