Levi’s and H&M are teaming up with the International Textile Garment & Leather Workers†Federation to ban sandblasting for apparel products (denim and heavier materials are most likely to receive the treatment), and it’s because of a disturbing trend.

Not a fashion one, though if you’re not a fan of the sandblasted look you may already be in agreement.

“Between 2005 and 2009, 40 garment workers in Turkey reportedly died from a lung disease caused by exposure to crystalline silica, a substance used to make sandblasted denim. As a result, the Turkish government outlawed the practice; last year, Levi’s and H&M stopped using sandblasted products.” {The Cut}

Hopefully the pairing adds weight to the 2009 decision of H&M and Levi’s not to purchase or sell sandblasted products, when the companies determined that safe labor practices were skirted with suppliers and subcontracters.

Treehugger reports that “when the Turkish Health Ministry prohibited the practice in 2009, many firms simply picked up stakes and made new deals in less-stringent Pakistan, Egypt and Syria.”

Professor Zeki Kılıçaslan, a chest physician at Istanbul University, says that sandblasting is “a very profitable job because it adds a value of 50 percent to a product.” {Treehugger}

When continuously inhaled, crystalline silica dust can get stuck in lungs and irritate them, reducing lung capacity and leading to bronchitis or cancer. It wasn’t specified which disease killed the Turkish workers, but it’s definitely worth eliminating the practice if it means reducing the risk of garment workers becoming fashion victims.

Good news! You could win one of 10,000 pairs of jeans from the Gap by going on Facebook. The social network announced Wednesday that, with the help of a forthcoming Facebook app that will be similar to Foursquare, thousands of shoppers will receive free jeans for visiting Gap stores. The first 10,000 people to “check in” on a designated day will be the winners. {Fashionista}

Privacy - increasingly difficult to find on Facebook, but look at the positive side: you'll get free jeans or 40% off in exchange!

Shoppers will have to physically be inside a Gap store to “check in,” and those who are not one of the first 10,000 but “check in” anyway will receive a 40 percent discount on a pair of Gap jeans. To put this in perspective, the Gap has just over 3,000 retail locations worldwide, so about three pairs of jeans will be given away at each store. {The Cut}

It looks like the folks at the Gap are trying to wash the logo change fiasco taste out of the publicâ€s mouth, but apparently this is just one of many forthcoming giveaways and promotions Facebook will participate in. The Web site is gearing up to launch a “deals” program, which will be very similar to Foursquareâ€s “deals” program, whereby checking in at certain businesses earns you discounts for that business.

We absolutely love hearing about all the creative ways social media is being used for business purposes, and who doesnâ€t enjoy free stuff? It is a little creepy, though, to think about people “checking in” with Facebook – much like someone would check in with their spouse or boss at various points throughout the day. Then again, it does seem as if creepy has become Facebookâ€s middle name (anyone want to create a petition to change the name to Stalkbook?).

Location based social media has also already shown security risks, with one man reporting last May that his home was burglarized when he updated Twitter while on vacation, thus announcing the vacancy of his house. {azcentral} Facebook has an insecure login process that is not helping security matters, and a new Firefox plugin has made it easy to grab user logins over insecure wi-fi connections. {Valleywag}

In short, if you’re checking into your local Gap (or anywhere else) over a free wi-fi connection, there is a good chance that the busy-looking guy sitting on the nearby bench can see your password. While it might not seem like a big deal that a stranger can access your friends list, or that you’re a fan of cheese, if you use the same password for other accounts – like your email address or online banking - it can easily become a goldmine of information for stores in addition to online criminals and pranksters.

In case you’re still too enticed by the free stuff, weâ€ll be sure to keep you updated when a date is set for the Gap giveaway.

Have you ever looked at your baby’s diaper and thought “if there were only something I could do about that boring white diaper”? Weird question, right?

Not for Huggies. Introducing Huggies Little Movers Jeans Diapers!

Photo via Jezebel

Yes, this is really a product that had a New York City launch complete with (adorable) models and a runway.

Don’t worry, your baby won’t get diaper rash from all the denim rubbing up against their little bottom. It’s just denim print… so a photocopy of jeans, essentially.

They’re a bit over the top, but honestly, aren’t all new trends a little out there at first? We’re still not sure about the baby high heels favored by New Jersey housewife Teresa Giudice {Heelarious}, but if these do well perhaps it’s an indication that the premium denim market really is coming back.

Really, the biggest shocker is that this wasn’t the natural progression – or regression perhaps, of  the fashion meets everything capsule collections we’ve gotten used to over the years.

But starting at $10.99, we have no doubt it will be just as popular with style savvy moms and dads.

Fitting seamlessly into the recent Americana trend is the latest collaboration between Levis and skater and musician Tommy Guerrero.

No word yet on when the collab officially drops, but for now we get a sneak peak at the above two pieces which mix the classic Levi’s denim look with a kitschy Mexican-inspired theme.

When the collection finally does hit stores, though, please (do we really have to tell you this?) don’t wear both pieces together at the same time, unless you actually want to look like a bad hybrid between 21 Jump Street and There Will Be Blood.

Read the full story {High Snobiety}

In response to the economy (yes, we’re tired of hearing that, too), numerous American designers are going back to their roots and exploring stripped-down, basic sportswear — and several have taken the road of Americana, to a time where life was more simple and things were always as they seemed.

There was a glimpse at the early days of American football at Alexander Wang, and there was as usual a strong all-American look at Ralph Lauren, the bastion of American sportswear.

To work this trend into your daily wardrobe, we recommend picking up some well-made premium denim with a slightly slouchy, worn-in look.  Pepper your color palette with various shades of khaki, cornflower blue, and indigo, keeping hair and makeup to a minimum for a fresh feel.  This look is all about cool, classic ease, but remember to pay attention to fit and proportion in order to avoid looking sloppy.

Read the full story {BlackBook}

In the early 1950s jeans were synonymous with youthful rebels such as  James Dean and Marlon Brando. They were the working man’s jean turned angst uniform. Through the 60s bell bottoms, 70s punk rock, 80s hair bands and 90s grunge garb, jeans have been a staple protest against “the man.” Today’s designer jeans have begun to mitigate the harsh generalization of the workers jeans, so it’s not surprising to see world leaders and power players such as Obama and Nicolas Sarkozy playing up to what is being named “power jeans”.

It may be a new sight from the familiar suit and casual trousers, but isn’t it about time the jean made its way into high-profile situations? Everyone has a pair, we all dress it up when we can- to keep it chic but stay casual and comfortable. The truth behind this” trend” is that these political leaders are of the generation where jeans were the staple. They idealized James Dean they wanted to emanate Marlon Brando, they have grown out of the rebellious culture jeans personified but denim is changing  into new and wearable work attire because of their long-standing popularity, they are growing with the generation

Who better to exemplify the growing acceptance of jeans than Steve Jobs of Apple, the poster boy for today’s power jeans. Synonymous with innovation, the tech world has become weary of the casual slack. “When someone shows up to an interview or meeting in anything other than jeans, it shows inexperience and a lack of confidence,” says Andrew Dumont, vice president of marketing for text-messaging company Tatango.

The workers pant and rebel attire has become a symbol of strength, if worn appropriately for age and occasion. Russian president Dmitry Medvedev keeps the fit and cut simple, paired with a solid shoe and blazer. Though our own President may have been chastised for his “dad jeans” seen nationwide when throwing out the first pitch at a baseball game, we all know from his now famous college photos  and sleek appearances otherwise, he has the ability to bring justice to the power jeans.

Read the full story{Wall Street Journal}