Levi Strauss announces new water stewardship targets and strategy

Denim brand Levi Strauss has announced a new water strategy which includes a 15% drop in freshwater use across its manufacturing supply chain by 2030.

By the same date, the company also aims to ensure that 40% of water used in manufacturing is recycled or reused, and to publish an open-source industry guide on water recycling and reuse.

This is part of a general effort to reduce the water impact of making its famous denim garments – one pair of jeans notoriously requires more than 3,500 litres of water to be produced, from cotton growing to manufacturing and dyeing.

‘Supporting business continuity’

Levi Strauss’ new strategy builds on its current water goals, which run through the end of 2025, including halving water use for manufacturing in high-stress areas compared to 2018.

It also connects the company’s water goals with its broader climate and nature strategies, focusing on the communities most affected by water stress. The new water targets are aligned with the recommendations of the Science Based Targets Network (SBTN) and the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD).

“This strategy is about more than water savings – it’s about resilience and supporting business continuity for the long term,” said Jeffrey Hogue, Chief Sustainability Officer. “We’re working to ensure that our supply chain and the people within it are equipped to adapt to some of the most acute impacts of climate change.”

Water quality and pollution goals

Beyond its quantitative reduction targets, Levi Strauss is also aiming to ensure that 100% of direct discharge supplier facilities achieve the ‘Foundational’ performance level of water pollution compliance and 25% reach ‘Progressive’ level, as defined by the Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC) Foundation.

The company will support suppliers with training and tools to strengthen their water resilience and launch watershed restoration projects in areas of high-water stress, such as the Sutlej and Indus basins in Pakistan and the Meghna basin in Bangladesh.

Finally, it will expand water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) projects, including its participation in WaterAid’s Women + Water Collaborative in India, which aims to reach 150,000 people with access to clean water in its first two years.

"A reliable supply of clean water is essential for health, dignity and a life full of opportunity. But 2.2 billion people in the world still do not have access to that life-saving resource. In Levi Strauss & Co., we've found a partner that values the power of collaboration to address the water crisis, one of the most challenging, but solvable, problems of this generation," said Kelly Parsons, CEO, WaterAid America.