Levi’s is undoubtedly a top contender when it comes to stylish and comfortable clothing. The brand has something for every customer with its classic designs and modern updates. In a world dominated by fast fashion brands where outfits are produced like clockwork, we wonder: Is Levi’s fast fashion?
No, Levi’s isn’t fast fashion.
Being environmentally conscious is good, but it may be challenging to find out what companies in the fashion sector are doing about it. We, as consumers, can make a huge difference by making smarter choices and taking action.
Keep reading!
What is Levi’s?
Levi’s (Levi Strauss & Co.) is a well-known and iconic American clothing company mainly known for its high-quality jeans. It was founded in 1853 by Levi Strauss (a German-Jewish immigrant) after moving from Bavaria to California to open a West Coast outpost of his brother’s New York dry goods company.
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Levis Strauss and tailor Jacob Davis received a U.S. patent in 1873 for “waist overalls” with metal rivets that is usually at points of strain. The riveted jeans quickly became “Levi’s 501s” and were a huge hit. Laborers who needed strong and comfortable clothes, such as miners, cowboys, and others, adopted them.
In the early 20th century, Levi’s jeans gained popularity in youth cultures such as the Beatniks and Flappers. Rock and roll musicians like James Dean and Elvis Presley adopted them. Today, Levi’s jeans are worn by individuals of all ages and cultures globally.
Besides producing high-street jeans, Levi’s also manufactures a wide range of other clothing, such as shirts, sweaters, blazers, and accessories.
Is Levi’s Fast Fashion?
Levi’s is not generally considered a fast-fashion brand. The most well-known characteristics of fast fashion brands are reasonable price tags, quick turnaround times, and trendy designs. Conversely, Levi’s is popular for its durability and classic designs. They take pride in the quality of their denim and do not constantly churn out new designs.
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However, some claim that Levi’s is becoming more like a fast-fashion brand. They point out that the brand has been branching into new product categories, such as shirts and jackets, and producing more new styles in recent years. Also, Levi’s has been criticized for its labor practices in several of its factories.
Is Levi’s Ethical?
Though Levi’s isn’t a perfect company, it’s considered an ethical fashion brand. The brand has made progress in sustainability, employee rights, and philanthropy and strives to make the fashion industry more eco-friendly.
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1. Labor Practices
Levi’s ensures all employees receive fair treatment, are paid a living wage, and have a safe and healthy work environment. It also has strict policies to prevent child labor, forced labor, discrimination, and other labor abuses in its supply chain. Furthermore, Levi’s has a Code of Conduct that prohibits sweatshops.
Even after making these huge strides, there is still an area of Levi’s supply chain that requires attention. For instance, in 2013, a report by the Worker Rights Consortium found that some of Levi’s suppliers in Bangladesh were violating the company’s Code of Conduct. Levi’s responded by taking steps to enhance conditions at its supplier factories.
2. Environmental Impact
Water usage is one of the main environmental impacts of jeans production. A pair of jeans uses roughly 3,781 liters of water, most of which is used to grow cotton.
Levi’s 2025 Water Action Strategy report stated that Levi had made substantial efforts to produce denim responsibly, including adopting lower-impact materials like reconstituted cotton, Tencel lyocell, cottoned hemp, and recycled polyester, dramatically lowering water consumption.
Moreover, it has established a target to minimize greenhouse gas emissions from its operations and supply chain, and it’s on course to achieve that goal. Although the brand has made great strides toward minimizing its environmental impact, more work remains to be done.
3. Animal Welfare Policies
Levi’s doesn’t use fur, hair, angora, or other exotic animal skins. Its current Animal Welfare Policy mandates that the supply chains for sourcing all animal products should be traceable whenever practical to ensure humane practices.
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Levi’s is committed to promoting animal welfare more broadly by supporting organizations that work to enhance the lives of animals, and it encourages its workers to get involved in animal welfare activities.
Furthermore, Levi’s is a member of the Fur Free Retailer Program, an international alliance of retailers committed to eliminating fur from their products. The brand is also a part of the Responsible Down Standard (RDS), a certification initiative that ensures the down and feathers used in clothing come from animals treated well throughout their lives.
The Best Alternatives to Levi’s Jeans
1. Reformation Jeans
Reformation Jeans has been in the sustainable fashion industry since it was started and is popular for its cheeky taglines. The brand uses Good Earth Cotton (grown using regenerative and climate-positive practices), organic cotton, deadstock, a blend of recycled cotton, and Tencel in their denim.
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This brand prioritizes transparency by incorporating cutting-edge FibreTrace®, a fabric lifetime tracking technology. Besides, Reformation Jeans collaborates with Climate Neutral to track its annual carbon emissions and publicly shares its supplier information.
Moreover, with 14 local factors in Los Angeles, this brand is a devoted supporter of the Garment Worker Protection Act and is committed to paying living wages for its Reformation team in the United States.
2. Boyish Jeans
Boyish Jeans is a sustainable brand that has set a new standard by ditching conventionally grown cotton in favor of recycled cotton, certified organic cotton, and Tencel, including headstock material that helps minimize carbon emissions. This brand uses only plant-based dyes and indigo with 80 percent fewer sulfates and usually sources OEKO-TEXT Standard 100-approved textiles, producing clothing safe for humans and the environment.
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Engaging with partners within relatively limited regions like Thailand, Turkey, and California achieves transparency in Boyish Jeans’ supply chain. The brand only works with factories that pay more than the minimum wage and contributes funds to cover severance and overdue wages.
3. Nudie Jeans
This fashion brand has been committed to producing sustainable jeans since its founding in 2001, using only Fairtrade, organic, or recycled cotton in its denim. Nudie Jeans embraces the circular model by offering repair and recycling programs and reusing waste materials into new products.
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Through its living wage initiative, Nudie Jeans usually covers its share of living wages for workers at all levels of its supply chain in India and at one Turkish primary supplier.
4. MUD Jeans
MUD Jeans is based in the Netherlands and is the “first circular denim brand in the world.” Since 2013, this brand has been leasing jeans to its customers and providing free repairs within the first year after purchase.
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The brand’s jeans are made of about 40 percent post-consumer recycled cotton and 60–70 percent GOTS-certified organic cotton. Besides, MUD Jeans only works with factories specializing in advanced water-efficient and non-toxic dye techniques.
Furthermore, MUD Jeans is a carbon-neutral company and one of the few brands publicly disclosing its annual carbon footprint. On the other hand, farmers who grow cotton for the GOTS-certified program receive a living income.
5. Unspun
Unspun is a fashion brand founded in 2015 by Kevin Martin, Beth Esponnette, and Walden Lam. The brand is headquartered in Oakland, California. It’s committed to sustainability and minimizing waste in the fashion industry. Unspun uses 3D stitching technology to make custom-fit jeans that are made to order, eliminating the need for inventory, which cuts waste and emissions.
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Unspun jeans are made from recycled materials and organic cotton. The brand also uses a waterless dyeing process, which saves water. Furthermore, Unspun is committed to transparency and traceability. It publicly publishes a sustainability report detailing its environmental impact and efforts to reduce waste.
Frequently Asked Questions on: Is Levi’s Fast Fashion
1. Is Levi’s a sustainable company?
In recent years, Levi’s has made progress toward sustainability, but they’re not yet there. For instance, Levi’s commitment to using less water in producing their iconic denim involves 20 different strategies, one of which is that 80 percent of their products were made utilizing the Water<Less initiative in 2020, which aims at using less water in production.
2. What type of fashion is Levi’s?
Levi’s is considered a classic and casual brand. Their jeans are popular for their durability and timeless design. Besides, the jeans are often paired with t-shirts, hoodies, and sneakers. However, they can also be paired with a button-down shirt and blazer. Furthermore, people of all ages and cultures can wear Levi’s jeans.
3. Is Levi’s still a good brand?
Many fashion companies with rich histories have sold out without caring about their loyal customers’ satisfaction. Levi’s continues to deliver the best, using high-quality Japanese and American fabrics to make products for customers who expect the best. They have a long history of producing premium jeans that are popular for their durability and classic design.
4. When did Levi’s become sustainable?
Levi’s has been a pioneer sustainably for many years. In 1991, the brand established its first “code of conduct” for its suppliers, outlining expectations for worker rights, ethical business practices, and environmental protection. Keep in mind that sustainability is a complex and never-ending process. Though Levi’s has made huge strides, there may still be places where the company can enhance and advance its sustainable practices.
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