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98-512: Levi Strauss & Co. ( / ˈ l iː v aɪ ˈ s t r aʊ s / LEE -vy STROWSS ) is an American clothing company known worldwide for its Levi's ( / ˈ l iː v aɪ z / LEE -vyze ) brand of denim jeans . It was founded in May 1853 when German-Jewish immigrant Levi Strauss moved from Buttenheim , Bavaria , to San Francisco , California , to open a West Coast branch of his brothers' New York dry goods business. Although

196-756: A $ 364 million loss. Some 700 office jobs were pared to reduce expenses by $ 100 million. As of 2019, Levi's are made in many developing countries, including Bangladesh, India, Egypt, Lesotho, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Mexico. Some top-end styles in the "Levi's Premium" and "Levi's Vintage Clothing" lines are produced in the United States. In addition to jeans, Levi's sells a full line of shirts, jackets, sweaters, underwear, socks, eyeglasses, accessories, dresses, skirts, and leather products. All jeans and pants are categorized by fit – skinny, slim, straight, bootcut, taper, relaxed, flare, and "big & tall" – identified by trademarked three-digit numbers. The 501,

294-601: A 1930s-era Levi's leather jacket, which sold at auction house Christie's in July 2016 for £110,500. Levi's is aggressive in advertising, marketing, and trademark protection. It has used its signature arched stitching on the back pockets of its jeans since 1873. In 1943, the firm trademarked the design in the U.S. and has done so in more than 100 total jurisdictions as of 2019. It has also trademarked various word marks , including "Levi's", "Red Tab", "Orange Tab", "Silvertab", "501", "505", "517", "550", "569": and "Dockers". During

392-491: A back lash because jeans pockets were lifting off. The cellulase enzyme that is used to biostone jeans was isolated from the fungi, Trichoderma reesei . Acid-washed denim is washed with pumice stones and chlorine until it is bleached almost white. California surfers and members of the 1960s counterculture prized Levi 501s and other jeans that had been bleached by the salt water due to their authentic, "lived in" appearance. As natural wear took weeks, or even months, it

490-473: A barrier between the skin and the environment. Clothing can insulate against cold or hot conditions, and it can provide a hygienic barrier, keeping infectious and toxic materials away from the body. It can protect feet from injury and discomfort or facilitate navigation in varied environments. Clothing also provides protection from ultraviolet radiation . It may be used to prevent glare or increase visual acuity in harsh environments, such as brimmed hats. Clothing

588-591: A diverse array of animal and plant fibers, such as wool, linen, cotton, silk, hemp, and ramie. Although modern consumers may take the production of clothing for granted, making fabric by hand is a tedious and labor-intensive process involving fiber making, spinning, and weaving. The textile industry was the first to be mechanized – with the powered loom  – during the Industrial Revolution . Different cultures have evolved various ways of creating clothes out of cloth. One approach involves draping

686-465: A doctor's white coat , with similar requirements for maintenance and cleaning as other textiles ( boxing gloves function both as protective equipment and as a sparring weapon , so the equipment aspect rises above the glove aspect). More specialized forms of protective equipment, such as face shields are classified as protective accessories. At the far extreme, self-enclosing diving suits or space suits are form-fitting body covers, and amount to

784-672: A form of dress, without being clothing per se, while containing enough high technology to amount to more of a tool than a garment. This line will continue to blur as wearable technology embeds assistive devices directly into the fabric itself; the enabling innovations are ultra low power consumption and flexible electronic substrates . Clothing also hybridizes into a personal transportation system ( ice skates , roller skates , cargo pants , other outdoor survival gear , one-man band ) or concealment system ( stage magicians , hidden linings or pockets in tradecraft , integrated holsters for concealed carry , merchandise -laden trench coats on

882-772: A greatest likelihood of speciation lying at about 107,000 years ago. Kittler, Kayser and Stoneking suggest that the invention of clothing may have coincided with the northward migration of modern Homo sapiens away from the warm climate of Africa, which is thought to have begun between 100,000 and 50,000 years ago. A second group of researchers, also relying on the genetic clock, estimate that clothing originated between 30,000 and 114,000 years ago. Dating with direct archeological evidence produces dates consistent with those of lice. In September 2021, scientists reported evidence of clothes being made 120,000 years ago based on findings in deposits in Morocco . The development of clothing

980-496: A large and growing market. In the Western dress code, jeans are worn by both men and women. There are several unique styles of jeans found that include: high rise jeans, mid rise jeans, low rise jeans, bootcut jeans, straight jeans, cropped jeans, skinny jeans, cuffed jeans, boyfriend jeans, and capri jeans. The licensing of designer names was pioneered by designers such as Pierre Cardin , Yves Saint Laurent , and Guy Laroche in

1078-610: A means of communicating their wealth and social standing, as well as an indication of their knowledge and understanding of current fashion trends to the general public. As a result, clothing played a significant role in making the social hierarchy perceptible to all members of society. In some societies, clothing may be used to indicate rank or status . In ancient Rome , for example, only senators could wear garments dyed with Tyrian purple . In traditional Hawaiian society, only high-ranking chiefs could wear feather cloaks and palaoa, or carved whale teeth. In China, before establishment of

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1176-408: A more natural abraded look that is far less damaging to the cotton fibers. Other abrading materials such as marble sand or expanded glass foam were also used as an alternative to pumice stone (see stone-wash). Specific areas of the jeans, shirts and jackets were also acid-washed by spraying a solution of bleach or potassium permanganate to simulate a wear pattern. Extremely popular worldwide from 1986 to

1274-556: A mottled effect similar to camouflage . This early faded look, known as snow wash, tended to retain the original dark blue dye around the seams and waistband. One of the first companies to sell "pre washed" jeans (as they were then called), was Guess inc. in 1981. Despite its association with punk fashion , however, the faded effect was copied by many individuals not associated with the subculture, who dipped their jeans in diluted bleach and embellished them with metal studs, embroidery and rhinestones . The modern process of acid washing

1372-714: A needle at least 50,000 years old from Denisova Cave in Siberia made by Denisovans . Dyed flax fibers that date back to 34,000 BC and could have been used in clothing have been found in a prehistoric cave in Georgia . Several distinct human cultures, including those residing in the Arctic Circle, have historically crafted their garments exclusively from treated and adorned animal furs and skins. In contrast, numerous other societies have complemented or substituted leather and skins with textiles woven, knitted, or twined from

1470-938: A protective function. For instance, corrective eyeglasses , Arctic goggles , and sunglasses would not be considered an accessory because of their protective functions. Clothing protects against many things that might injure or irritate the naked human body, including rain, snow, wind, and other weather, as well as from the sun. Garments that are too sheer, thin, small, or tight offer less protection. Appropriate clothes can also reduce risk during activities such as work or sport. Some clothing protects from specific hazards, such as insects, toxic chemicals, weather, weapons , and contact with abrasive substances. Humans have devised clothing solutions to environmental or other hazards: such as space suits , armor , diving suits , swimsuits , bee-keeper gear , motorcycle leathers , high-visibility clothing , and other pieces of protective clothing . The distinction between clothing and protective equipment

1568-673: A scandal involving pants made in the Northern Mariana Islands : some 3% of Levi's jeans sold annually with the "Made in the USA" label were shown to have been made by Chinese laborers under what the U.S. Department of Labor called slave-like conditions. As of 2016, only a few of the costlier higher-end styles are made domestically. Cited for sub-minimum wages, seven-day work weeks with 12-hour shifts, poor living conditions, and other workplace abuses, Tan Holdings Corporation , Levi Strauss' Marianas subcontractor, paid what were then

1666-571: A sign of mourning. The Quran says about husbands and wives, regarding clothing: "...They are clothing/covering (Libaas) for you; and you for them" (chapter 2:187). Christian clergy members wear religious vestments during liturgical services and may wear specific non-liturgical clothing at other times. Clothing appears in numerous contexts in the Bible. The most prominent passages are: the story of Adam and Eve who made coverings for themselves out of fig leaves , Joseph 's coat of many colors , and

1764-488: A special case of occupational clothing. Sometimes it is worn only during the performance of religious ceremonies. However, it may be worn every day as a marker for special religious status. Sikhs wear a turban as it is a part of their religion. In some religions such as Hinduism , Sikhism , Buddhism , and Jainism the cleanliness of religious dresses is of paramount importance and considered to indicate purity. Jewish ritual requires rending (tearing) of one's upper garment as

1862-519: A used T-shirt with a Tongan wrapped skirt, or tupenu . For practical, comfort or safety reasons, most sports and physical activities are practised wearing special clothing. Common sportswear garments include shorts , T-shirts , tennis shirts , leotards , tracksuits , and trainers . Specialized garments include wet suits (for swimming, diving , or surfing ), salopettes (for skiing ), and leotards (for gymnastics). Also, spandex materials often are used as base layers to soak up sweat. Spandex

1960-435: A wide variety of materials, ranging from leather and furs to woven fabrics, to elaborate and exotic natural and synthetic fabrics . Not all body coverings are regarded as clothing. Articles carried rather than worn normally are considered accessories rather than clothing (such as Handbags ), items worn on a single part of the body and easily removed ( scarves ), worn purely for adornment (jewelry), or items that do not serve

2058-900: A wide variety of situations), but a wider range of clothing styles is available for women. Typically, men are allowed to bare their chests in a greater variety of public places. It is generally common for a woman to wear clothing perceived as masculine, while the opposite is seen as unusual. Contemporary men may sometimes choose to wear men's skirts such as togas or kilts in particular cultures, especially on ceremonial occasions. In previous times, such garments often were worn as normal daily clothing by men. In some cultures, sumptuary laws regulate what men and women are required to wear. Islam requires women to wear certain forms of attire, usually hijab . What items required varies in different Muslim societies; however, women are usually required to cover more of their bodies than men. Articles of clothing Muslim women wear under these laws or traditions range from

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2156-430: Is considered appropriate. The differences are in styles, colors, fabrics, and types. In contemporary Western societies, skirts , dresses , and high-heeled shoes are usually seen as women's clothing, while neckties usually are seen as men's clothing. Trousers were once seen as exclusively men's clothing, but nowadays are worn by both genders. Men's clothes are often more practical (that is, they can function well under

2254-630: Is deeply connected to human evolution, with early garments likely consisting of animal skins and natural fibers adapted for protection and social signaling. According to anthropologists and archaeologists, the earliest clothing likely consisted of fur , leather, leaves, or grass that was draped, wrapped, or tied around the body. Knowledge of such clothing remains inferential, as clothing materials deteriorate quickly compared with stone, bone, shell, and metal artifacts. Archeologists have identified very early sewing needles of bone and ivory from about 30,000 BC, found near Kostenki , Russia in 1988, and in 2016

2352-485: Is not always clear-cut since clothes designed to be fashionable often have protective value, and clothes designed for function often have corporate fashion in their design. The choice of clothes also has social implications. They cover parts of the body that social norms require to be covered, act as a form of adornment, and serve other social purposes. Someone who lacks the means to procure appropriate clothing due to poverty or affordability, or lack of inclination, sometimes

2450-429: Is preferable for active sports that require form fitting garments, such as volleyball, wrestling, track and field, dance, gymnastics, and swimming. Paris set the 1900–1940 fashion trends for Europe and North America. In the 1920s the goal was all about getting loose. Women wore dresses all day, every day. Day dresses had a drop waist, which was a sash or belt around the low waist or hip and a skirt that hung anywhere from

2548-450: Is related to various perceptions, physiological, social, and psychological needs, and after food, it is clothing that satisfies these comfort needs. Clothing provides aesthetic, tactile, thermal, moisture, and pressure comfort. The most obvious function of clothing is to protect the wearer from the elements. It serves to prevent wind damage and provides protection from sunburn . In the cold, it offers thermal insulation . Shelter can reduce

2646-438: Is said to be worn, ragged, or shabby. Clothing performs a range of social and cultural functions, such as individual, occupational, gender differentiation, and social status. In many societies, norms about clothing reflect standards of modesty , religion, gender , and social status . Clothing may also function as adornment and an expression of personal taste or style. Serious books on clothing and its functions appear from

2744-479: Is subject to decay, and the erosion of physical integrity may be seen as a loss of cultural information. Costume collections often focus on important pieces of clothing considered unique or otherwise significant, limiting the opportunities scholars have to study everyday clothing. Clothing has long served as a marker of social status, gender, and cultural identity, reflecting broader societal structures and values. In most cultures, gender differentiation of clothing

2842-414: Is used for protection against injury in specific tasks and occupations, sports, and warfare. Fashioned with pockets, belts , or loops, clothing may provide a means to carry things while freeing the hands. Clothing has significant social factors as well. Wearing clothes is a variable social norm . It may connote modesty . Being deprived of clothing in front of others may be embarrassing . In many parts of

2940-518: The California Gold Rush (which peaked in 1849), the manufacturing of denim overalls began in the 1870s. In 1890, the rivet patent went into the public domain; the same year, lot numbers were assigned to company products, and "501" was used to designate the famous copper-riveted waist overalls. The company lost its records in the 1906 earthquake and there is no information why that number was chosen. There are urban legends claiming that

3038-587: The Clean Clothes Campaign (CCC) and the Institute for Global Labour and Human Rights as well as textile and clothing trade unions have sought to improve these conditions by sponsoring awareness-raising events, which draw the attention of both the media and the general public to the plight of the workers. Outsourcing production to low wage countries such as Bangladesh , China, India, Indonesia , Pakistan , and Sri Lanka became possible when

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3136-826: The Cold War , Levi's became a symbol of the west in the Soviet Union . According to historian Kristin Roth-Ey, the association stemmed from the 1957 World Festival of Youth and Students in Moscow : Americans wore Levi's jeans to the event, resulting in widespread interest within the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic that prompted the Soviet government to condemn the brand as a symbol of western decadence. Continued demand for

3234-557: The Edmonton GWG factory, along with all remaining Levi Strauss factories in North America, closed in 2004. By 2007, Levi Strauss was again profitable after declining sales in nine of the previous ten years. Its total annual sales of just over $ 4 billion were $ 3 billion less than during its peak performance in the mid-1990s. After more than two decades of family ownership, rumors of a possible public stock offering appeared in

3332-531: The Great Western Garment Company (later acquired by Levi's), invented "stone-washing" denim in the 1950s. Inventor Claude Blankiet has also been credited with having invented the technique in the 1970s. The jeans company Edwin claims to have invented the technique in the 1980s. It is commonly accepted that French stylists Marithé + François Girbaud are inventors of industrialization of stone washing ("Stonewash" technique). However,

3430-560: The Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology —have attempted to constrain the most recent date of the introduction of clothing with an indirect method relying on lice . The rationale for this method of dating stems from the fact that the human body louse cannot live outside of clothing, dying after only a few hours without shelter. This strongly implies that the date of the body louse's speciation from its parent, Pediculus humanus , can have taken place no earlier than

3528-614: The Multi Fibre Agreement (MFA) was abolished. The MFA, which placed quotas on textiles imports, was deemed a protectionist measure. Although many countries recognize treaties such as the International Labour Organization , which attempt to set standards for worker safety and rights, many countries have made exceptions to certain parts of the treaties or failed to thoroughly enforce them. India for example has not ratified sections 87 and 92 of

3626-548: The NFL 's San Francisco 49ers announced that Levi Strauss & Co. had purchased the naming rights to their new stadium in Santa Clara, California . The naming rights deal called for Levi's to pay $ 220.3 million to the city of Santa Clara and the 49ers over 20 years, with an option to extend the agreement for another five years for around $ 75 million. As of 2016, Levi Strauss Signature jeans were sold in 110 countries. In 2016,

3724-615: The New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol LEVI. It was held on March 21, 2019, selling for $ 17 per share. The company is also well known for promoting progressive causes. It was one of the earliest private sector institutions to support LGBTQ causes and, during the 2016 presidential campaign, donated $ 1 million to support immigration and LGBTQ rights. In 2018, CEO Chip Bergh published an op-ed in Fortune magazine, speaking out against gun violence. However,

3822-468: The black market — where the purpose of the clothing often carries over into disguise ). A mode of dress fit to purpose, whether stylistic or functional, is known as an outfit or ensemble. Estimates of when humans began wearing clothes vary from 40,000 to as many as 3 million years ago, but recent studies suggest humans were wearing clothing at least 100,000 years ago. Recent studies by Ralf Kittler, Manfred Kayser and Mark Stoneking— anthropologists at

3920-455: The head-scarf to the burqa . Some contemporary clothing styles designed to be worn by either gender, such as T-shirts, have started out as menswear, but some articles, such as the fedora , originally were a style for women. During the early modern period , individuals utilized their attire as a significant method of conveying and asserting their social status. Individuals employed the utilization of high-quality fabrics and trendy designs as

4018-447: The republic , only the emperor could wear yellow. History provides many examples of elaborate sumptuary laws that regulated what people could wear. In societies without such laws, which includes most modern societies, social status is signaled by the purchase of rare or luxury items that are limited by cost to those with wealth or status. In addition, peer pressure influences clothing choice. Some religious clothing might be considered

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4116-610: The 1880s found in an abandoned mine shaft was sold for $ 87,400 at an auction in New Mexico . The vintage Levi's bore a label with the inscription "the only kind made by white labor", a detail which helped date the jeans to the period between 1882, which was after the U.S. Congress passed the Chinese Exclusion Act , banning Chinese laborers seeking to immigrate to the U.S., and the 1890s, when the company "reversed [its] policy and company leaders began speaking out against

4214-480: The 1960s and has been a common practice within the fashion industry from about the 1970s. Among the more popular include Marc Jacobs and Gucci , named for Marc Jacobs Guccio Gucci respectively. By the early years of the twenty-first century, western clothing styles had, to some extent, become international styles. This process began hundreds of years earlier, during the periods of European colonialism . The process of cultural dissemination has been perpetuated over

4312-766: The East during the dude ranch craze of the 1930s, when vacationing Easterners returned home with tales (and usually examples) of the hard-wearing riveted denim pants. Another boost came in World War II when blue jeans were declared an essential commodity and sold only to people engaged in defense work. Between the 1950s and 1980s, Levi's jeans became popular among a wide range of youth subcultures , including greasers , mods , rockers , and hippies . Levi's popular shrink-to-fit 501s were sold as labeled, sized as manufactured, and had substantial shrinkage upon laundering. Although popular lore (abetted by company marketing) holds that

4410-579: The Engage for Good (formerly Cause Marketing Forum) organization awarded the company the Golden Halo Award for 2020 for their advancements in corporate social impact. On August 5, 2021, Levi Strauss & Co. announced the acquisition of Beyond Yoga, entering the activewear market. They expect the acquisition will contribute more than $ 100 million in net revenue per year. It was announced senior executives are to speak with AI expert Blake Van Leer at

4508-677: The LA eCommerce Summit about their digital strategies and AI in 2023. It was announced in January 2023 that Levi would begin accepting old pairs of jeans to recycle into more denim in a campaign to go green. Levi's Autumn/Winter 2023 WellThread capsule aimed to show the brand's engagement to sustainability as it included items made from 100% transitional cotton as well as plant-based natural dyes. Levi's have been worn by people of all backgrounds – from miners to actors to Nobel Prize recipients. Marlon Brando and Albert Einstein wore Levi's, and Einstein wore

4606-580: The acquisition of Great Western Garment Co. (GWG), a Canadian clothing manufacturer, a technique still in use by Levi Strauss. Simpkins is credited with the company's record-paced expansion of its manufacturing capacity from 16 plants to more than 63 in the US – and 23 overseas – from 1964 to 1974. In the 1980s, the company closed approximately 60 manufacturing plants because of financial difficulties and strong competition. The Dockers brand, launched in 1986 and sold primarily through department store chains, helped

4704-639: The ankle on up to the knee, never above. Day wear had sleeves (long to mid-bicep) and a skirt that was straight, pleated, hank hemmed, or tiered. Jewelry was not conspicuous. Hair was often bobbed, giving a boyish look. In the early twenty-first century a diverse range of styles exists in fashion, varying by geography, exposure to modern media, economic conditions, and ranging from expensive haute couture , to traditional garb, to thrift store grunge . Fashion shows are events for designers to show off new and often extravagant designs. Although mechanization transformed most aspects of human clothing industry , by

4802-555: The base of the button fly . Davis lacked sufficient funds to obtain a patent, so he wrote to Strauss proposing a business partnership. After Strauss accepted Davis's offer, the two men received U.S. patent 139,121 from the United States Patent and Trademark Office on May 20, 1873. The copper rivet was incorporated into the company's jean design and advertisements. Contrary to an advertising campaign suggesting that Levi Strauss sold his first jeans to gold miners during

4900-797: The centuries, spreading Western culture and styles, most recently as Western media corporations have penetrated markets throughout the world. Fast fashion clothing has also become a global phenomenon. These garments are less expensive, mass-produced Western clothing. Also, donated used clothing from Western countries is delivered to people in poor countries by charity organizations. People may wear ethnic or national dress on special occasions or in certain roles or occupations. For example, most Korean men and women have adopted Western-style dress for daily wear, but still wear traditional hanboks on special occasions, such as weddings and cultural holidays. Also, items of Western dress may be worn or accessorized in distinctive, non-Western ways. A Tongan man may combine

4998-593: The cloth. Many people wore, and still wear, garments consisting of rectangles of cloth wrapped to fit – for example, the dhoti for men and the sari for women in the Indian subcontinent , the Scottish kilt , and the Javanese sarong . The clothes may be tied up (dhoti and sari) or implement pins or belts to hold the garments in place (kilt and sarong). The cloth remains uncut, and people of various sizes can wear

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5096-531: The clothing of Judah and Tamar , Mordecai and Esther . Furthermore, the priests officiating in the Temple in Jerusalem had very specific garments, the lack of which made one liable to death. [REDACTED] = Day (before 6 p.m.) [REDACTED] = Evening (after 6 p.m.)     = Bow tie colour [REDACTED] = Ladies [REDACTED] = Gentlemen The Western dress code has changed over

5194-527: The clothing; perhaps cutting triangular pieces from one corner of the cloth, and adding them elsewhere as gussets . Traditional European patterns for shirts and chemises take this approach. These remnants can also be reused to make patchwork pockets, hats, vests , and skirts . Modern European fashion treats cloth much less conservatively, typically cutting in such a way as to leave various odd-shaped cloth remnants. Industrial sewing operations sell these as waste; domestic sewers may turn them into quilts . In

5292-558: The company grow through the mid-1990s, as denim sales began to wane. Dockers were introduced into Europe in 1996 and led by CEO Jorge Bardina. Levi Strauss attempted to sell the Dockers division in 2004 to relieve part of the company's $ 2.6 billion outstanding debt. By the 1990s, Levi's faced competition from other brands and cheaper products from overseas and began accelerating the pace of its US factory closures and its use of offshore subcontractors. In 1991, Levi Strauss became implicated in

5390-661: The company is alleged to make use of Uyghur forced labor provided by the China-based supplier Beijing Guanghua Textile Group from a report by the Helena Kennedy Center for International Justice , the socialists and democrats in the European Parliament . Levi's has disputed these claims. In the first few months of the COVID-19 pandemic , the company experienced a 62% drop in sales and recorded

5488-540: The company partnered with Filson , an outdoor goods manufacturer in Seattle, to produce a high-end line of jackets and workwear. In 2011, the firm hired Chip Bergh as the president and chief executive of the brand. In that same year, they established more than 20 different waterless manufacturing techniques, reducing the exceptionally high amounts of water used to create denim. Levi's is now the world's most sustainable brand of jeans in terms of water usage. On May 8, 2013,

5586-419: The company reported revenues of $ 4.6 billion. On July 13, 2017, Levi Strauss heir Bill Goldman died in a private plane crash near Sonoma, California . In 2017, Levi Strauss & Co. released a "smart jacket", an apparel they developed in partnership with Google . After two years of collaboration, the result was a denim jacket set at $ 350. In March 2019, Levi's debuted on the New York Stock Exchange under

5684-478: The company's original modern design, is available in styles for both men and women. The rest of the 500 series is designed for men, and the 300, 400, 700, and 800 series for women. 37°48′10″N 122°24′10″W  /  37.80278°N 122.40278°W  / 37.80278; -122.40278 Clothing Clothing serves many purposes: it can serve as protection from the elements, rough surfaces, sharp stones, rash-causing plants, and insect bites, by providing

5782-580: The corporation is registered in Delaware , the company's corporate headquarters is located in Levi's Plaza in San Francisco. German-Jewish immigrant Levi Strauss began business at 90 Sacramento Street in San Francisco, then moved to 62 Sacramento Street. In 1858, the company was listed as Strauss, Levi (David Stern & Lewis Strauss) importers clothing, etc. 63 & 65 Sacramento St. (today, on

5880-603: The current grounds of the 353 Sacramento Street Lobby) in the San Francisco Directory with Strauss serving as its sales manager and his brother-in-law, David Stern , as its manager. Jacob Davis , a Latvian-Jewish immigrant, was a Reno, Nevada , tailor who frequently purchased bolts of denim cloth from Levi Strauss & Co.'s wholesale house. After one of Davis's customers kept purchasing cloth to reinforce torn pants, he thought of using copper rivets to reinforce points of strain, such as on pocket corners and

5978-549: The daughter of David's fourth son, Sigmund Stern, became president in 1928, and the company remained under the ownership of the Stern-Haas family until first going public in 1971. However, in 1985, the Haas family recaptured ownership of the company, taking it private once again for the next 34 years. In February 2019, the company filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for an initial public offering to be traded on

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6076-499: The dyes present. The expanding cost of importing pumice stone from Italy , Greece and Turkey led to extensive mining of pumice deposits in California, Arizona, and New Mexico, triggering a negative response from American ecologist groups. The reduction of pumice usage and the growing disposal of its chemically-tainted residue triggered a search for novel methods, notably the use of alternative abrading materials or machines and

6174-513: The earliest human adoption of clothing. This date, at which the body louse ( P. humanus corporis ) diverged from both its parent species and its sibling subspecies, the head louse ( P. humanus capitis ), can be determined by the number of mutations each has developed during the intervening time. Such mutations occur at a known rate and the date of last-common-ancestor for two species can therefore be estimated from their frequency. These studies have produced dates from 40,000 to 170,000 years ago, with

6272-450: The environment, due to the excess grit that is removed as fabric is being stone washed. This leads many manufacturers to pursue other methods to achieve a distressed appearance. The process uses large stones to roughen up the fabric being processed. The garments are placed in a large horizontal industrial clothes washer that is also filled with large stones. As the wash cylinder rotates, the cloth fibers are repeatedly pounded and beaten as

6370-666: The field of Environmental Physiology had advanced and expanded significantly, but the science of clothing in relation to environmental physiology had changed little. There has since been considerable research, and the knowledge base has grown significantly, but the main concepts remain unchanged, and indeed, Newburgh's book continues to be cited by contemporary authors, including those attempting to develop thermoregulatory models of clothing development. Clothing reveals much about human history. According to Professor Kiki Smith of Smith College, garments preserved in collections are resources for study similar to books and paintings. Scholars around

6468-469: The firm was owned almost entirely by indirect descendants and collateral relatives of Levi Strauss, whose four nephews inherited the San Francisco dry-goods firm after their uncle died in 1902. The corporation's bonds are traded publicly, as are shares of the company's Japanese affiliate, Levi Strauss Japan K.K. In June 1996, the company offered to pay its workers an unusual dividend of up to $ 750 million in six years, having halted an employee-stock plan during

6566-588: The first pair of Levi's jeans were made of hemp , despite being made from cotton by the Amoskeag Manufacturing Company . This misinformation was likely spread by Jack Herer . The first hemp jeans from Levi's were manufactured in March 2019. Modern jeans began to appear in the 1920s, but sales were largely confined to the working people of the western US, such as cowboys, lumberjacks, and railroad workers. Levi's jeans were first introduced to

6664-462: The functional need for clothing. For example, coats , hats, gloves, and other outer layers are normally removed when entering a warm place. Similarly, clothing has seasonal and regional aspects so that thinner materials and fewer layers of clothing generally are worn in warmer regions and seasons than in colder ones. Boots, hats, jackets, ponchos, and coats designed to protect from rain and snow are specialized clothing items. Clothing has been made from

6762-405: The garment. Another approach involves measuring, cutting, and sewing the cloth by hand or with a sewing machine . Clothing can be cut from a sewing pattern and adjusted by a tailor to the wearer's measurements. An adjustable sewing mannequin or dress form is used to create form-fitting clothing. If the fabric is expensive, the tailor tries to use every bit of the cloth rectangle in constructing

6860-512: The internal family buyout. However, the company failed to make cash-flow targets, and no worker dividends were paid. The annual sales of the brand increased in 1997 to $ 7.1 billion. In 2002, Levi Strauss began a close business collaboration with Walmart , producing a line of "Signature" jeans and other clothes for sale only in Walmart stores until 2006. In 2002, the company closed its Valencia Street plant in San Francisco, which opened in 1906,

6958-402: The jeans have been abraded with stones (and eliminated or considerably reduced the usage of natural pumice stones). The use of biostoning allows for the selective loosening of dye particles from jeans. Buttons and other seams are less likely to be affected when biostoning is at play. Selecting the most suitable type of enzyme and their application for ageing jeans was the key to success. Along with

7056-541: The jeans resulted in both genuine articles and bootlegs becoming commonplace in Soviet black markets, and in 1979, the Soviet government struck deals with Levi's and the VF Corporation to manufacture jeans for consumers in the region; however, this deal fell through due to the 1980 Summer Olympics boycott following the onset of the Soviet–Afghan War . In 2022, it was reported that a pair of Levi's jeans from

7154-649: The largest fines in US labor history, distributing more than $ 9 million in restitution to some 1,200 employees. Levi Strauss claimed no knowledge of the offenses, severed ties to the Tan family, and instituted labor reforms and inspection practices in its offshore facilities. The activist group Fuerza Unida (United Force) formed following the January 1990 closure of a plant in San Antonio , Texas , in which 1,150 seamstresses – some of whom had worked for Levi Strauss for decades – saw their jobs exported to Costa Rica . During

7252-511: The media in July 2007. As of 2007, Levi Strauss leads the apparel industry in trademark infringement cases, filing nearly 100 lawsuits against competitors over six years from 2001. Most cases center on the alleged imitation of Levi's back pocket double arc stitching pattern (U.S. trademark No. 1,139,254), which Levi's filed for a trademark in 1978. Levi's has successfully sued Guess , Polo Ralph Lauren , Esprit Holdings , Zegna , Zumiez , and Lucky Brand Jeans , among other companies. In 2010,

7350-504: The mid nineties, it is still used by fashion designers today. Acid wash jeans, worn with fringe jackets or the Perfecto motorcycle jacket were popularised by hard rock , outlaw country and heavy metal bands in the late 1980s. Fans of glam metal favored frayed "destroyed denim," and jeans that had been bleached almost white. Snow washed jeans, which retained more of the original blue dye, remained popular among grunge fans during

7448-579: The mid-and late 1990s, Fuerza Unida picketed the Levi Strauss headquarters in San Francisco and staged hunger strikes and sit-ins in protest of the company's labor policies. The company took on multibillion-dollar debt in February 1996 to help finance a series of private leveraged stock buyouts among family members determined to consolidate the company under their ownership. At the time, shares in Levi Strauss stock were not publicly traded. As of 2016,

7546-625: The mid-twentieth century, garment workers have continued to labor under challenging conditions that demand repetitive manual labor. Often, mass-produced clothing is made in what are considered by some to be sweatshops , typified by long work hours, lack of benefits, and lack of worker representation. While most examples of such conditions are found in developing countries , clothes made in industrialized nations may also be manufactured under similar conditions. Coalitions of NGOs, designers (including Katharine Hamnett, American Apparel , Veja , Quiksilver , eVocal, and Edun), and campaign groups such as

7644-548: The nation's racist policy". Levi Strauss & Co. is a worldwide corporation organized into three geographic divisions: Levi Strauss Americas (LSA), which is headquartered in San Francisco ; Levi Strauss Europe (LSE), which is based in Brussels ; and Levi Strauss Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa. Strauss passed the company to his nephews, the sons of David Stern, upon his death in 1902. Walter A. Haas , who married

7742-455: The nineteenth century as European colonial powers interacted with new environments such as tropical ones in Asia. Some scientific research into the multiple functions of clothing in the first half of the twentieth century, with publications such as J.C. Flügel 's Psychology of Clothes in 1930, and Newburgh's seminal Physiology of Heat Regulation and The Science of Clothing in 1949. By 1968,

7840-448: The original design remains unaltered, the crotch rivet, watch pocket rivets, and waist cinch were removed during World War II to conform with War Production Board metal conservation rules and only the watch pocket rivets restored after. Additionally, the back pocket rivets, which had been covered in denim since 1937 to prevent scratching furniture, were removed in the 1950s (and replaced by bar tacks) as they eventually wore through and caused

7938-418: The past 500+ years. The mechanization of the textile industry made many varieties of cloth widely available at affordable prices. Styles have changed, and the availability of synthetic fabrics has changed the definition of what is "stylish". In the latter half of the twentieth century, blue jeans became very popular, and are now worn to events that normally demand formal attire. Activewear has also become

8036-405: The problem anyway. From the early 1960s through the mid-1970s, Levi Strauss experienced significant business growth as the casual look of the 1960s and 1970s ushered in the "blue jeans craze". Levi's, under the leadership of Walter Haas, Peter Haas Sr., Paul Glasco, and George P. Simpkins Sr., expanded the firm's clothing line by adding new fashions and models, such as " stone-washed " jeans through

8134-418: The process of stone washing was patented by jean company Rifle Jeans Company in 1986 . Stonewashed jeans are jeans that have been treated to produce a faded, worn appearance. This is usually accomplished either by washing the jeans with pumice in a rotating drum, or by using chemicals to create the appearance without the use of a rotating drum. Pumice stones act as sandpaper on jeans, removing some of

8232-409: The softness and flexibility of otherwise stiff and rigid fabrics such as canvas and denim . Although stone washing increases a fabric's flexibility, it shortens the life-span of the jeans. The process of stone washing can be costly, as freshly stone washed jeans must be washed many times in order to remove the grit from the process. Along with high production costs, stone washing can be detrimental to

8330-401: The thousands of years that humans have been making clothing, they have created an astonishing array of styles, many of which have been reconstructed from surviving garments, photographs, paintings, mosaics , etc., as well as from written descriptions. Costume history can inspire current fashion designers, as well as costumiers for plays, films, television, and historical reenactment . Comfort

8428-566: The ticker "LEVI". Levi Strauss was valued at $ 6.6 billion as its IPO priced above the target. In September 2019, Levi's won a final judgment on a trademark infringement in Guangzhou, China . The case centered on the "arcuate design on two pockets at the back of jeans", which has been protected in China since its registration there in 2005. The company won damages and costs in addition to a ban on future infringements. The infringer's ignorance of

8526-476: The trademark was no bar to punishment. In 2019, Levi's became one of only two major clothing companies with commitments in line with the Paris Agreement 's goal of limiting global average temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius. In 2020, Levi Strauss & Co. was expected to have completely replaced chemical usage as well as using lasers to cut, and design ripped parts of jeans. In December 2019,

8624-525: The treaty. The production of textiles has functioned as a consistent industry for developing nations, providing work and wages, whether construed as exploitative or not, to millions of people. Stone washing Stone washing is a textile manufacturing process used to give a newly manufactured cloth garment a worn appearance. The process became popular in the 1980s, as acid jeans gained popularity; however, stone washing has roots going back to 1960s surfer apparel . Stone washing also helps to increase

8722-568: The tumbling stones ride up the paddles inside the drum and fall back down onto the fabric. The frequency of tumble washes impacts the fabrics strength and rubbing fastness. As the fabric is washed in a washer repeatedly, the rubbing speed increases, and the strength of the fabric decreases. Longer wash times, coupled with frequent wash cycles, heightens the distressed look that stone washing aims to provide. A number of people and organizations have claimed to have invented stone washing. According to Levi Strauss & Co. , Donald Freeland, an employee of

8820-562: The type of enzyme, the temperature at which the biostoning process occurs is also important. If temperatures are too low, the process proves to be less efficient. Similarly, if the biostoning process occurs in temperatures that are too warm, the denim can appear to be too faded. American Garment Finishers used a new cellulolytic agent patented in 1991 by Novo Nordisk from Denmark because of its safer effect on cotton fiber. Other finishers used an acid side Trichoderma fungi enzyme, cheaper and faster acting, but resulting in excessive fabric tear and

8918-474: The use of cellulase enzymes. Pumice stones also encountered a shortage, as the popularity of the stones increased, leading to other stone washing methods being invented. The use of pumice stones also made the stone washing process harder to control, contributing to the method's decline. Too much of this pumice stone could damage the buttons or waistbands on jeans. Stonewashed jeans were a popular 1970s fashion trend, before commercial acid wash denim (discussed below)

9016-468: The world have studied a wide range of clothing topics, including the history of specific items of clothing, clothing styles in different cultural groups, and the business of clothing and fashion. The textile curator Linda Baumgarten writes that "clothing provides a remarkable picture of the daily lives, beliefs, expectations, and hopes of those who lived in the past. Clothing presents a number of challenges to historians. Clothing made of textiles or skins

9114-514: The world, not wearing clothes in public so that genitals , breast , or buttocks are visible could be considered indecent exposure . Pubic area or genital coverage is the most frequently encountered minimum found cross-culturally and regardless of climate, implying social convention as the basis of customs. Clothing also may be used to communicate social status, wealth, group identity, and individualism. Some forms of personal protective equipment amount to clothing, such as coveralls , chaps or

9212-498: The year of the city's devastating earthquake . By the end of 2003, the closure of Levi's last U.S. factory in San Antonio ended 150 years of jeans made in the United States. Production of a few higher-end, more expensive styles of jeans resumed in the U.S. several years later. In 2002, Levi Strauss closed several factories worldwide and took control of GWG's operations. Attempts to make the GWG brand profitable again were unsuccessful, and

9310-416: Was already used in the paper pulp, food processing industry and currently in the fermentation of biomass for biofuel production. Cellulase is produced primarily by fungi, bacteria and protozoans that catalyze the hydrolysis of cellulose. Various fungi have varying effects on the look of the denim that is being modified. Since the enzyme decomposes cellulose fibers this enhanced the characteristic appearance that

9408-409: Was introduced in the 1980s. In the 2000s, stonewashed jeans were heavily distressed, with pre-made holes, frayed edges and extensive fading caused by sandblasting . Claude Blankiet with American Garment Finishers from Texas promoted the use of cellulase enzymes in the finishing industry. The use of cellulase enzymes to modify the appearance of jeans is commonly referred to as "biostoning." Cellulase

9506-494: Was not uncommon to hang a few new pairs of jeans to fade in the sun, then turn them over to fade the other side. For many surfers, this process simply took too long, so they sped up the process by soaking the jeans in diluted bleach and some beach sand. Simple chlorine bleach and muriatic acid were used as they are readily available chemicals used in swimming pools. During the early 1980s, skinheads and punk rockers would spatter bleach on their jeans and battle jackets for

9604-591: Was patented in Italy by the Rifle jeans company in February 1986. They accidentally tumbled jeans and pumice stones wetted with a weak solution of bleach in a washing machine without water. American Garment Finishers (AGF) from Texas industrialized the process in North America in June 1986 and offered it to Levi Strauss. Shortly afterward, AGF improved the technique by using potassium permanganate instead of bleach, achieving

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