The iconic Levi’s 501 jeans are getting a sustainable makeover thanks to the Recycled 501 styles. These sustainable denim styles are made with pairs of old Levi's that have been liquefied for reuse as new material.
A chemical process is what makes these products possible and Levi's is working with Swedish company Renewcell to turn the fibers from old pairs of jeans into fresh new material. Harald Cavalli-Björkman, Renewcell’s chief growth officer, told Fast Company, "One of Sweden’s biggest industries is forestry, so we have expertise in understanding wood. There are established methods for chemically breaking down wood into cellulose to recycle it. With Renewcell, we’re tweaking the formula to make it work for cotton and viscose."
The design of the classic 501s has also been updated to support recycling.
Post-Consumer Recycled Denim
Levi’s Recycled 501 Jeans are Made from Liquefied Fibers of Old Jeans
Trend Themes
1. Sustainable Denim - The trend of creating jeans from recycled materials and sustainable production methods could lead to innovative solutions in the textile fashion industry.
2. Chemical Recycling - New developments in chemically breaking down and recycling materials could disrupt traditional methods of reusing products in various industries.
3. Circular Fashion - More companies adopting circular business models by creating new products from old materials could lead to a shift in the fashion industry and beyond.
Industry Implications
1. Textile Manufacturing - Companies in the textile manufacturing industry can look into implementing sustainable and circular production processes and using recycled materials in their products.
2. Chemical Engineering - Chemical engineering companies could explore developing and improving techniques for breaking down and recycling materials, especially for those that are traditionally difficult to recycle.
3. Fashion Retail - Retailers in the fashion industry can capitalize on the trend of sustainable and circular fashion by promoting and producing products made from recycled materials and using sustainable production methods.