Levi's teams up with Outerknown for sustainable denim capsule

By

Cassidy Mantor

Published
Nov 9, 2017

Levi's has partnered with surfer Kelly Slater's sustainable men's brand Outerknown to launch a four piece capsule collection using Levi's Wellthread eco-friendly and socially conscious production methods.

The four piece Wellthread x Outerknown collection includes Trucker jackets and 511 jeans. The pieces, made with single fiber polyester and cotton, are fully recyclable down to the labels and snaps. The capsule includes two rinses of 511 jeans which were finished using less water than standard denim processing.

“There is this false notion that ethical fashion can’t also be good looking or cool – that ethics and aesthetics can’t exist together,” said Paul Dillinger, VP and head of global product innovation, Levi Strauss & Co.

Levi's founded its Wellthread program in 2015 with the goal of making denim more sustainable. Outerknown was founded the same year by Kelly Slater and menswear designer John Moore, with the goal of protecting the planet and empowering the workers crafting apparel to help inspire positive change in the apparel community. It is the first company to join the Fair Labor Association before releasing a product to the market. It focuses on transparency, having released its full supplier list less than a year into business.

Outerknown's Moore called the collaboration with Levi's "the solution to responsible denim that the brand has been looking for". Plans exist between Levi's and Outerknown to continue working together for upcoming seasonal collaborations. According to the brands' statement, they will offer collections "for years to come."

The Wellthread x Outerknown collection ranges in price point from $128 to $185, and will be available in Levi's stores in New York, California, Oregon, Colorado and Nevada. It will also available online through Outerknown and Huckberry's e-commerce sites. The capsule will be available globally through select wholesale partners.