Will The New Levi's Care Label Convince You To Be More Eco-Friendly?

Have you ever seen a label like this on the inside of your jeans? If you plan on purchasing a new pair of Levi's in 2010, then take a look because it will be there in black, white, and red.

This is one interesting example of a rather small yet significant environmental step that companies can take to help reprogram us into making minor lifestyle changes that will definitely help the planet.

Amazingly, it does not automatically occur to Americans to donate their unwanted clothing and as a result, 23.8 billion pounds of textiles end up rotting away in our landfills every single year.

Another little known fact is that it is not necessary to wash your denim in hot water or even tumble dry it -- Levi's is hoping that their new label steers people in a new, greener direction.

After the iconic jean company did a eco-lifecycle assessment on a typical pair of 501s throughout its anticipated life, they found that just one two-legged garment:

a) had a carbon footprint of 32 kilograms (the same amount as driving a car 78 miles)

b) consumed 3,000 liters of water (including production and consumer use) 

c) consumed 400 megajoules of energy

Bear in mind that the vast majority of the resources consumed generally happen once a pair of Levi's is purchased from a store.

On Levi's end, they aren't just revamping their labels in order to make a positive impact on the planet's resources -- they're also trying to switch over to organic cotton rather than continuing to use its conventionally produced cousin (which is a notoriously thirsty and chemically doused crop).

I would love to hear from everyone out there regarding whether you think that the addition of a new white garment label in your jeans will compel you to make more eco-friendly laundering choices.

Do you think that this measure will really add up over time? Will it be enough to convince people that hot water is not a necessary ingredient to cleaning their jeans properly?

What other measures do you think that Levi's could take to help consumers change their lifestyle for the benefit of Mother Earth?