Posted by Kevin Neilson on 1/18/2012

Levi Strauss did not start out in the jeans business. In 1853, he came from Bavaria to San Francisco to open up a west coast branch of the dry goods business his brother had in New York. It was exactly 20 years later, 1873, when Jacob Davis, a tailor, and Levi Strauss were awarded a patent for the first pair of blue jeans.

These were riveted work pants for men, made of denim of course. And the look took off. Not only were the denim jeans practical, but they were also comfortable and good looking. Soon, the name of Levi Strauss became well known across the nation. Because of their rugged design, Levis soon became the pants of choice for cowboys, and eventually became a staple of western wear. Regardless of the sales of other apparel, it was their jeans that sky-rocketed the Levi Strauss Company to success.

Ninety years after the invention of Levi’s jeans came the 1960’s, the era of rebellion against the prim and proper, the war and societal expectations. The blue jeans craze hit in this era of hippie freedom. Comfortable, natural, and casual, jeans suddenly became a must have item and sales for Levi Strauss exploded.

In the 1970s, there was no sign of slowing down in the sales and popularity of Levi’s. Throughout the 60s and 70s, bell-bottomed Levi’s were the most popular look. It was during the 70s that Walter Hass Jr. and his team added new fashions and models to Levi Strauss’ stores. The company also acquired the Great Western Garment Co., of Canada, and started selling Permanent Press trousers with the brand name of Sta-prest.
During this period of rapid growth, Levi Strauss went from just 15 plants to 64 in the United States, plus 25 beyond national borders. Interestingly, Levi Strauss employed different labor techniques. They paid their workers based on performance, rather than by the hour. As a result, their workers were highly motivated, top performing, and very tidy.

The company took good care of their employees. The press plants, known for their intense heat, were cooled by the massive air conditioning systems the company installed, to keep their workers comfortable.

The Great Western Garment line failed in 2004. But the Dockers brand, which Levi Strauss had introduced in 1986, helped defer some of the losses that happened as blue jeans popularity began to fall. Today, Levi is looking to new avenues to stay on top, including completely different markets such as phone sales. Still owned by family members and descendants of Levi Strauss, the company continues to hold strong in a struggling U.S. economy.