Levi’s 501 ft Circulose

Levi’s 501 jeans made with Circulose by Renewcell / Source: Levi’s

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WHAT WE SAY:

The naming of these new jeans from Levi’s – the Circular 501 – makes the brand’s intentions abundantly clear. However, we are left wanting more.

Circulose - a cellulosic fibre sourced from recycled textile waste - makes up less than 20% of the jean’s fabric and the range is priced at a near 30% premium. So while it is encouraging to see Circulose making it to the brand’s signature style, we look forward to the day when every pair of Levi’s jeans are made from recycled textile waste as standard. No ‘Circular’ branding needed.

KEY FACTS:

January 2022 saw Levi’s release its Circular 501, a premium version of its signature 501 design, featuring Circulose – a fabric derived from textile waste from Swedish sustainable fashion startup Renewcell.
The blended denim used in the jeans is made up of 16% Circulose pulp (10% sourced from industrial textile waste and 6% from post-consumer denim waste), 24% regular wood pulp cellulosic fibres and the remaining 60% organic Cotton.
In addition to the change in fabric composition, Levi’s also replaced the synthetic fibres in the jeans’ pockets, threads and labels with cotton, making the jeans easier to recycle effectively.
The Circulose-based version costs USD 128, compared with USD 90 for the original; both styles will continue to be produced, while Levi’s initial order was reportedly in the “tens of thousands of units.”

Explanatory Image of Levi’s Circular 501 / Source: Renewcell

Circulose is a cellulosic fibre sourced from recycled textile waste / Source: Levi's

DIVE DEEPER:

The technology used to make Circulose takes discarded cotton-rich textile waste and passes it through a solvent-free chemical process that extracts pure Cellulose. The dissolving pulp output can then be used to make cellulosic fibres, similar to viscose or Lyocell. Renewcell claims its USP is that Circulose-based fibres do not need to be blended with virgin fibres, as there is no loss in quality when using the recycled feedstock.
This is not the first time Levi’s has used the recycled fibre. In July 2020, it launched a series of Circulose-based jeans under its WellThread sustainable jean sub-brand. However, the Circular 501 marks the first time its most high profile style has featured recycled fibres. Previously, Levi’s 501s were made from 99% cotton and 1% elastane.
As well as eliminating all the jeans’ synthetic elements, the Circular 501 also features Levi’s Water. The Circular 501 formed a series of sustainability initiatives from Levi’s. These include: ‘Buy Better, Wear Longer,’ which aimed to raise awareness around the impact of fast fashion and Secondhand – a buy-back initiative, which allows consumers to purchase second-hand jeans through the Levi’s platform.
Levi’s also joined the Ellen MacArthur Jeans Redesign initiative in July 2021 – an initiative, which outlines a set of principles to increase the quality and recyclability of new denim.

"...By producing...the 501, with recycled content and in a way that makes them recyclable, we’re hoping to show...the industry...that we can deliver more sustainable product that saves resources, still looks great and meets the highest quality standards."

Paul Dillinger - VP of Design Innovation, Levi's

Key Design Considerations:

Durability is everything

While Renewcell’s approach to turning discarded clothes into new fibres is exponentially better than sending them to landfill, there is an even better solution: ensuring they can continue to be worn in their original form. Any recycling, even within a closed loop circular system, still requires management and resources.

Think beyond materials

A circular material in isolation achieves little. Ambitious designers will take inspiration from how Levi’s launched a range of process and business model innovations – from low-water and chemical-free dyeing to a brand-endorsed resale platform – to accompany the move to Circulose-based fabrics.

Could recycled materials help secure your supply chain?

We are not total doomsday merchants, but in the worst case scenarios, natural raw materials are likely to become increasingly expensive and hard to obtain in the future. As that happens, Circulose (and other similar waste-based fibres) will become increasingly sought after.