The story of the success of Levi Strauss & Co. is not the story of one man but rather of a partnership forged between men and a legacy that continues to employee tens of thousands of people around the world to this day.
The company’s milestones:
1853 – Levi Strauss arrives in San Francisco and opens a wholesale dry goods business, selling clothing, blankets, handkerchiefs, etc., to small general stores throughout the American West.
1872 – Jacob Davis, a Reno, Nevada tailor, writes to Levi Strauss, telling him of the process he invented to rivet the pocket corners on men’s pants. He suggests the two men take out a patent on the process together and Levi agrees.
1873 – Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis receive a patent on the process of riveting pants by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on May 20. They begin making copper-riveted “waist overalls” (the old name for jeans) in San Francisco.
This first pant was the original 501® jean but it didn’t have that name yet: it was simply called “XX” —an industry term meaning highest quality, and also the term for the high quality denim used in their manufacture.
1886 – Two Horse™® brand leather patch is first used on the waist overalls.
1901 – The pants now have two back pockets. The additional pocket was likely added due to consumer requests or changes in men’s fashions at the time.
1920s – During this decade, the assembly-line technique is adopted at the Valencia Street and Frankfort factories.
1928 – The company registers the word Levi’s®as a trademark.
1930s – The company adopts the cowboy as its advertising and image-building icon, associating the rugged individualism of the cowboy (and his Hollywood counterpart) with the famous 501® waist overalls.
1934 – Levi Strauss & Co. creates “Lady Levi’s” the company’s first blue jean for women.
1936 – The red Tab is first placed onto the right back pocket of the overalls. The word “LEVI’S®” is stitched in white in all capital letters.
1937 – The back pockets on the overalls are sewn so that they cover the rivets. This is in response to consumers who complained that the rivets scratched furniture and saddles.
1950s – The leather patch is replaced by a Two Horse™ patch made of heavy-duty card stock, known as the “leather-like” patch. This is due to the fact that the company was selling products nationally, and it was becoming more expensive to use real leather.
1954 – “Lighter Blues” casual slacks and the “Denim Family” line mark the company’s entry into the sportswear business.
1963 – Pre-shrunk Levi’s® jeans are introduced.
1964 – STA-PREST® slacks — the first wrinkle free products — are introduced.
1965 – Levi Strauss International and Levi Strauss Far East are established, beginning the company’s expansion into Europe and Asia.
1970 – Levi Strauss & Co. introduces bell bottoms into its jeans line.
1971 – Levi Strauss Japan is established, marking the company’s first official entry into the Asian marketplace.
1983 – The first Original Levi’s® Stores are opened in Europe (in Spain). Within eight years there are 527 stores throughout northern and eastern Europe.
1991 – Levi Strauss & Co. develops the first known set of comprehensive standards for manufacturing and finishing contractors worldwide, dealing with wages, hours, working conditions, ethics and the environment.
1992 – Levi Strauss & Co. becomes the first major U.S. company to offer full medical benefits to the unmarried partners of its employees.
1995 – Levi Strauss & Co. launches its first site on the Web at www.levi.com.
1996 – Levi’s® Vintage Clothing is introduced globally.
2000 – The Levi’s® brand introduces Engineered Jeans™, the reinvention of jeans for the 21st century.
2001 – Levi’s®Superlow jeans for women are launched and become popular around the world.
2006 – Innovative Levi’s® eco organic jeans debut, catering to the eco-friendly consumer.
2007 – The Levi’s® brand is an established leader in slim and skinny fits for women worldwide.
2012 – The Levi’s®brand introduces the Men’s Commuter Jean, built for bicycling.
2015 – Levi’s® New Women’s Denim Collection launches globally featuring the 700 series inspired by the original 1934 women’s blue jeans Lot 701.
2019 – Levi’s became one of only two major clothing companies with commitments in line with the Paris Agreement’s goal of limiting global average temperature increase to 1.5 degrees celsius.
According to en.wikipedia.org; levistrauss.com. Source of photo: internet
