How Old Are Your Levi’s?

Did you know that Levi Jeans were invented in 1871? A tailor named Jacob Davis from Reno, Nevada was making pants for miners. Unfortunately, the pants were not tough enough to withstand the wear and tear of a miners' life. The pockets and button fly were constantly being torn from the pant. Davis realized that he needed to attach metal fasteners used on harnesses to make the pants durable. He also realized that he needed to make the pants out of canvas. Once Davis fixed those two items, his pants became very popular. Jacob Davis quickly realized that his pants were going to be a hit. He wanted to file a patent so that no one would steal his idea. With no money to file the patent, Davis went into business with a German immigrant named Levi Strauss who owned a dry-goods store in San Francisco. Strauss ran the business and Davis was the production manager.

By 1890, the very popular pant was made with a new type of fabric, which was more flexible than canvas. It was called denim. And so in 1890, the jeans you wear today were born. And all because gold and silver miners needed a durable pair of pants.