Gen Z is often described as the driving force behind thrifting, repurposing and creative self-expression in fashion. Yet new research from Levi Strauss & Co. suggests a contradiction at the heart of this shift: while younger consumers are buying second-hand at record levels, many lack the basic skills needed to repair or adapt the clothes they own. According to the company’s US-based survey, 41% of Gen Z report having no clothing repair knowledge, such as sewing on a button or fixing a tear, nearly double the rate of older generations.
This disconnect is the focus of the Levi’s Wear Longer Project, a new community engagement initiative launched in January 2026. The programme is designed to equip young people with practical repair and customisation skills, encouraging them to extend the life of their clothing rather than replace it. Levi’s frames the project as a response to a clear opportunity: 35% of young people surveyed said they would keep their clothes for longer if they knew how to fix them.
“At Levi Strauss & Co., we’ve spent more than 170 years designing clothes to be worn and loved for as long as possible,” said Michelle Gass, President and CEO of Levi Strauss & Co. “The Levi’s® Wear Longer Project builds on that legacy by giving young people the confidence and tools to extend the life of what they already own.”
The environmental context is difficult to ignore. In the US alone, the average person throws away 81.5 pounds of clothing each year, contributing to more than 2,100 pounds of textile waste entering landfills every second, according to data from the US Environmental Protection Agency. Levi’s positions repair education as a direct intervention in this cycle, shifting sustainability from consumption choices to everyday behaviour.
The Wear Longer Project introduces free educational resources aimed primarily at students in grades 9 to 12. Developed in partnership with Discovery Education and aligned with national K–12 education standards, the curriculum covers practical skills such as sewing, patching and hemming, alongside broader discussions about resource use and supply chains. The programme is available nationwide through Discovery Education’s free platform, with Levi Strauss & Co. employees also acting as volunteer ambassadors in schools and communities.
“Our partnership with Levi’s® reflects the growing demand in schools for curriculum that connects academic learning with real-world, future-ready skills,” said Catherine Dunlop, Senior Vice President of Corporate Partnerships at Discovery Education. “Through the Wear Longer Project, students gain hands-on experience that builds confidence, creativity, and practical life skills.”
The initiative is launching in Levi’s hometown of San Francisco, with workshops hosted at the company’s Eureka Lab before expanding more widely, including community activations and selected retail settings. For Levi’s, the strategy reinforces a long-standing focus on durability and repair, but with a sharper emphasis on skills transfer rather than brand storytelling.
As fashion brands grapple with overproduction and waste, Levi’s Wear Longer Project highlights a growing recognition that circularity depends not only on product design, but on whether people know how to care for what they already own. By targeting education rather than consumption, the programme reflects a broader shift in how sustainability is being framed for the next generation.
