Levis Jeans Reduces Carbon Footprint
Now, slipping on your favorite pair of jeans means more than just comfort. It also means that you can feel better about your environmental impact.
Levi Strauss & Co., the largest denim producer in the world, is taking steps to make its blue jeans more green. Through research over the past several years, Levi has determined that just one pair of jeans consumes 919 gallons of water during its lifetime.
The calculation is part of Levi's WaterLess Initiative where it is teaching cotton farmers in India, Brazil and other places how to conserve water. This includes teaching about better irrigation options for the production of the cotton that makes up the jeans and instructing of the process of stonewashing jeans without using any water at all.
The production of the cotton comprising the jeans alone can consume up to 49 percent of the 919 gallons used per pair of jeans produced according to Brianna Wolf of Levi's Office of Global Environmental Sustainability. Since cotton is the world's largest non-food crop, this is a significant amount of water being consumed worldwide. In an attempt to make our world a better place, Levi Strauss joined the Better Cotton Initiative in 2009. The Initiative, a non-profit organization, is hoping to reduce the negative environmental impacts of clothing manufacturers and works with farmers and clothing manufacturers to implement environmentally sound options.
While Levi is teaching its cotton producers and manufacturers how to conserve water in order to reduce the water usage associated with its products, the company also has tips for consumers.
Levi recommends rarely washing your jeans. Instead, it suggests throwing your jeans into the freezer. The cold air will kill off germs responsible for clothing odor. The new label sewn inside all Levi jeans will recommend fewer washings per pair and remind customers when they wash to only use cold water.
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