Levi’s® launches new 501® sustainable models

Levi’s® applies cutting-edge design initiatives and technologies to its new jeans models, introduced as part of the 150th anniversary celebration of the classic Levi’s® 501®: a plant-based 501® jean, a hemp and cotton blend 501® jean with distinctive edge piping, and a circular 501® jean.

Set to launch in July, the Plant-Based 501® Jean is made from at least 97% plant-based materials, including certified organic cotton, natural dyes, a patch made from plant-based materials and ink made from wood waste. They are an indication of what the industry could look like in times to come, with the move to minimize synthetic materials derived from fossil fuels and the need to make more garments from renewable materials.

“As a company that has been making 501® jeans for 150 years, we have the opportunity and responsibility to continually question the process by which these jeans are made,” says Paul Dillinger, VP of Design Innovation at Levi Strauss & Co. “These jeans build on previous efforts to create more circular jeans and, in turn, provide us with a foundation for future innovation.”

“In our ongoing research and development, we strive to improve our design practices and conserve environmental resources in every way possible,” says Una Murphy, Director of Design Innovation at Levi’s®. “By incorporating sustainable innovation into both our core and premium products, we learn what is possible and how we can continue to work to solve some of our biggest environmental challenges.”

The fabric of the Plant-Based 501® jeans is made from 100 percent organically grown cotton. Instead of leather, the jeans’ back patch is made from MIRUM® by NFW, a 100% bio-based, plastic-free material that generates no effluents in its production. The inner pocket lining and woven labels and stitching threads in non-critical areas of the garment are also 100% cotton. In addition, each pair contains at least 97% bio-based content based on the weight of the components compared to the total weight of the garment.

Levi’s will also launch a hemp and cotton blend 501® jean with selvedge finish later in the year, available in a variety of shades and finishes for both women and men, some with natural dyes.

Finally, comes the circular 501® Jean, first launched in 2022. It is made from a blend of organic cotton and the innovative Circulose® fiber, a viscose made by Renewcell from recycled denim and other textile waste. Each material component complies with an individual fiber strategy that allows for efficient recycling at the end of the pants’ useful life.

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