With water issues afflicting California and other areas throughout the country, every little action to conserve water counts. And one such action includes how consumers wash their jeans, according to Levi Strauss.
Jeans largely are made up of cotton, which require significant quantities of water to grow. More than 2,000 liters typically are needed to produce enough cotton to make a single pair of jeans.
But this only accounts for around 45 percent of an average pair of jeans’ net water impact, according to a 2007 life cycle assessment by Levi's. To this end, Levi’s announced in March that it has saved one billion liters of water since 2011 through its Water<Less™ process, which reduces the water used in garment finishing by up to 96 percent.
But close to the other half comes from the water used during the life of a pair of jeans comes from consumers washing them, Levi’s said.
Ahead of the 45th annual Earth Day next week (April 22), the company has released five tips that will help consumers to not only help reduce the water footprint of their jeans, but also help them last longer:
1. Know your impact. The average person in the U.S. washes their jeans after only two wears. Do you know how the impact of your washing habits compares to the average person? Take this short quiz to find out, and at the end of the quiz take the pledge to wash less.
2. Spot clean. No need to throw your jeans in the wash for just a little mustard stain. Dab the spot with a damp cloth that’s been dipped in a little soapy water instead.
3. If you have to wash, wash in cold. If your jeans are getting too dirty, then you may have to throw them in the wash from time to time. The cooler the water, the more energy you’ll save.
4. Line Dry. Don’t tumble dry your jeans; the movement and heat will add wear and tear, increase your energy use and shorten the life of your jeans. Line dry your jeans and let nature do the work.
5. Stretch Refresh. If the knees and bum in your super skinnies start to sag, turn them inside out and stick them in the dryer on warm, but only for 10 to 20 minutes — no need to waste the energy on a full cycle.