The first association with jeans is 501, which is quite logical since Levi Strauss is officially the ancestor of all things denim. Today, each of us has one Levi’s left in our jeans rotation and this brand sells millions of copies of its iconic model every year.

However, Levi's is much more than denim- by developing various design initiatives and fighting for more sustainable production principles throughout the fashion industry, the San Francisco-based company has grown into a global community that insists on diversity and connectivity.

Last year, the brand launched the "Buy better wear longer" initiative to highlight the shared responsibility when it comes to the environmental impact of overproduction and buying. They also called on consumers to buy products that will last for years, and then recycle, give away or redesign them.

As part of this initiative, a recycling box has been set up in Levi's store on the ground floor of the Galerija shopping center, where you can leave your old clothes and get a 20% discount on the new collection.

Members of the team of Fashion Company, which represents Levi's in our market, have joined the brand's sustainable campaign, contributing to the preservation of the environment by their example and behavior. We present you their stories.

Faruk Arap

"Currently, seven huge plastic islands are floating in the oceans, one of which is the size of the state of Texas. We are also all witnesses to air pollution. For many years, I have been applying some little things that are meaningful to our planet, but, since I deal with fashion, here is how I shop ecologically. I try to make most of the things I buy from recycled materials and respect eco and fair-trade principles. I was shocked when I heard the information that in the production of one pair of jeans, 60 liters of clean, drinking water were once used. That is why it is very important to me that my jeans are produced with less water technology. I also feel good in recycled cotton clothes. I never throw away my old clothes, but give them to my friends. And if something is torn, it will end up as a hygiene cloth in my home or I will take it for recycling. I always wear my bag, which is an absolute fashion hit, so I use fewer plastic bags. And as part of textile recycling, I sometimes buy a good vintage piece second hand. Lastly, of course I love when what I buy comes in recyclable packaging! "

Katarina Gobeljic

"I learned from my mother from an early age that trees are the source of life. To plant trees means to give life, oxygen. That is why I have been responding to various afforestation actions for years. I often volunteer in local planting actions in Kraljevo, my hometown, and I also participate in company initiatives through which we do something useful for our nature through new trees - step by step. It is important for me to help give back to nature more than we take from it. At the end of the day, it's my small contribution to the planet. "

Nena Stevancevic

"I live in the Belgrade municipality of Voždovac, I work in the city center, and my closest friends are miles away, which means that I am constantly on the move. Four years ago, I realized that my car was contributing to the poorer quality of the air we breathe. Hence the new bike I own, and at the same time one less car on our streets. In addition to not polluting the air, driving has a great effect on my fitness and health. "

Nadja Povrenovic

"At the end of last year, I stayed with friends in Amsterdam, for whom recycling and waste sorting is the most normal part of everyday life. As soon as I returned to Belgrade, I decided to set up garbage bags in the apartment, one for paper, one for glass and one for plastic and cans. It took me a while to make recycling a routine, especially if some packaging consists of plastic and paper, so I need to separate it into parts, but now I do it automatically. I'm lucky that there are separate recycling bins in front of my house, but I would definitely get involved in waste disposal if they weren't in my neighborhood. "

Nikola Filipovic

"Environmental thinking starts at home and that's why I separate kitchen waste and take plastic packaging for recycling. Instead of chemical flavors, I use essential oils that are 100% natural, and I also prefer showering instead of filling the tub, thus reducing water consumption. I replaced all the classic light bulbs in the apartment with energy-saving ones. One of the things everyone can do is clean the space with vinegar instead of conventional detergents with a lot of harmful ingredients, because it's a completely natural way to kill bacteria and germs. "