Don't Wash Your Jeans

That’s the message from Levi’s CEO Chip Bergh:

Berg is making good on his advice, as he hasn’t washed his own jeans in over a year. While his statement is making waves, in reality, the company has been living up to such practices since 2011. According to the New York Times, Levi’s began “featuring stone-washed denim smoothed with rocks but no water” in 2011 while also encouraging consumers to wash less.

In a more radical call to action, denim environmentalists also suggested putting jeans in the freezer if they started to smell. Anderson Cooper and Tommy Hilfiger are other interesting figures spotlighted in the “no wash” movement, although stylist and fashion consultant Stacy London has argued that a few washes per six months is probably healthiest.

I can’t force anyone to wash their clothes, but I can assure that no unwashed hippies, celebrities, designers, or other imbeciles will be allowed in my home.