Who was Levi Strauss?
Q: Who was Levi Strauss?
A: Levi Strauss was a German-born American maker of clothing. He was born as Löb Strauss into a Jewish family in Buttenheim, Bavaria, Germany.
Q: When did Levi Strauss move to San Francisco?
A: In 1853, Strauss moved to bustling San Francisco, California.
Q: What inspired the invention of Levi's jeans?
A: Prospectors and miners often complained about their easily torn cotton "britches" and pockets that "split right out", which gave Levi the idea to make a rugged overall trouser for them to wear.
Q: What fabric did he use for his trousers?
A: Initially he used bolts of brown canvas sailcloth but eventually switched to a sturdy fabric called serge made in Nimes, France. This fabric became known as denim.
Q: Who helped him patent his process?
A: Jacob Davis, a Reno Nevada tailor who purchased cloth from the company, suggested that they take out the patent together and so they received United States patent #139121 for using copper rivets to strengthen the pockets of denim work pants.
Q: How long did it take for Levi's brand of jeans to be manufactured after receiving the patent?
A: After receiving the patent in 1873, Levi's brand of jeans began manufacturing shortly afterwards using fabric from Amoskeag Manufacturing Company in Manchester New Hampshire.
Q: Who inherited his fortune after his death?
A: After his death on September 26 1902 at age 73, he left his business to his four nephews—Jacob, Louis Abraham and Sigmund Stern—who helped rebuild it after 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire. The following year Jacob Davis sold back his share of the company and Peter Haas and his family are now primary heirs to the Levi Strauss fortune.
