Perhaps some of the most coveted items for fashion lovers and collectors are vintage Levi’s. I myself have tried to get in on the action by scouring thrift stores for old Levi’s jeans, but they are hard to find. At least, in my area, either people are not donating them, or they get snatched up right away. The only pair of Levi’s jeans that I found at the thrift store that I would say is vintage was not my size, so I bought it for my mom instead. There’s a whole method of determining whether a pair of Levi’s jeans or jacket is vintage, but I’ll save that for another post.
Levi’s Buyback Program
I recently found out that Levi’s is launching a buyback program in the U.S. People can shop online to buy secondhand clothing or exchange their old Levi’s pieces for a gift card. According to Levi’s, 64 per cent of the 32 billion garments created each year end up in the landfill.
Personally, I think this is a great idea and long overdue. Levi’s is a classic brand that’s been around for a while, so it has a lot of loyal customers. Their secondhand shop is an awesome way to prevent alienating people who prefer to shop more sustainably. Sure, thrift stores or other secondhand shops are always an option, but having all the secondhand Levi’s products on one site is pretty convenient. Plus, since it’s coming straight from Levi’s, you don’t have to worry about counterfeit products or not-really-vintage pieces.
Well-made jeans can last for decades. My mom’s old jeans from the ’90s are still in great shape and can still be worn today. It’s such a shame when they’re just thrown out because they can easily be altered or upcycled.
The only issue I have with this initiative is the same issue I have with shopping at thrift stores. I am a tiny human, so it’s hard for me to find thrifted clothes, especially jeans, that fit me AND is in a style that I like. It’s easier to find a specific style in my size in newer clothes than secondhand items. But when I do find secondhand clothes I like and fits me well, man, it’s like I won the lottery.
As of this posting, it looks like the Levi’s Secondhand program is only available in the U.S.
classically casual 