Levi’s new jean is an example of how the food industry is setting fashion trends.
The San Francisco-based brand unveiled the first 501 jeans made with at least 97 percent plant-based materials. Levi’s said the jeans “are an indication of what the industry could look like in the years ahead given the push to minimize synthetic materials derived from fossil fuels and the need to make more garments with renewable inputs rather than finite resources.”
Made with 100 precent OCS-certified organically grown cotton, the 501 is made possible through a series of recent partnerships and pilots.
The fabric is dyed with plant-based indigo from Springfield, Tenn.-based Stony Creek Colors and references Levi’s X80 archival shade. Levi’s invested in the only industrial-scale manufacturer globally of 100 percent bio-based indigo last year, following several Levi’s WellThread collections made with the naturally derived colors.
For the internal pocket bag, Levi’s used a 100 percent cotton component printed with BioBlack TX, a plant-based black pigment made from wood waste, manufactured in a closed-loop system and developed by Nature Coatings, another collaborating partner. Levi’s used the pigment for the floral-printed denim pieces in its Spring/Summer 2023 WellThread collection.
Levi’s replaced its traditional leather back patch with one made with Mirum by NFW. The material is comprised of 100 percent bio-based, plastic-free inputs that don’t generate effluent during production. The brand’s use of leather for patches has been a point of contention with PETA, which for years has urged it to adopt cruelty-free alternatives.
Each patch says “plant based” and features a small green leaf next to the lot number. The leaf motif is replicated on the 501’s signature red tab.
The sewing thread, care label and metal trims are the only materials not created from plants.
The women’s plant-based 501 is available now in two washes, a light wash Indigo Botanics and medium wash Blue From Green, and retails for $128. A men’s version will launch on July 31.
“In our ongoing research and development, we strive to improve our design practices and conserve environmental resources every way we can,” said Una Murphy, Levi’s director of design innovation. “By incorporating sustainable innovation, in mainline and premium product alike, we learn what’s possible and how we can continue working towards solving some of our biggest challenges.”
The plant-based jean is part of a suite of newness from Levi’s that challenges traditional denim manufacturing.
Levi’s will bow a cottonized hemp-cotton blend selvedge 501. The jean will be available in a variety of shades and finishes for women and men, some featuring natural dyes. Levi’s will release the jeans throughout the year.
The brand is also putting its circular 501, first released last year, back in the spotlight. The jean is made with a blend of organic cotton and Renewcell’s pioneering Circulose fiber, a viscose derived from recycled denim and other cotton-rich textile waste.
The 501 has been a focal point for Levi’s, which celebrates 150 years this year.
Paul Dillinger, Levi Strauss & Co.’s VP of design innovation, said the three innovative jeans show that while Levi’s is still focused on producing classic garments, the company is looking to moving in the direction of more circular products and practices.
“We want to show what is possible,” Dillinger said. “At the same time, we’re challenging ourselves to get closer to a state where products like this represent more of a product line, and where they’re seen not as the endgame, but a starting point that we want to top next season, and the season after that.”