Regenerative Fashion
Regenerative fashion represents a paradigm shift in the fashion industry, focusing on practices that restore and regenerate ecosystems and communities, rather than merely sustaining them. This approach goes beyond minimizing harm and actively seeks to improve the health of the planet and the well-being of people through the entire lifecycle of fashion products. At the core of regenerative fashion is the use of bioregional materials cultivated through practices such as crop rotation, intercropping, and agroforestry, which enhance soil health, increase biodiversity, and capture carbon. These methods contribute to the regeneration of the land, making the production of raw materials not just sustainable but beneficial to the environment. By sourcing materials locally and adopting regenerative agricultural practices, fashion brands can play a vital role in reversing the environmental degradation typically associated with conventional fashion production. Another key aspect of regenerative fashion is the integration of indigenous and ancestral knowledge into the design and production processes. This involves collaborating with indigenous communities to incorporate traditional ways of making, material usage, and land management into modern fashion practices. Such collaborations ensure that these communities benefit directly from their contributions, providing meaningful work and preserving cultural heritage. These product-service systems embody a deep respect for the wisdom of indigenous practices and demonstrate a commitment to social equity and cultural preservation. Regenerative fashion also encourages a circular approach, where garments are designed not just for use, but for eventual return to the earth or reintegration into the production cycle. This means considering the entire lifecycle of clothing—from the cultivation of materials to the disposal or recycling of garments—ensuring that every step contributes positively to the environment and society.
Case studies
Fibershed – Climate Beneficial Fiber Systems
Fibershed is a non-profit organization building bioregional textile systems that regenerate soil, sequester carbon, and support local economies. Through its Climate Beneficial™ programs, Fibershed works with ranchers and farmers to implement regenerative practices such as managed grazing and compost application, then connects these fibers to regional design and manufacturing, demonstrating a full “soil-to-soil” regenerative fashion model.
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Christy Dawn – Farm-to-Closet Regenerative Cotton
Christy Dawn’s Farm-to-Closet collection is built around partnerships with regenerative cotton farmers in India, where the brand co-invests in converting land from conventional to regenerative agriculture. By pre-financing harvests, guaranteeing purchase, and transparently documenting soil health and biodiversity outcomes, Christy Dawn links dress design directly to ecosystem regeneration and community livelihoods.
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Kering – Regenerative Agriculture Program
Kering has established a Regenerative Agriculture program focused on raw materials such as cotton, wool, and leather, partnering with NGOs and producers to restore ecosystems in key sourcing regions. Through its Regenerative Fund for Nature and broader regeneration strategy, the group co-finances projects that improve soil health, biodiversity, and farmer resilience while securing lower-impact fibers for fashion brands in its portfolio.
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Regenerative Organic Alliance – Regenerative Organic Certified® Textiles
The Regenerative Organic Alliance manages the Regenerative Organic Certified® (ROC) standard, which combines organic agriculture, soil health, animal welfare, and social fairness. Several apparel brands now source ROC cotton and other fibers, using the standard as a framework to move beyond “do less harm” sustainability towards agriculture and textiles that actively restore ecosystems and rural communities.
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PANGAIA – Regenerative and Bio-based Material Innovation
PANGAIA operates as a materials-science-driven fashion company that invests in bio-based, recycled, and potentially regenerative inputs such as agricultural-waste fibers and next-generation cellulosics. By coupling material innovation with circular design and transparent impact reporting, PANGAIA positions apparel as an interface to support biodiversity, reduce resource extraction, and experiment with regenerative sourcing models.
Project link
References
Chen, X., Ma, J., Song, M., & Yang, M. (2021). Circular economy and sustainability of the clothing and textile industry. Materials Circular Economy, 3, 12. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42824-021-00026-2
Abbate, S., Centobelli, P., Cerchione, R., Oropallo, E., & Riccio, E. (2023). Sustainability trends and gaps in the textile, apparel and fashion industries. Environment, Development and Sustainability, 25, 11267–11288. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-022-02887-2
Aus, R., Moora, H., Vihma, M., Mikkonen, I., & Nõmmik, K. (2021). Designing for circular fashion: Integrating upcycling into conventional garment manufacturing processes. Fashion and Textiles, 8, 34. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40691-021-00262-9
Kennedy, A. C., Keeling, W. C., Bronson, K. F., Lewis, K. L., Wood, J. A., Johnson, P. N., & Hons, F. M. (2025). A review of regenerative agriculture in cotton production systems across the semi-arid Texas High Plains. Journal of the ASABE, 68(3), 879–900. https://doi.org/10.13031/ja.16451
Provin, A. P., de Aguiar Dutra, R., Machado, M. M., & Vieira Cubas, A. L. (2021). New materials for clothing: Rethinking possibilities through a sustainability approach—A review. Journal of Cleaner Production, 282, 124444. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.124444