- It is undeniable, used jeans are better-off donated to women in need of employment and face socio-economic challenges than ending up in landfills, adding to the persistent crisis of clothes dumped.
- In line with that ideology, about 108 micro-businesses have benefited from the Levi's Jeans Drive, which encourages people to donate used jeans to Levi's stores for upcycling and recycling.
- The jeans have been used to make Early Childhood Development (ECD) toys for low resourced ECD centres, and disability-specific products to support children with disabilities.
The global conversation dominating the fashion industry is all about sustainability and ethical fashion practices, not only from brands but from consumers too.
In line with that conversation, about 56 mothers of children with disabilities have benefited from the Levi's Jeans Drive in partnership with Clothes To Good.
The initiative is one of Levi's efforts in their global Buy Better, Wear Longer initiative, inspired by sustainability and the concept of circularity.
Woman upcycling a pair of jeans donated to Levi's by consumers. Image supplied by The Bread
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It is undeniable, used jeans are better-off donated to women in need of employment and face socio-economic challenges than ending up in landfills, adding to the persistent crisis of clothes dumped.
In order to curb this, consumers were encouraged to drop off old jeans of any brand to Levi's stores in the country.
About 56 of mothers of children with disabilities have benefited from the initiative. Image supplied by The Bread
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The jeans donated have been used to support the 108 micro-businesses development programme, 56 of whom are of mothers of children with disabilities. They have been upcycled to make Early Childhood Development (ECD) toys for low resourced ECD centres, and disability-specific products to support children with disabilities.
Jeans that could not be upcycled are downcycled into fibre to be reused by Levi's partner Connacher (a textile recycling company) in the motor and mattress industry.
The women upcycle jeans to make Early Childhood Development (ECD) toys for low resourced ECD centres, and disability-specific products to support children with disabilities. Image supplied by The Bread
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"Our jeans are made to last, which is good for the environment because repurposing jeans use a fraction of the energy and water it takes to make new ones. We want to continue to educate consumers to donate and recycle anything they're no longer wearing to benefit the environment and the community," says head of marketing for Levi's South Africa, Candace Gilowey.
Consumers have donated hundreds of pairs of jeans to the Levi's Jeans Drive. Image supplied by The Bread
Additional information: The Bread Creative Brand Consultancy
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