Oh, patents! Levi Strauss laser finishing

Françoise © Herrmann

One hundred-and-fifty years after the Levi Strauss copper rivet changed the world of work clothes, during the Gold Rush in California, Levi Strauss is pioneering the apparel industry anew with Future-Led Execution (F.L.X.) processes (Levi Strauss Staff, 2018). F.L.X. invokes digital production, and in particular laser finishing.

Consistent with a longstanding interest in sustainability, the company committed to producing a cleaner, more climate-friendly jean, using streamlined digital processes. Processes, such as laser finishing, that eliminate the use and discharge of harmful chemicals (e.g., potassium permanganate), while maximizing the customization of jeans, and improving working conditions (e.g., Ong, 2018). In particular, laser finishing has replaced such previously time-consuming manual labor, invoked for baking, whiskering, hand-sanding, grinding, scrunching, chemically treating, and rinsing excess residues, to make jeans look worn and faded.

Laser finishing uses infrared technology to scratch the surface of jeans, while executing digital drawings of the desired vintage characteristics. A process that takes about 90 seconds to complete, per jean. (See video below.) A process that replaces the lengthy drawing board process, and the previous 18 to 20 manual finishing steps, taking 10 to 30 minutes per jean, depending on the design. A process that also makes possible all the desirable aspects of jeans manufacture. For example, laser finishing enables such prized processes as on-demand production, unparalleled customization, and dramatic scaling of production, since digital, production-ready files can be sent directly to supply factories for unprecedented production response. Conversely, laser finishing also supports custom online Future Finish® design, and potentially mini local production units at retail stores (Levi Strauss Staff, July 2019a and July 2019b; Velasquez, 2019), or even, event-based mobile production units (US11208761B2).

Arguably one of the most exciting transformations in jeans manufacturing, F.L.X. both dramatically streamlines, and accelerates, every aspect of the complete process, from concept to production. Indeed, on the strength of its success, Levi Strauss now organizes company-wide hackathons to determine which additional company processes might be as successfully digitized and made more sustainable (Cazares et al. 2022).

Both processes and hardware subsumed in laser finishing are well patented. The following applications are a few samples of the patents pending, and patents granted, reciting the many aspects of the laser finishing invention. The sample list also includes an application and patent, each reciting the specifications of garments, most responsive to the new laser finishing invention. 

• US20180049497A1  - Using laser to create finishing pattern on apparel.

• US20180165736A1 - Using fabric templates to obtain multiple finishes by laser finishing.

• US20190261716A1 - On-demand manufacturing of apparel by laser finishing fabric rolls.

• US20200063319A1 - Laser finishing of garments by mobile lab.

• US11208761B2  - Clothing with enhanced response characteristics for laser finishing.

References

Cazares, M. et al. (FE. 28, 2002) LS&Co. Hackathons – Designed for everyone.
https://www.levistrauss.com/2022/02/28/lsco-hackathons-designed-for-everyone/

Ong, T. (2018). Levi’s® will use lasers to ethically create the finishes on all of its jeans – The Verge.

https://www.theverge.com/2018/3/4/17061656/levis-jeans-ethic-clothing-labor-design

Staff (Feb.27, 2018). Project F.L.X. redefines the future of how jeans are designed, made and sold. 

https://www.levistrauss.com/2018/02/27/project-f-l-x-redefines-future-jeans-designed-made-sold/

Staff (Juy 2019a). Levi’s presents Future Finish®. Off the Cuff.

https://www.levi.com/US/en_US/blog/article/levis-presents-future-finish/

Staff (July 24, 2019b). Future Finish®, a new way to customize your denim. 

https://www.levistrauss.com/2019/07/24/future-finish-a-new-way-to-customize-your-denim/

Velasquez, A. (July 24, 2019). Levi’s® doubles down on Laser technology with new customization platform. 

https://sourcingjournal.com/denim/denim-brands/levis-future-finish-laser-customization-jeans-161376/

Oh, patents ! Levi’s® Curve ID jeans for women

Copyright © Françoise Herrmann 

Launched Fall 2010, and now discontinued, Levi’s® Curve ID jeans nonetheless trail blazed the design of women's jeans, according to body shape, instead of size. The campaign for “shape not size” jeans, together with the production of Levi’s® Curve ID jeans, arose out of a combination of one-on-one interview research with women worldwide, and the study of more than 60,000 3D body scans. 

First, the results of the interview research uncovered the fact 54% of women try on at least ten pairs of jeans to find a pair that reasonably fits their body shape. Then, the results of the body-scan study initially identified three body shapes that represent 80% of women worldwide. The three initial body shapes identified were Slight Curve, Demi Curve and Bold Curve.(1)

From then on, in-store Curve ID measurement specialists were available to assist women in their purchase of perfectly fitting jeans that matched their particular body shape. The measuring tool used to determine which of the Curve ID fits matched a particular customer’s body shape, is a patented invention. The US utility patent reciting this invention, US8763262B2, titled Shape measuring tool, was awarded on July 1st 2014. 

The patent discloses a measuring tool designed to resolve the prior art issues of patent fit, informed by sizes measured in numbers, or waist and inseam length. Using prior art sizes, two people with the same size did not necessarily find jeans that fit in the same way. The fit was different, because two people with same jean size may have different proportions (i.e., their waistband, hips and seat measurements may be different, relative to  different height.) Thus, for one person a pair of jeans might fit at the waist, but not in the seat. Conversely, for another same-size person, the jeans might fit in the seat, but not in the waist, even creating what the patent recites as a “muffin top” silhouette. 

Below, the abstract of the invention is included, together with the patent Figures 2 and 7. The patent figures respectively depict a front view of the shape-measuring tool 201 with two measuring tapes 208 and 212 attached to a belt 204 (Fig. 2), and a front view of the shape-measuring tool, tied around a person’s waist with a string belt 704, measuring at least 30 inches to accommodate various waist sizes, and secured with a bow 708 (Fig. 7). In particular, the measuring tapes 208, 212 (Fig. 2), are respectively attached to the string 204 via wraparound fastener or suspension loops 216, 220, each respectively attached to the tapes with a rivet 222, 223. The fastener loops 216, 220, each slide on the belt 204, enabling the measuring tapes 216, 220 to be positioned anywhere on the belt. The length of the measuring tapes 216, 220 is sufficiently long to enable girth measuring of a person’s shape at the waist, hip and seat. The measuring tapes are at least 12 inches long, but their length is also specified above the ground, in view of preventing potential tangling, and/or tripping. 

Two girth measurements are taken, parallel to a person’s waist, using the ruled markings on the measuring tapes as guides. The ruled markings include both the customary American units (inches), and the International system of units (cm). The distances between girth measurements relative to a person’s waist enable measurement of a ratio between hip and seat, which together will determine the shape fit category of the jeans for a particular person. Thus, reading of the two girth measurements against markings of the two shape measuring tapes, introduced a new and revolutionary measurement of jean shape fit, according to the Slight, Demi or Bold shape categories, in addition to the existing categories of jean style, and size, for a particular person.  

The scope of the invention extends to variations of such items as: dimensions and materials of the belt, means for attaching the belt to a person’s waist (e.g., buckle or bow) and, design of the two shape-measuring tapes with ruled markings, which might include panels, and clips to further point to relevant jean fit reference points. 

A measuring tool is used to measure the shape of a person’s body. The tool has a belt and at least one measuring tape attached, which extends perpendicularly to the belt. The tool is held to the person's waist with the belt. While the person is standing, shape measurements are typically made at one or more points based on the measuring tape. This measuring tape extends a length sufficient to include the person’s seat and hip, where the shape will be measured, but will generally not be as long as the person’s leg or long enough to touch the ground. [Abstract US8763262B2]

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Note (1). Encompassing still more body shapes, a fourth Curve ID size, called Supreme Curve was launched Spring 2011, together with added rises and extended sizes. (Levi Strauss Press Release).  

References

Levi's® https://www.levi.com/US/en_US/ 

Levi Strauss Press Release https://www.levistrauss.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Levis-Brand-Expands-Levis-Curve-ID-Womens-Denim-Line-to-Embrace-Curves-Around-the-World1.pdf

Oh, patents! The Levi Strauss rivet

Copyright  © Françoise Herrmann

Filed on August 9th 1872, granted on May 20th 1873, the US utility patent US139121A, titled Improvement in fastening pocket-openings, recites the small consolidating metal rivets, added to Levi's jeans, then called “waistoveralls”, which made the 19th century, San Francisco, company famous. The inventor was Jacob Davis. A tailor located in Reno, Nevada, the heart of the California gold country, Davis assigned the patent to himself and to the Levi Strauss Company of San Francisco, the Original Riveter.

The single patent drawing is included below, together with one of the famous Levi Strauss jeans labels, depicting two horses pulling in opposite directions, on each side of a pair of jeans, with the caption: "It’s no use they can’t be ripped."

According to the patent specification, the figure drawing indexes the side seam A of a pair of “pantaloons” which could also be “a pair of pants, drawers, or other article of wearing apparel”. The side seam terminates in pockets, with rivets b, b, added to each side of the pocket. Rivets b are shown on both front pockets, on a partial view of one back pocket, and at the bottom of the fly opening.

The patent discloses that the rivets b are intended to prevent ripping, or opening of the seams, resulting essentially from repetitive placing of hands inside pockets, thereby causing excessive stress on the fabric threads. The patent further specifies that the rivets b are made of metal, each rivet b passed through a hole in the seam, and capped on the opposite end, so as to further hold together the two parts of the seam, and thereby prevent tears. The patent explicitly avoids laying claim on fastening all seams with rivets, recognizing that rivets were already in use for consolidating seams on shoes.

References

Levi Strauss & Co
https://www.levistrauss.com/