Levi's

Group website

Levi Strauss & Co - Sustainability Standards

Open Source: Water Innovation

Brand website

Supplier contract

Levi Strauss & Co Factory and Mill List (June 2021)

APEO Investigation Report

LS&Co. Global Performance Standards

Restricted Substance List

Brand statement

Animal Welfare Policy

Reduction of production waste

Recycled materials that repurpose waste

Upcycled materials that repurpose waste

Reduction of unsold goods

Recovery of unsold goods

Limited collection frequency

Repair service

Warranty service

Reduction of CO2 emissions

Use of air transport prohibited

Recycled materials reducing carbon impact

Upcycled materials reducing carbon impact

Use of renewable energy

Suppliers managing their energy consumption

Suppliers managing their water consumption

Use of sandblasting prohibited

Natural materials that limit water pollution

Organic materials that limit water pollution

Suppliers managing their water pollution

Use of chrome tanning prohibited

Use of renewable resources

Recycled materials that limit depletion of resources

Upcycled materials that limit depletion of resources

Study of risks of deforestation

Other labels

By knowing its suppliers, the brand is able to control their practices and thus takes its responsibilities towards them.

Knowledge of suppliers

By working directly with its suppliers, i.e. without intermediaries, the brand has a transparent view of the working conditions in these factories.

Direct working relationships with suppliers

By committing to a minimum two-year contract with its suppliers, the brand gives them financial visibility and the ability to project themselves.

Long-term contracts with suppliers

Publication of list of suppliers

At all stages of the production chain, the working conditions are often very difficult for the workers. This is why it is important to control factories in order to verify their working conditions: forced labor, minimum age, measures against discrimination, workers’ safety. These controls, also called audits, can be carried out by external organizations or firms. They are thus a good guarantee that the minimum rights of workers are respected.

Audits of suppliers on labor-related criteria

Publication of audit results

Thanks to an anonymous alert and reporting system, workers can anonymously report problems in the factories.

Alert system at suppliers' worksites

Compliance with legal minimum wage for workers

Publication of the restricted substances list

Use of alkylphenols prohibited

Use of perfluorocarbons prohibited

Use of phthalates prohibited

Use of chromium VI prohibited

Use of halogenated flame retardants prohibited

Use of exotic leather is prohibited

Use of fur is prohibited

Use of leather requiring animal slaughter

Use of down requiring animal slaughter

Use of feathers requiring animal slaughter

Use of leather respecting animal welfare

Use of down respecting animal welfare

Use of wool respecting animal welfare

Use of feathers respecting animal welfare

Toxicity tests on components

Toxicity tests on finished products

Throughout the entire supply chain, workers may be exposed to numerous chemical substances or be required to manipulate them. Therefore, it is important to ensure that the conditions of use of these substances are respected and that they do not present risks to workers.

Audits of suppliers on toxicity criteria

Publication of toxicity audit results

Tshirt and top

Sweater

Shoes

Coat and jacket

Trousers

Dress

Shorts

Skirt

Jeans

Jumpsuit

Underwear

Accessory

Sewing

Dyeing/printing

Weaving/knitting

Spinning

The raw material production stage is the stage during which the fibers are produced, either by growing plants: natural plant fibers and artificial fibres, or by breeding: natural animal fibres, or by chemical processes: synthetics.

Raw material

The spinning stage is the stage during which the raw material is transformed into yarn.

The sewing stage is the stage during which the fabric is cut and then assembled to give birth to the final garment.

Dyeing is the process of imparting color to fabric by immersing it in a dye bath, allowing the fabric to absorb the dye and achieve the desired hue.Printing is the technique used to apply colors or patterns onto the fabric's  surface using various methods such as screen printing or digital printing, resulting in decorative designs or motifs that enhance the visual appeal of the fabric.

The weaving/knitting stage is the stage during which the yarn is transformed into fabric. There are two types of fabrics: - the fabric which consists in assembling threads in a regular way, arranged in two series, by crossing them perpendicularly (ex: jeans) - the knitting which consists in making loops with the thread (ex: sweater)

Climate change

Water

Waste

Fossil resources

In addition

Relationships with partners

Risk management

Consideration of workers' living conditions

Checks and controls on the garment

Substances used

Controversial market

No animal slaughter

Limitation of suffering

Halogenated or brominated flame retardants are chemicals used in the textile industry to prevent the formation of flames when garments come into contact with heat. Studies have shown that halogenated flame retardants affect the endocrine system and can induce changes in neurodevelopment and lipid metabolism.

The brand prohibits the use of halogenated flame retardants in its production line.

Chromium is a chemical used in the textile industry for tanning leather and dyeing wool and silk. Chromium VI can form as a result of the use of chromium III by oxidation. Unlike other chromium derivatives, studies have shown carcinogenic effects of chromium VI on the respiratory tract when inhaled.

The brand prohibits the use of chromium VI in its production line.

Manufacturing

Deying/printing

Raw materials

Frequent new releases of fashion collections promote over-consumption and over-production. This leads to more textile waste each year.

Frequency of collections

The brand distributes between 2 and 6 collections per year.

Unsold goods are a source of textile waste. Each year, between 10,000 and 20,000 tons of textile products are destroyed in France (the equivalent of one to two Eiffel Towers). Since January, 1st 2022, the french anti-waste bill obliges the textile companies to limit the disposal of textile products as much as possible.

An unknown percentage of unsold garments is recycled or donated to charitable organizations.

Production off-cuts result from cutting different pattern pieces from fabric, which generates a large amount of textile waste. Indeed, 20 to 30% of fabric is lost during the cutting process. To limit the quantity of cutting waste, it is possible to optimize cutting techniques or to repurpose production off-cuts.

Use of recycled materials reduces waste and disposal of textile off-cuts. Recycled materials come from different sources of waste (fabric scraps, used garments, plastic bottles, residual fibers...) and enable recovery of discarded or unused materials.

An unknown percentage of the brand's garments is produced from recycled materials.

Use of upcycled materials reduces textile waste by recovering production off-cuts.

An unknown percentage of the brand's garments is produced from upcycled materials.

During the manufacturing process, fabric is cut and assembled into the final garment, a process that uses little water.

The brand works with Manufacturing suppliers, some of whom have a policy of responsible water consumption.

During the dyeing/printing process, the fabric is treated chemically or mechanically to give it its characteristics: color, motifs, etc. This process consumes a lot of water; it is responsible for 27% of freshwater consumption in the textile industry. A large majority of dyeing/printing processes require the use of freshwater.

The brand works with dyeing/printing suppliers, some of whom have a policy of responsible water consumption.

During the weaving or knitting process, the yarn is processed into fabric, which requires little water.

During the spinning process, the raw material is transformed into yarn, a process that consumes a lot of water. It is responsible for 21% of freshwater consumption in the textile industry. Some spinning processes are called "wet," meaning that they require the use of large quantities of water.

The production of raw materials consumes a lot of water. It is responsible for 31% of freshwater consumption in the textile industry, in particular in the cultivation of cotton, which is very water-intensive.

The technique of manual or mechanical sandblasting is very water-intensive. During the sandblasting process, sand is projected at high pressure using forced air guns.

The brand does not use manual or mechanical sandblasting.

With each wash, synthetic materials release microparticles of plastic that end up in the ocean. This represents 500,000 tons of microparticles released into the oceans each year, the equivalent of 50 billion plastic bottles.

An unknown percentage of the brand's garments is produced solely from natural materials.

Natural materials, especially cotton, require a lot of fertilizers and pesticides. When used in excess, these chemicals leach into the water table and waterways, causing algae blooms and harming other aquatic life. Organic agriculture is a production method employing cultivation and breeding practices that respect the balance of natural habitats. It prohibits use of synthetic chemicals and GMOs and limits the use of agricultural inputs.

An unknown percentage of the brand's garments is produced from organically grown materials.

During manufacturing, the fabric is cut and assembled to create the final garment, a process that causes little water pollution.

The brand only works with Manufacturing suppliers who are committed to reducing water pollution generated by their activity.

During the dyeing/printing process, the fabric is treated chemically or mechanically to give it its characteristics: color, motifs, etc. This stage involves many processes and a large quantity of chemicals. These substances are found in factory wastewater. The substances used in the previous stages are also found in the wastewater and must be eliminated before any treatment.

The brand works with dyeing/printing suppliers, some of whom have a policy of reducing water pollution generated by their activity.

During this process, the yarn is transformed into fabric, and yarns are often coated with chemicals to facilitate the transition from yarn to fabric. These chemicals can then end up in the wastewater of dyeing/printing plants.

The brand works with weaving/knitting suppliers, some of whom have a policy of reducing water pollution generated by their activity.

During the spinning process, the raw material is transformed into yarn. Use of mineral oils is necessary for winding the yarn onto spools. These oils can contain traces of products that are very harmful to health and the environment. Residues of these oils can end up in the wastewater of dyeing/printing plants.

The brand only works with spinning suppliers who are committed to reducing water pollution generated by their activity.

The manufacturing processes of synthetic and artificial materials require a large amount of chemical solvents. The cultivation of natural fibers, especially cotton, also requires use of large quantities of fertilizers and pesticides, all of which contribute to the pollution of groundwater and waterways.

The brand works with suppliers of raw materials, some of whom have a policy of reducing water pollution generated by their activity.

Chromium is a toxic heavy metal that can be released into wastewater after the tanning process. Tanning is an operation that transforms the dermis of the animal's skin into a rot-proof substance.

Every year the textile industry emits 1.2 billion tons of greenhouse gases, which is about 2% of global emissions. It is therefore important for brands to take action to reduce their emissions.

CO2 emissions

The brand has reduced its carbon emissions.

Air transport is the most polluting mode of transport in terms of CO2 emissions per weight transported. According to the French Ministry of the Environment, a cargo ship emits between 10 and 32.5g of CO2/ton/kilometer vs. 2200g for an airplane.

The carbon impact of recycled materials is lower than that of virgin materials. Recycled materials come from different sources of waste (fabric scraps, used clothing, plastic bottles, residual fibers...) and therefore limit the production of virgin materials with a high carbon impact. This high carbon impact is the result of agricultural and breeding methods that use large surfaces of land and significant quantities of water, as well as massive use of chemical products and/or petroleum oil for the production of artificial and synthetic fibers.

Upcycling consists of repurposing used garments and fabrics to transform them into new pieces, without the production of new material or the stages of spinning, weaving/knitting and dyeing/printing that make up the production process. The carbon impact is therefore lower than that of virgin and recycled materials.

Renewable energies are inexhaustible energies. They contribute to the fight against the greenhouse effect and CO2 emissions into the atmosphere.

%% of renewable energy is used by the brand to power its offices, warehouses and stores.

During the manufacturing process, fabric is cut and assembled to create the final garment, which requires little energy compared to the other stages.

The brand works with Manufacturing suppliers, some of whom have a policy of reducing their energy consumption.

During the dyeing/printing process, fabric is treated chemically or mechanically to give it its characteristics: color, motif, etc. This process requires significant electricity and especially heat. Most of the energy required is produced by non-renewable sources (coal, gas...).

The brand works with dyeing/printing suppliers, some of whom have a policy of reducing their energy consumption.

Transformation of yarn into fabric requires significant energy. This energy is mostly produced by non-renewable sources (coal, gas...).

The brand works with weaving/knitting suppliers, some of whom have a policy of reducing their energy consumption.

During the spinning process, the raw material is transformed into yarn, which requires significant energy. Most of the energy required is produced by non-renewable sources (coal, gas...).

The brand works with spinning suppliers, some of whom have a policy of reducing their energy consumption.

The production of raw materials usually requires a large amount of energy and heat, especially for synthetic fibers.

70% of fibers produced in the world are synthetic, so derived from petroleum oil, a limited fossil resource. By opting for natural materials, the brand limits use of this resource.

An unknown percentage of the brand's garments is produced solely from natural materials; the rest of the garments contain at least one synthetic material.

The use of recycled materials reduces the production of virgin materials. Recycled materials come from different sources of waste such as fabric scraps, used clothing, plastic bottles, residual fibers, etc. These materials, already produced and repurposed, limit use of the Earth's fossil resources like petroleum oil.

Upcycling consists of repurposing used garments and fabrics to transform them into new pieces. This reduces the production of virgin materials and thus limits use of the Earth's fossil resources like petroleum oil.

A garment guarantee proves that a brand has confidence in the quality of its products. This is a key factor in increasing the life span of products and thus reducing textile waste.

Repairing garments enables consumers to wear them longer and thus limits production of textile waste.

The brand offers a repair service on all its products.

The production of raw materials presents risks of deforestation. Agriculture and animal breeding require large areas of land. This is why it is important for brands to be aware of where materials are sourced and to implement measures to avoid these risks.

Study of deforestation risk

The brand has conducted a study of the risks of deforestation related to the supply of its raw materials.

An unknown percentage of garments is labeled Responsible Wool Standard. 
 The Responsible Wool Standard label guarantees that sheep farming processes respect the environment.

The manufacturing process requires the work of many people. Machines do not replace human precision and experienced craftsmanship.

Brand audit:
 %% of the brand's Manufacturing suppliers are audited on labor-related criteria by an internal brand team.

During the dyeing/printing process, workers may be exposed to large quantities of chemicals.

Brand audit: 
 %% of the brand's dyeing/printing suppliers are audited on labor-related criteria by an internal brand team.

The cultivation of cotton poses many labor-related problems, such as forced labor and low wages.

An unknown percentage of garments is labeled Responsible Wool Standard. 
 External audit: 
 The Responsible Wool Standard label guarantees that labeled garments are produced from wool whose farms are audited on labor-related criteria.

At the end of the audits, the team responsible for conducting them completes a report to present the results and its observations. Publication of these results is a guarantee of transparency for the brand.

The brand has implemented an alert system with some of its Manufacturing suppliers.

%% of Manufacturing suppliers are known to the brand.

%% of dyeing/printing suppliers are known to the brand.

%% of weaving/knitting suppliers are known to the brand.

%% of spinning suppliers are known to the brand.

An unknown percentage of the raw material suppliers is known to the brand.

Accessories

By publishing the list of its suppliers, the brand demonstrates transparency to its consumers. This is also proof of its knowledge of its production chain.

The brand publishes the list of some of its suppliers.

%% of Manufacturing suppliers work directly with the brand.

%% of dyeing/printing suppliers work directly with the brand.

%% of weaving/knitting suppliers work directly with the brand.

An unknown percentage of spinning suppliers works directly with the brand.

%% of raw material suppliers work directly with the brand.

The brand guarantees that workers in its Manufacturing factories are paid the legal minimum wage.

The brand guarantees that workers in its dyeing/printing factories are paid the legal minimum wage.

An unknown percentage of garments is labeled Responsible Wool Standard. 
 The Responsible Wool Standard label guarantees that wool used in the production of labeled garments comes from wool from farms where workers are paid the legal minimum wage.

During the sandblasting process, sand is blasted at high pressure with forced-air guns. Workers who perform this process are exposed to silica dust that enters their bodies through their ears, noses and mouths. They can develop a disease called silicosis (an incurable lung disease) that can develop into cancer.

Chrome tanning uses many substances that are very harmful to workers. Tanning is an operation that transforms the dermis of the animal's skin into a rot-proof substance.

Participating brand

Environment

Climate change

Reduction of CO2 emissions

Use of air transport prohibited

Recycled materials reducing carbon impact

Upcycled materials reducing carbon impact

Use of renewable energy

Suppliers managing their energy consumption

Water

Suppliers managing their water consumption

Use of sandblasting prohibited

Natural materials that limit water pollution

Organic materials that limit water pollution

Suppliers managing their water pollution

Use of chrome tanning prohibited

Waste

Reduction of production waste

Recycled materials that repurpose waste

Upcycled materials that repurpose waste

Reduction of unsold goods

Recovery of unsold goods

Limited collection frequency

Repair service

Warranty service

Fossil resources

Use of renewable resources

Recycled materials that limit depletion of resources

Upcycled materials that limit depletion of resources

In addition

Study of risks of deforestation

Other labels

Human

Relationships with partners

Knowledge of suppliers

Direct working relationships with suppliers

Long-term contracts with suppliers

Publication of list of suppliers

Risk management

Audits of suppliers on labor-related criteria

Publication of audit results

Alert system at suppliers' worksites

Consideration of workers' living conditions

Compliance with legal minimum wage for workers

Use of sandblasting prohibited

Use of chrome tanning prohibited

Health

Checks and controls on the garment

Toxicity tests on components

Toxicity tests on finished products

Audits of suppliers on toxicity criteria

Publication of toxicity audit results

Substances used

Publication of the restricted substances list

Use of alkylphenols prohibited

Use of perfluorocarbons prohibited

Use of phthalates prohibited

Use of chromium VI prohibited

Use of halogenated flame retardants prohibited

Animal

Controversial market

Use of exotic leather is prohibited

Use of fur is prohibited

No animal slaughter

Use of leather requiring animal slaughter

Use of down requiring animal slaughter

Use of feathers requiring animal slaughter

Limitation of suffering

Use of leather respecting animal welfare

Use of down respecting animal welfare

Use of wool respecting animal welfare

Use of feathers respecting animal welfare

Production sites

Raw material

Spinning

Sewing

Dyeing/printing

Weaving/knitting

Quality reviews about the brand Levi's

4,2/5