After researching circular denim design for the past five years, iconic denim brand Levi’s has officially launched its most sustainable jeans yet, which are made from a mixture of organic cotton and Circulose.
The revolutionary new natural material will be incorporated into two Levi’s denim cuts: the Women’s High Loose (a modern interpretation of a classic ’90s style with a loose leg and flattering high rise) and the classic tapered 502 for men. Both silhouettes are part of the brand’s Wellthread 2020 collection.
Circulose is a special material that has been repurposed out of discarded cotton textiles from worn-out denim jeans. In order to create Circulose, the process involves breaking down the unwanted fabrics in water, while the colour of the material is stripped away using eco-friendly bleach. Contaminants like plastic polyester are taken out. What remains is cellulose, the biodegradable organic polymer that cotton, trees, and all green plants on earth are made out of. The slurry mixture is then dried up to create a sheet of Circulose. This is then combined with cotton and woven into a new fabric, which is featured in Levi’s recently debuted cuts.
When using this material in the jeans, Levi’s has guaranteed that all components, including trims and threads, meet the brand’s recycling specifications, meaning that the sustainable jeans can once again be recycled again. Both the women’s High Loose and the men’s 502 are made out of 60% organic cotton sourced from Turkey, 20% recycled denim, and finally, 20% sustainably sourced viscose.
This unique collaboration between Levi’s and re:newcell, the Swedish innovators behind Circulose, marks a significant milestone in the fashion industry’s transition to circularity. With this new way of producing the garments, the use of water can be greatly reduced, along with the chemical and CO2 footprint associated with conventional denim. In addition, this breakout process is powered by 100% renewable energy and will help to curb landfill waste.
This approach will not only help Levi’s and the fashion industry to reduce dependency on virgin materials but also allows for recycled denim garments to be put back through re:newcell’s recovery system and yield viable material output for future use.
“This is a sustainability challenge that we’ve been wrestling with for years, so it’s really exciting to see an aspirational concept become a familiar pair of Levi’s jeans,” says Paul Dillinger, Levi’s VP of Global Product Innovation. “The fashion industry has long been chasing the potential of the ‘circular economy.’ The jeans we’ve made in collaboration with re:newcell prove that it can be done.”
The Recycled Denim Women’s High Loose and Recycled Denim Men’s 502 are available now at select Levi’s locations and via its online store. Both pairs retail for €140 EUR (approximately $220 CAD, $163 USD).
All images in this article are courtesy of Levi’s.
