Shop Talk

Wash less, line dry, donate!

Ever think about what happens to your jeans after you’re done with them? Levi Strauss has, and the company wants to avoid having them end up in a landfill.

The jeans giant is partnering with Goodwill and adding a message on its product care tag that reminds people to donate old clothing.

Some 23.8 billion pounds of your cast-offs end up in U.S. landfills each year, according to Goodwill.

“Our collective goal is to extend the idea of Care Tags beyond washing, drying and ironing — to encouraging consumers to donate those clothes when no longer needed,” said Deborah Alvarez-Rodriguez, CEO of Goodwill of San Francisco.

Levi’s also said it was encouraging consumers to wash less, wash in cold water and line dry when possible.      The tags will appear inside Levi’s jeans in January in the United States and globally next fall.

(Image of care tag courtesy of Levi Strauss)

These jeans have staying power

By Nivedita Bhattacharjee.

That staple in women’s fashion just turned 75!

Levi Strauss & Co created the first 701 denims for women in 1934 (the iconic 501 for men came long before) as ranchwear. But the company’s women’s jeans are now as much a favorite with the hip and chic as with the more casual wearer.

The company is celebrating the 75th anniversary of its women’s jeans by arranging store events in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Chicago — showing off women’s jeans and memorabilia from bygone eras as well as offering special discounts.

“The Levi’s brand has a rich heritage of making jeans for fiercely independent and original women – from the pioneering women of the American West who first adopted men’s jeans and inspired the creation of a women’s jeans range, to today’s movie icons,” said You Nguyen, senior vice president and creative director of the Levi’s brand, in a statement.

Though jeans have been the one salvation for apparel retailers in the tough selling climate, San Francisco-based Levi Strauss swung into the red in its second quarter on global currency fluctuations and soft global sales.

Meanwhile, the competition gets a bit tougher this year as host of brands crowd the women’s jeans market from Gap  to Ann Taylor.

Levi’s heart — and 501s — still in San Francisco

It was in San Francisco where Bavaria-born Levi Strauss first stitched and sold his now-iconic riveted blue jeans and it is San Francisco where the 156-year-old company will stay.

At least for the next ten years.

The San Francisco-based company said it will remain in the City by the Bay through 2019, ending speculation that the global apparel brand would move its headquarters to an outlying, lower-rent area.

“There is only one place that a historic company like Levi Strauss & Co. should be located. That’s right here in San Francisco where it all started during the Gold Rush,” said San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, who is running for governor of California.      Levi Strauss, which is known for supporting San Francisco non-profit organizations and other community efforts, has been located in San Francisco since 1853, when Mr. Strauss arrived during the Gold Rush.      The current address — at 1155 Battery Street near the water — is approximately the tenth location since the company was founded. An earlier building, also on Battery Street, was destroyed during the 1906 earthquake.