Dive Brief:

• In its latest move to build momentum during the pandemic, Target, in collaboration with Levi Strauss & Co., will release an exclusive collection that includes over 100 home, pet, accessories and apparel products, the company announced in a press release Tuesday.

• The new collection, called Levi's for Target, stems from the big-box retailer's decade-long partnership with Levi's. It began in 2011 when Target introduced Levi's value brand Denizen and grew in 2019 through Levi's Red Tab at Target.

• Levi's for Target, which marks the denim brand's first home partnership, will be available in Target stores on Feb. 28, per the release.

Dive Insight:

Target has a history of using partnerships and exclusive product lines to drive sales. And this collection is the latest among a string of partnerships and brand offerings that helped Target thrive during an economically turbulent period.

Over the last few years, Target has built up its exclusive assortment through private label launches and partnerships with big-name brands. Just this past November, Target forged a partnership with Ulta that plans for 100 Ulta shop-in-shops in Target stores. Last February, Target entered Away's market when it launched a private label luggage brand dubbed "Open Story."

Perhaps through this line with Levi's, the two companies are trying to tap into some of the categories enjoying a large amount of growth during the pandemic, such as home and pet products. During the early days of the pandemic, foot traffic at Petco jumped 8% and PetSmart was up by 6%, according to analytics firm Placer.ai. Pet and home have continued to flourish as consumers remain largely inside.

Target has grown and thrived even in an unpredictable environment, which makes it an advantageous partner. During its third quarter, Target's digital comp sales increased 155%, and its top-line sales increased 21.3% year over year to $22.3 billion.

Levi's partnership with Target may be a way for the brand to strengthen its relationship with the retailer as foot traffic in department stores and malls continues to dwindle due to social distancing measures. The recent collection comes just a few months after Levi's said it is expanding the sale of its Red Tab products to 500 Target stores. The premium merchandise debuted in 2019 in over 50 Target stores nationwide.

Levi's isn't the only denim brand looking into the home space recently. Wrangler earlier this week announced a partnership with Pottery Barn Teen for a home collection.

In addition to exclusive partnerships, Target has launched multiple private labels in recent years following the success of its Cat & Jack children's brand in 2016. In 2018 alone, the company launched at least eight private label brands, including Universal Thread, Opalhouse and Heyday. Releasing private labels and exclusive products has proved to be an effective method to spur sales and store traffic for the retailer.