Call me Mr. Clean Jeans. Nearly a year ago, I took exception to Levi CEO Chip Bergh’s recommendation that consumers stop washing their jeans in an effort to save water and ultimately, the environment. The Chipper even had the nerve to blame folks at home for wasting water even though 50% of the water used during a pair of jeans’ lifetime comes from growing cotton and production.


But I digress. I took Bergh’s suggestion and, I have to admit, as the photo below proves, my unwashed jeans (on the right) held up pretty well during the past year. The other pair was washed once a week and, as you can see, faded. Of course, go a year without washing your jeans and you’ll have to deal with other issues. Marketers understand that, which is why the focus these days has shifted, or as Hero Clean CEO Mike Eaton noted, “The war on stains is over; the war on odor is underway.”


Detergent makers are trying to win this war just as they seem to be winning consumers over again. Last year, US sales of laundry detergents rose for the first time in several years. To find out what brands are winning and losing, click here.


Keeping with our fragrant theme, this month Christine Esposito looks at the latest trends in household product perfumery. And for something completely different, read Melissa Meisel’s cover story on some of the little beauty brands that are making big news in the always-competitive cosmetics category. 


We hope you enjoy this edition of Happi. As always, we welcome your comments and suggestions—like should I wash these Levi’s now, or wait until 2018?