SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Levi Strauss & Co. (LS&Co.) today announced the launch of the LS&Co. Collaboratory, an annual fellowship program for socially and environmentally conscious entrepreneurs who see design and sustainability as inextricably linked and are working to create a more sustainable apparel industry.
With a curriculum designed by the Aspen Institute Business & Society Program, this first-of-its-kind fellowship program will bring together innovators, designers and bold thinkers who are working to advance sustainability in the apparel industry. The fellows will have the opportunity to work at LS&Co.’s Eureka Innovation Lab and tap into the company’s deep network of people and resources to bring their aspirations to life.
“As an industry, we need to make sustainability a top priority and this means coming together to tackle the big social and environmental issues of our time,” said Chip Bergh, President and CEO of LS&Co. “The LS&Co. Collaboratory embeds the principles we’ve followed over the last 163 years to help foster the next generation of designers and entrepreneurs so that together we can build an apparel industry that restores the environment and protects our most vital resources.”
Each year, the LS&Co. Collaboratory will focus on a specific social or environmental issue facing the industry—whether that’s textile waste, water shortages or workers’ rights. On the heels of LS&Co.’s public release of its Water<Less® techniques, the initial fellowship program will target entrepreneurs who are interested in developing new technologies and methodologies to understand and reduce their water footprint.
Entrepreneurs and social entrepreneurs from around the world will be invited to attend an immersive workshop at LS&Co.’s Eureka Innovation Lab in San Francisco. As fellows, they will work alongside established leaders in design, innovation and sustainability to accelerate their water sustainability ideas. In addition to the workshop, fellows may receive up to $50,000 in funding to implement their solutions. After completing the program, LS&Co. Collaboratory fellows will have the tools, knowledge and hopefully inspiration to create apparel even more sustainably than we can imagine today.
LS&Co. is proud to announce the Collaboratory curriculum was developed in partnership with the Aspen Institute, an educational and policy studies organization that aims to foster leadership based on enduring values and provide a nonpartisan venue for dealing with critical issues. The program design was developed in partnership with GOOD Corps, GOOD Worldwide Inc.'s strategy and design team that partners with organizations to develop and implement initiatives and powerful calls to action to create social impact.
“Water is a critical resource–not only for the apparel industry, but for our planet and society as a whole,” said Nancy McGaw, Deputy Director of the Aspen Institute Business & Society Program. “It is critical that the non-profit and private sector come together to create impactful and lasting change across the industry. With LS&Co., we are setting the stage for a new generation of sustainably-minded apparel leaders who will define the new industry standard and we’re proud to be part of this important initiative.”
The program is open to leaders of for profit and not-for-profit organizations. Applications are now open and the 2016 fellows will be announced later this summer. For more information on the LS&Co. Collaboratory, visit www.levistrauss-collaboratory.com.
About Levi Strauss & Co.
Levi Strauss & Co. is one of the world's largest brand-name apparel companies and a global leader in jeanswear. The company designs and markets jeans, casual wear and related accessories for men, women and children under the Levi's®, Dockers®, Signature by Levi Strauss & Co.™, and Denizen® brands. Its products are sold in more than 110 countries worldwide through a combination of chain retailers, department stores, online sites, and a global footprint of approximately 2,800 retail stores and shop-in-shops. Levi Strauss & Co.'s reported fiscal 2015 net revenues were $4.5 billion. For more information, go to http://levistrauss.com.
