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Table of Contents
See the fact file below for more information on Levi Strauss or alternatively, you can download our 22 page Levi Strauss worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.
Key Facts & Information
Early Life and Interests
- On February 26, 1829, Levi Strauss was born in Buttenheim, Bavaria, Germany. His parents, Hirsch and Rebecca Strauss, were both Jewish. Living in Germany as Jews was tough for them. Special taxes were levied on them due to religious faith. Levi only had one sister from his parents. He had half-siblings from his father’s first marriage.
- When he was 16, his father died of tuberculosis. Two years later, they moved to the United States and settled in New York City. Levi reunited with his older brothers who owned a dry goods business.
- Levi worked for his brothers and learned how to manage a store. He moved to Kentucky to sell dry goods for his brothers.
- In 1853, years after the California Gold Rush, Levi transferred to San Francisco and involved himself with the mining trade. He opened a small dry goods store named Levi Strauss & Company. Over the years, he sold clothing, tools, sewing supplies and fabric. His business was a success and earned him a large fortune.
The Blue Jeans
- In 1872, Jacob Davis, a tailor from Nevada and customer of Levi, asked Strauss for financial help in applying for a patent for his pants design. Davis’ pants were more durable with pockets hammered with metal rivets.
- After a year, Davis and Strauss received the patent for what they call “waist overalls” and what we know as blue jeans. Initially, the pants were made of canvas. Strauss replaced the material with a lighter fabric called denim. The denim was dyed blue to hide stains.
- Originally, tough and durable jeans were meant for farmers, mechanics and miners. Market competition for overalls began to grow as rival companies started to emerge. Different brands in Michigan, Kansas and North Carolina existed.
- In 1875, Strauss bought the Mission and Pacific Woolen Mills, which further expanded his business.
- During the 1890s, the first Levi’s 501 was introduced. Its premium fabric was called XX and by 1896, a leather patch was included.
Later Life, Death and Legacy
- In 1897, Strauss funded scholarships at the University of California. He entrusted most of his company responsibility to his nephews.
- In addition to his generosity, he continued to fund charities for orphans.
- On September 26, 1902, Levi Strauss died in San Francisco. He was buried at the Home of Peace Cemetery in California.
- Jacob Stern, his nephew, became the company president.
- Starting from the 20th century, denims became popular in the American wardrobe. Aside from clothing laborers, Hollywood began filming wild west films with actors wearing jeans.
- By 1922, Levi’s pioneered belt hoops and by 1925, the zip fly was seen in their jeans 101. Moreover, the famous red label of Levi’s, known as the Red Tab, was seen for the first time in 1936. A year before its label, Lady Levi’s was introduced to the public as the first jeans for women.
- During WWII, when men were sent to battlefields, American women took over in the factories, wearing working clothes.
- Since then, denim was also used in jackets and other clothing accessories.
- By 1974, the company reached $1 billion in sales.
Levi Strauss Worksheets
This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about entrepreneur Levi Strauss across 22 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Levi Strauss worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about Levi Strauss who was an entrepreneur and fashion designer who launched and built one of the most enduring and popular clothing items, the blue jeans
Complete List Of Included Worksheets
- Levi Strauss Facts
- The Man Behind the Jeans
- The Birth of Blues
- All About Levi
- Evolution of Jeans
- Levi’s in Numbers
- Fact or Bluff
- Levi’s Hunt
- From Workwear to Fashion
- Making Denims Around the World
- Women Empowerment
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Link will appear as Levi Strauss Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, April 12, 2018
Use With Any Curriculum
These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.