Levi Strauss & Co. Launches the Levi's® Wear Longer Project to Empower the Next Generation to Repair, Refresh, and Reimagine Their Clothes
MWN-AI** Summary
Levi Strauss & Co. (NYSE: LEVI) has launched the Levi's® Wear Longer Project, an initiative aimed at empowering Gen Z to repair, refresh, and reimagine their clothing. Despite leading trends in thrifting and sustainability, a significant 41% of Gen Z lacks basic clothing repair skills, a gap the Wear Longer Project intends to fill. This initiative highlights the need to equip young individuals with the necessary skills to extend the life of their garments, contributing to more sustainable fashion practices.
Research indicates that many young people are eager to retain their clothing longer but feel hindered due to a lack of knowledge about repair techniques. The average American discards 81.5 pounds of clothing yearly, significantly contributing to textile waste. By teaching repair and customization skills, Levi Strauss aims to mitigate this issue, championing responsible consumption and sustainability in the apparel industry.
The program, developed in partnership with Discovery Education, targets high school students and provides free resources aligned with K-12 educational standards. It teaches practical skills from sewing buttons to patching holes. LS&Co. employees will participate as volunteer ambassadors in local communities, delivering hands-on instruction and further enhancing the curriculum's reach.
Initially launched in San Francisco with plans for global expansion, the project will also feature interactive workshops and local community events. This comprehensive approach aims to foster a culture of creativity, sustainability, and pride among young individuals towards their clothing. The Levi's® Wear Longer Project thus represents a significant step toward education in practical, real-world skills while reinforcing LS&Co.'s longstanding commitment to producing durable and sustainable apparel.
MWN-AI** Analysis
Levi Strauss & Co.'s launch of the Levi's® Wear Longer Project represents a strategic pivot toward sustainability, aimed at empowering Gen Z—a demographic that values environmental concerns and self-expression in fashion. By addressing the skills gap in clothing repair, LS&Co. is not just fostering sustainability but also capitalizing on a burgeoning market trend among younger consumers seeking to personalize their wardrobes.
The data reveals that 41% of Gen Z lacks basic clothing repair skills, highlighting a significant educational deficit and a potential market opportunity. By providing resources to help young people learn essential repair skills, LS&Co. is cultivating brand loyalty while simultaneously mitigating textile waste—over 81.5 pounds of clothing per person annually in the U.S. As such, this initiative aligns with a broader societal shift towards sustainable practices, making LS&Co. a more attractive investment for those focused on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors.
While this initiative begins in San Francisco, its scalable model indicates future expansion potential, which could enhance brand visibility and contribute positively to revenue. The partnership with Discovery Education enhances the program's credibility, reinforcing LS&Co.’s commitment to community engagement and education, further bolstering brand reputation.
Investors should closely monitor how the Wear Longer Project impacts brand affinity and sales, especially among Gen Z consumers. With a growing consumer base attuned to sustainability, LS&Co. is poised to benefit from long-term loyalty, which can manifest in increased sales and market share.
In conclusion, LS&Co.'s Wear Longer Project is a forward-thinking initiative that effectively addresses current consumer trends while reinforcing the brand’s legacy. Investors should evaluate this development as a key to driving both sustainable growth and financial performance, especially in an evolving retail landscape increasingly favoring responsible consumption.
**MWN-AI Summary and Analysis is based on asking OpenAI to summarize and analyze this news release.
According to new LS&Co. research, Gen Z leads the thrifting movement but 41% report no clothing repair skills; this is the gap the Wear Longer Project is designed to close.
Today, Levi Strauss & Co. (NYSE: LEVI) (LS&Co.) announced the launch of the Levi’s® Wear Longer Project, a new community engagement initiative designed to help young people take fashion into their own hands. The program will equip them with the skills and confidence to repair, refresh, and reimagine their clothes—so they look better and last longer.
Gen Z is driving the resurgence of thrifting, repurposing, and creative self-expression in fashion. Yet, many youth were never taught the skills needed to repair and customize clothing — skills once passed down through generations or taught in schools. A new survey conducted by LS&Co. in the U.S. found that 41% of Gen Z report having no basic repair knowledge , such as fixing a tear or sewing a button, which is nearly double the rate of older generations. At the same time, 35% of young people say they would keep their clothes longer if they knew how to fix them . This highlights a meaningful opportunity to reduce clothing waste when the average American throws away 81.5 pounds of clothing each year 1 , which leads to more than 2,100 pounds of textile waste entering U.S. landfills every second 2 . Equipping young people with the skills to extend the life of their clothing reinforces LS&Co.'s efforts to use its scale, reach and platform to drive toward a more sustainable, less resource-intensive apparel industry.
The Levi’s® Wear Longer Project introduces free resources primarily aimed at students in grades 9 through 12. Developed in partnership with global edtech leader Discovery Education and aligned with national K-12 education standards, the program teaches young people hands-on life skills such as how to repair and customize their clothes, from sewing a button to patching a hole or tailoring a hem.
“At Levi Strauss & Co., we’ve spent more than 170 years designing clothes to be worn and loved for as long as possible. The Levi’s® Wear Longer Project builds on that legacy by giving young people the confidence and tools to extend the life of what they already own,” said Michelle Gass, President and CEO, Levi Strauss & Co. “By building up repair skills within the next generation and emphasizing the idea of durability, we’re helping spark a culture of creativity, sustainability, and pride in taking care of the things we value.”
Beginning with high school students, the curriculum is now available to educators and students nationwide on the free platform. LS&Co. employees will also serve as volunteer ambassadors, bringing hands-on instruction into schools and local communities. In addition, schools using Discovery Education Experience , the cross-curricular supplemental resource, can integrate Levi’s® Wear Longer Project directly into classroom instruction.
“Our partnership with Levi’s® reflects the growing demand in schools for curriculum that connects academic learning with real-world, future-ready skills. Through the Wear Longer Project, students gain hands-on experience that builds confidence, creativity, and practical life skills while deepening their understanding of complex topics such as supply chain and resource management. This initiative helps prepare students to be thoughtful, capable problem-solvers,” said Catherine Dunlop, Senior Vice President of Corporate Partnerships at Discovery Education .
Launching first in its hometown of San Francisco before expanding globally, the Levi’s® Wear Longer Project will educate local youth through regular opportunities to build core repair skills. The program will begin with a Wear Longer Project workshop for San Francisco high school students at the LS&Co. Eureka Lab . Additional trainings and workshops will continue throughout the year, including activations during Super Bowl weekend in San Francisco.
“Programs like Levi’s® Wear Longer Project resonate because they meet students where they are—hands-on, creative, and rooted in real life,” said Ginny Fang, President of Spark, San Francisco Public Schools . “When students can learn practical skills like repairing and caring for their clothes, they’re not only embracing sustainability, they’re gaining confidence, independence, and a sense of pride in what they can create and maintain themselves.”
As the Wear Longer Project grows, LS&Co. will scale its curriculum through community-based partners and select retail initiatives, creating more entry points for young people and employees to engage in repair education. This approach reinforces LS&Co.’s commitment to responsible consumption and encourages employees to invest in their own skills, so they can then teach others. These initiatives will build upon LS&Co.’s legacy of crafting durable, quality clothing designed to last a lifetime, empowering young people everywhere to care for, customize, and extend the life of the clothes they love. To learn more about the Wear Longer Project, please visit levistrauss.com/values-in-action/wearlongerproject .
About Levi Strauss & Co.
Levi Strauss & Co. (LS&Co.) is one of the world's largest brand-name apparel companies and a global leader in jeanswear. The company designs and markets jeans, casual wear and related accessories for men, women and children under the Levi's®, Levi Strauss Signature™, Denizen® and Beyond Yoga® brands. Its products are sold in approximately 120 countries worldwide through a combination of chain retailers, department stores, online sites, and a global footprint of approximately 3,200 retail stores and shop-in-shops. Levi Strauss & Co.'s reported 2024 net revenues were $6.4 billion. For more information, go to http://levistrauss.com , and for financial news and announcements go to http://investors.levistrauss.com .
About Discovery Education
Discovery Education is the worldwide edtech leader whose state-of-the-art, PreK-12 digital solutions help educators engage all students and support academic achievement. Through award-winning multimedia content, instructional supports, and innovative classroom tools that are effective, engaging, and easy to use, Discovery Education enables educators to deliver powerful learning experiences in 45% of U.S. K-12 schools and across 100+ countries and territories. Through partnerships with districts, states, and trusted organizations, Discovery Education empowers teachers with essential solutions that inspire curiosity, build confidence, and accelerate learning. Learn more at www.discoveryeducation.com .
1, 2 Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, “Facts and Figures about Materials, Waste and Recycling: Textiles Material-Specific Data,” https://www.epa.gov/facts-and-figures-about-materials-waste-and-recycling/textiles-material-specific-data. |
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260114740087/en/
Investor Contact:
Aida Orphan
Levi Strauss & Co.
(415) 501-6194
Investor-Relations@levi.com
Media Contact:
Kylie Grader
Levi Strauss & Co.
(415) 501-7777
NewsMediaRequest@levi.com
FAQ**
How does the Levi’s® Wear Longer Project align with Levi Strauss & Co Class A LEVI's long-term sustainability goals and overall brand strategy in the face of increasing environmental concerns?
What metrics will Levi Strauss & Co Class A LEVI use to measure the success and impact of the Wear Longer Project on youth engagement and clothing waste reduction?
Given that Gen Z strongly influences fashion trends, how does Levi Strauss & Co Class A LEVI plan to leverage their insights from the Wear Longer Project for future product development?
How will Levi Strauss & Co Class A LEVI ensure the scalability of the Wear Longer Project to reach a wider audience beyond its initial launch in San Francisco?
**MWN-AI FAQ is based on asking OpenAI questions about Levi Strauss & Co Class A (NYSE: LEVI).
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