Levi Strauss Jeans

A Nevada tailor named Jacob Davis came up with an improved design for making denim jeans, which were already popular with farmers and working men of all types. The problem with denim jeans was that the pockets always ripped out from people jamming their hands in the pockets.  Davis came up with a solution to that problem, and that was to put copper rivets at the stress points of seams, such as at the pockets,  and at the base of the fly.  He didn't have the $80 required to file a patent, so he approached Levi Strauss to finance the venture.  Struass was a successful San Francisco businessman, selling denim and canvas pants to miners.   Davis' improvement to Levi's already sturdy jeans turned them into an icon.

Fast forward to current times, Congressional hearings about patent reform.  Senator Dianne Feinstein Discussed the "Levi Strauss" patent as an example, arguing the need to make the duration of patents and copyrights longer (the present duration of patents is 20 years from the time of filing, copyrights are the life of the author plus 70 years, in Levi Strauss' day patents lasted 14 years, and could get a seven year extention). 

SEN. DIANNE FEINSTEIN (D-CA):  Thanks very much, Mr. Chairman.

         And I'd like to echo those words.  Patent and copyright protection is a very big deal to California, and that's really why I'm here.

         And it's interesting to hearken back on an early patent.  And that was a patent which was issued to Levi Strauss for jeans in 1873. I believe at that time it was 17-year patent.

        It's now a twenty year patent from date of application or seventeen years.  And, so there are a lot of questions about these patents. 

         Is seventeen years fair?  Should it have been longer?  I mean, when Levi Strauss came forward in those early Gold Rush days, it was a very big deal to come up with a fabric, like jean fabric, because the pants of the miners were wearing out too fast.  And yet, as soon as that patent expires, you see Levi-type jeans everywhere. And, in this day of high costs, high labor costs, high every kind of costs, I've begun to wonder whether the time for the patent is really an adequate time.

         So, I look forward very much to hearing your comments, Mr. Dudas, on that subject.  And may I put my full remarks in the record, please?

See Matt Buchannan's article on patent reform discussions for more information.

Comments

[sherilyn]

I've been wanting to find an email address for Levi Strauss Jeans Company.

I have been searching, without success for a pair of womens Levi jeans with the following criteria:

Belt line at waist
Boot cut
Zipper fly front
Slim fit
Absolutely new (no prewashing)
Levi Strauss brand

I have also been searching for your email address, so I could email this request to you. Please let me know if you know where I can find a pair of jeans that fit the description above.

[Krish]

Hey guys! I just read HERE
that, a new Levi's Store has been opened on Kader Nawaz Khan Road in Nungambakam, Chennai. I am dam excited and cant wait to
visit the place! I read an article about it on FindNearYou.com. You too can check it out for the latest happenings in Chennai! Cheers!