Levi Strauss

RANK22

Roughly 150 billion pieces of clothing are produced globally each year, but more than 60% are thrown away within a few years of being made. The global appetite for fast, throwaway fashion has serious environmental consequences, something that Levi Strauss is attempting to change with the “Buy Better, Wear Longer” campaign it launched in April. The denim-maker is encouraging consumers to be more thoughtful about the clothes they purchase, urging them to wear their jeans and other apparel for a longer period and buy new items less frequently—thus potentially producing less waste in the long run. (The campaign also gives Levi’s the chance to tout its own apparel’s durability and in-store tailor services, factors for which the company hopes buyers pay a premium.) In addition to its environmental push, Levi Strauss has focused on supporting and retaining its workforce by rolling out an eight-week paid family leave policy for its benefits-eligible retail workers and extending paid sick leave to all part-time retail employees—a set of unusually generous benefits in an industry that’s often stingy.