Levi Going "Green"/Organic

[Shorty Long]

i posted this over at styleforum as well...

http://www.levistrauss.com/News/PressReleaseDetail.aspx?pid=784

I noticed that they call "Capital E" their 'super-premium' line, and it will have a STF selvedge 501 jean. I wouldn't be suprised if there is no LVC line in the US this Fall.

[damnIam]

Health food jeans..? ehhh

[Chicken]

then they can start dying their denim with things like green tea, persimmon juice and mud, like sugarcanes.

[pacioli]

I broke that news DAYYYYYSSSSs ago on Denim News blog.

But of course nobody reads it....

[viv1984viv]

although Id like a some organic levi's, to me this seems like levi biting into an existing market of organic fabrics and natural dyes, that other companys have been doing for a while now.

[seatiger]

Hi I remember seeing a post about Gianni Versace's favourite jeans being 501 but I can't find the thread anymore anymore. Was there such a thread or just my halucination?

[dnarnya]

fuck organic

[Shorty Long]

fuck organic

most intelligent post i've seen in quite a while

[truestorytravis]

I broke that news DAYYYYYSSSSs ago on Denim News blog.

But of course nobody reads it....

post a link?

[mizanation]

pacioli,

you should put your blog in your sig. like i do, see?:

*edit* btw, i really like your blog.

[Chicken]

oh shit, pacioli, nice site. didn't know it existed until miz pointed it out just now.

[mizanation]

for those following along at home:

http://denimnews.blogspot.com

[airfrogusmc]

Interesting. They will also be using natural indigo.

Chicken for their LVC line unless the originals were dyed in that manor why would Levis dye their LVCs like that?

Shorty I thought Paul said the fall line up would be available in the US.

Fuck organic ....I for one applaud any major corporation that trys to do something to help protect the environment.

[mizanation]

airfrog,

good point about LVC not being truly authentic if it went natural. i also remember paul t talking about the '06 LVC offerings....

however, i doubt that the motivation behind levi's going organic is environmentally driven....

[cmykhustla]

I broke that news DAYYYYYSSSSs ago on Denim News blog.

But of course nobody reads it....

I read it!

[pacioli]

Miz- thx for posting a link to my site.

Chicken- thx!

For those who don't want to fuck organic- I was just at the Turkish Fashion Fabric show and met some of the innovative Turkish mills that make denim. Apparently at least one is launching 100% organic cotton denim (with organic natural indigo of coz) in the next few months with other mills following suit. From what I can see the Turks are very much at the forefront of innovative denim. The only complaint is that despite their mid-to-premium positioning most (all??) of them don't offer selvedge/vintage style weaves that we love so much. That's from walking/asking around.

Also: Cone is offering at least 11 styles of organic cotton for the summer '07 season.

[Chicken]

Chicken for their LVC line unless the originals were dyed in that manor why would Levis dye their LVCs like that?

then why are they going all-natural?

[airfrogusmc]

I'm sure they are just jumping on the green band wagon. A new way to market themselves but if the end result is they are putting less pollutants into the environment then thats good whatever the motivating factor.

I think some of the really early Levis were dyed naturally so the 1886, 1890, 1901 so the LVCs copying those would probably be accurate if they were dyed natural. But allot of these other companies aren't doing it right either as far as accuracy goes. If you've ever seen a real pair of 40s or 50s Levis or ever even earlier they weren't as heavy as some or as slubby as some are doing now. Makes me wonder if this heavy, slubby thing is just a fashion fad and will look as odd as acid wash from the 80s does in 15 years.

[keri]

I really dont understand this whole organic cotton gimmick thing..... is there better quality involved, or is it just another gimicky thing?

[airfrogusmc]

Probably just another way to market in a more green fashion(pardon the pun). But the dying process from what I understand is a little more environment friendly, less toxic and the cotton is probably grown without harmful insecticides or it couldn't be classified as an natural. Gotta give'm a little credit for trying to help whatever the real reason.

[pacioli]

keri- organic cotton IS generally more slubby from what I see.

[greentea]

as long as it fits good,ill buy it.

[__3xL]

I love my loomstates - only organic jean I own thus far ..

Side note : I am a Turk - where can I rub elbows with denim industry when I go to visit my cousin ? :-)

[Chicken]

Probably just another way to market in a more green fashion(pardon the pun). But the dying process from what I understand is a little more environment friendly, less toxic and the cotton is probably grown without harmful insecticides or it couldn't be classified as an natural. Gotta give'm a little credit for trying to help whatever the real reason.

i actually appreciate companies going more eco-friendly whatver the motivation behind it is, because i think the result is better. glad companies like ford are doing the same. but aside from that, i'd like to see levi's start pushing the envelope in perfecting the perfect denim, instead of just producing cheap imitations. hope this is their step towards it.

[Shorty Long]

Interesting. They will also be using natural indigo.

Chicken for their LVC line unless the originals were dyed in that manor why would Levis dye their LVCs like that?

Shorty I thought Paul said the fall line up would be available in the US.

Fuck organic ....I for one applaud any major corporation that trys to do something to help protect the environment.

Unless something has changed...the 'global' LVC line has been completely separate from the pathetic US LVC line for 2 or 3 years now...I feel it's just a matter of time before it's nixed altogether here in the States.

I can (support and ) see them using organic cotton on all LVC jeans, but I think in order to stay true to authenticity they would need to limit the use of natural indigo to the earlier models (20s and before)

[TaylorMADE]

Is there any good reason that the global LVC line is not available in the states? How about black label levi's? Are people truely not into high end levi's?

[pacioli]

i actually appreciate companies going more eco-friendly whatver the motivation behind it is, because i think the result is better. glad companies like ford are doing the same. but aside from that, i'd like to see levi's start pushing the envelope in perfecting the perfect denim, instead of just producing cheap imitations. hope this is their step towards it.

Current methods for cultivating organic cotton and weaving/dyeing/finishing organic fabric makes organic fabric 2X+ the prx of their non-organic counter parts.

[6MT]

any one knows the average price on it?

[keri]

keri- organic cotton IS generally more slubby from what I see.

okay, that gives me enough info to stay away from it, I dont like slubby denim...

[viv1984viv]

airfrogusmc knows the score, its just levi wanting to make more money from moving into an existing market, that said, for years smaller companys have been making organic from an ethical concern, and now the market for organic has grown, bigger players like levi wish to cash in, and levi have to go organic to do so ( obviously ) which is what the smaller companys want- organic farming etc... from an ethical p.o.v.

I dont think organic is allways better quality, this came up in a thread before, its the length of the fibres that make the cotton quality not the chemicals etc.

However, I suspect organic products cotton has been sourced more thoroughly because organic is not as easy to get as non organic, so in a rounderbout way organic MAY be better quality.