CASE STUDY
Levi’s Waterless Products
From Corporate CSR to Green Product & Scope 3 downstream reduction
Levi’s faced the challenge of high water usage in blue jeans production and significant consumer-side energy and water usage (the biggest part of Scope 3 emissions). We helped the Brand turn internal CSR objectives into a tangible green product, quantify and reduce water impact, engage consumers into responsible usage of the product, and boost sales through effective marketing and gamification, resulting in substantial water conservation and increased sales.
#Sustainability #Fashion #BusinessTransformation #Innovation

IMPACT
Delivering the first eco-designed jean range, achieving a 95% reduction in water usage during both production and consumer use.
Client & Mission
Levi’s, also known as Levi Strauss & Co is one of the world’s global leaders in denim. The company designs and markets jeans, casual wear and related accessories for men, women and children. They’ve been innovating denim culture ever since 1873, the year Levi’s created the original blue jean.
The goal of the Transformation Program was to deliver the first eco-designed Jean range and drastically reduce the water consumption used during the production process, as well as the consumer energy & water usage by active involvement while simultaneously increasing sales of the range after the campaign.
INDUSTRY
Apparel and Fashion
LOCATION
Global Headquarters: San Francisco, California, USA
#waterusage #sustainability
Challenges
Blue jeans production has a significant environmental impact. Each pair of jeans requires over 42 liters of water during manufacturing, with the cotton used demanding up to 7,000 liters per pair*. Moreover, the life cycle assessment (LCA) indicates that up to 70% of the energy and water usage occurs on the consumer side. Levi’s, a privately and family-owned company with strong ethical values, was initially hesitant to communicate their corporate social responsibility (CSR) objectives to the end consumers.
At that time, fashion consumers were not widely exposed to sustainability measures from brands, making it difficult to engage them on the importance of environmental responsibility in their purchasing decisions. This hesitancy and lack of consumer awareness posed significant hurdles in advancing Levi’s sustainability initiatives. Still, some solutions existed to have a positive impact within and beyond their value chain.
#Waterless
Solutions
To address the challenges faced by Levi’s, we implemented several strategic solutions. Firstly, we transformed their internal CSR objectives into a tangible green product line, highlighting Levi’s commitment to sustainability. We quantified the water impact along the entire supply chain and identified hotspots for significant reduction, thereby optimizing resource use. Additionally, we effectively marketed the environmental benefits of this new range, emphasizing the positive impact on water conservation.
To further engage consumers, we launched a program encouraging behavioral changes to reduce washing cycles, thereby cutting down on energy and water usage and extending the lifespan of the products. To maximize outreach and impact, we introduced a gamification and viral campaign, which successfully increased donations to NGOs, fostering a community of environmentally-conscious consumers.
#Waterless
Impact
Reduced consumer energy and water usage through active engagement, provided clean water access via NGO donations, significantly conserved water in production, and boosted sales through impactful sustainability efforts.