Levi Strauss launches denim recycling program

By

Jennifer Braun

Published
Apr 24, 2019

Levi Strauss is the latest company to launch a green initiative that aims to help consumers keep their denim out of landfill and tackles the problem of textile waste in the apparel industry. 

 
The iconic U.S. jeans company announced that it has partnered with Cotton Incorporated’s Blue Jeans Go Green denim recycling program, which will allow customers to bring their used denim to any Levi’s mainline or outlet stores in the U.S. or participating Levi’s stores in Canada, and get 20 percent off one full-price item in store.
 
Through the program, the denim is then collected by Cotton Incorporated’s Blue Jeans Go Green program and taken to the firm Bonded Logic, which transforms it into insulation that can be used in community buildings such as schools, libraries and in low-income housing built by Habitat for Humanity affiliates. 

“For more than 150 years, we have made products that are built to last,” said Michael Kobori, vice president of sustainability at Levi's. “Extending the life of denim through recycling or repurposing is crucial to building a more sustainable business and driving toward a more circular economy.”
 
Levi's currently has other programs in place designed to extend the life of denim such as in-store Tailor Shops, which help consumers repurpose and repair garments. It also has the Levi’s Authorized Vintage line, which transformers archive-quality denim into other unique and personalised pieces for resale in select stores.
 
Across the industry, sustainability is top of mind for a number of fashion companies, which are either investing in sustainable product lines or recycling programs. 
 
Most recently, Everlane announced the launch of Tread, a new sustainable footwear brand slated to launch at the end of April, while Topshop unveiled its first-ever vegan shoe collection earlier this month.