Levi Strauss & Co. has 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 programme 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 customise 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, which leads to more than 2,100 pounds of textile waste entering U.S. landfills every second. 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 programme teaches young people hands-on life skills such as how to repair and customise 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.
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