Levi’s Partners With Google ATAP for the (Very Smart) Commuter Trucker Jacket

The Levi’s® innovation team and Google ATAP joined forces to create a modern version of denim: The Levi’s® Commuter Trucker Jacket, with Jacquard technology woven in. Just as the copper rivet reinvented work wear for miners during the gold rush, innovation today must confront the new challenges of our digital world.

A Bit More About the Jacket

The Levi’s® Commuter Trucker Jacket weaves interactive fibers into denim to create a fashionable and functional interactive jacket for the urban cyclist. The jacket allows cyclists to control their mobile experience and connect to a variety of services, such as music or maps, directly from the jacket sleeve. With customized connectivity, the jacket provides a seamless cycling experience, and serves as a co­pilot for your life (on and off your bike) —all without having to remove your phone from your pocket.

How Does the ​Levi’s® Commuter Trucker Jacket ​Work?

It all starts with a conductive yarn woven into the fabric—in the same way traditional materials are made—to create an interactive textile that links seamlessly with services and applications through interactive touch. The digital connectivity is provided through a smart tag, and apart from this detachable tag, the whole interactive garment is washable and durable like regular denim. Simple inputs like swipes or taps on the jacket can connect to the device’s functionality to control music and silence calls, where the touch then registers wirelessly to a phone or tablet.

Jacquard is a platform, and with the Levi’s® Commuter Trucker Jacket, you decide what it does for you. A fully integrated app will allow the user to program the level of interaction with their device, and what features are most important to them ­ adjusting music volume, silencing a call, or getting an estimated ETA to their location.

How Did Levi’s® & Google End Up Working Together?

Both bring something very special to the table. The Levi’s® brand is built on innovation, creativity and a pioneering spirit that has helped individuals around the world express their personal style for more than 140 years. Google ATAP brings advanced knowledge of the technologies, platforms and digital systems needed to make wearables a viable possibility.

Why the Levi’s​®​ Commuter Line?

The Levi’s® Brand has always been about purposeful design and creating products that meet a consumer need ­ from the 1800s when we first crafted jeans for miners to the 2000s when we introduced our Commuter line built for today’s urban cyclist. Our Levi’s® Commuter line has always been about purpose­-driven design and solving real world problems. Our goal is always to create clothes that perform as great as they look.