The orange thread traditionally used to sew Levi Strauss blue jeans was intentionally1 selected to match the copper2 rivets3（铆钉） that doubled the durability4 of the jeans.
Levi Strauss, however, neither envisioned this particular use for copper riveting5, which the orange thread complemented6, nor the unique stitching（缝合，针脚） on the rear pockets of the jeans.
Jacob Davis, a Russian immigrant, and a tailor, who plied7 his trade in Reno, Nevada, formulated8 the idea for the riveted9 seam, an idea that would vastly extend the life of the jeans, and would revolutionize the garment industry. Alas10, due to financial constraints11, Jacob could neither afford to obtain a patent for his invention, nor to produce the new garment.
Out of necessity, Jacob approached the wholesaler12（批发商） he purchased his denim13（斜纹粗棉布） from with a proposal that he sell him the West Coast rights to the riveted blue jeans, in exchange for the required to obtain a patent for them. The wholesaler whom accepted Jacob's proposition was none other than Levi Strauss.
Levi gave Jacob a position with his Company in 1873 and, during his tenure14, Jacob ensured that the orange thread be used in all stitching on the jeans, and that the curved, formally named arcuate, stitches adorn15 the rear pockets of the jeans.
Initially16 the fancy, unique stitching on the rear pockets of the jeans served a purpose. The rear pockets of the first Levis the Company produced were lined with cotton, and the orange stitching prevented the padding（填料） from buckling17. The Company dropped the cotton lining18 early on, but the stitching remained, and was registered as a trademark19 in 1942.
only once did it appear as if the orange stitching on the rear pockets would become a thing of the past. The material shortage during World War II prompted Levi to contribute to the war effort by temporarily ceasing production of jeans with the trademark stitching on the rear pockets, as this was considered frivolous20（无聊的，轻佻的） and wasteful21. To avoid a break in continuity of the Levi tradition, the Company had the design hand painted on the rear pockets of each pair of jeans produced.
To this day, the copper rivets, matching orange thread, and ornate stitching on the rear pockets still adorn all Levis produced. The legend of Levi Strauss lives on, while Jacob Davis has been lost in the annals of history.
