Moving From Sustainable To Regenerative Fashion

The trend towards sustainable fashion may be positive, and it slows the degradation of the environment caused by the textile industry. However, this does not do much to restore the resources used in the natural world. The only way to move forward is a closed-loop, possibly the only solution for reversing the harmful effects of humans.

The trend towards sustainable fashion may be positive, and it slows the degradation of the environment caused by the textile industry. However, this does not do much to restore the resources used in the natural world. The only way to move forward is a closed-loop, possibly the only solution for reversing the harmful effects of humans. Several brands have begun to explore the process.

Nature was there long before we humans appeared, and it will be around long after our departure. Nature had already created a system before humans came along, before the Industrial Revolution and all its waste. This structure is a regenerative system where every part of the ecosystem works in perfect harmony. Nature puts all of the energy it takes out back into the system.

We have shattered this perfectly synchronized system over the years by wasting energy and consuming resources without ever putting them back. We are in a crisis because of our disruptive behavior and unbalanced relationship with nature. Environmental conditions are dire, and if we do not act quickly, humans will be the ones most threatened. Nature will begin to restore itself without us. We will face extinction if our selfish and ignorant practices of decades continue.

Many people around the world have begun to integrate sustainable practices into their daily lives. Individuals and large companies that use the energy of nature or other resources on a greater scale have begun to reduce their usage. Sustainability is an excellent start, but it only stops nature from further degrading into imbalance. It does not bring the resources nature requires back into the equation.

In his recent Vogue Interview with Emily Farra, Aras Bassauskas, CEO of Los Angeles-based label Christy Dawn, said, “The word sustainability is like a dino now.” What are we trying to sustain – the fires and tornadoes? The mass extinctions? “We don’t have to be sustainable. We need to be regenerative.”

He’s not wrong. We have done so much damage that we need to do more than incorporate sustainable practices to repair the entire ecosystem. We must combine sustainability with regenerative methods to ensure that nature is restored to balance while we’re still around.

It may seem impossible to weave regenerative processes in the fashion industry. The word was used more in the past by the food industry. Regenerative farming has many similarities to organic farming, including the elimination of pesticides. It goes one step beyond organic farming by replenishing the resources used on the farm.

This process is relatively new to designers who work with textiles. Some designers, such as Baskauskas and his wife Christy Peterson, have taken the plunge and seen the benefits for themselves and the environment. Baskauskas and Peterson started their brand with a sustainable foundation, using deadstock fabrics rather than new textiles. They then incorporated regenerative processes. Baskauskas says, “In the first five-year history of our brand we were proud to not be part of the issue.” But it was also a burden that we were not part of the solution.

What does regenerative farming look like? It is not surprising that it’s the opposite of what most people imagine a farm to look like. When we imagine a farm, most people think of rows and rows of one type of crop. This outdated method of farming was only put into practice after WWII. In the 1940s, the US was the world’s largest food supplier. To produce large quantities of food at a low cost, synthetic nitrogen and other chemicals were developed.

A modern farm is no different from what nature would produce on its own without human intervention. It should be able to grow a variety of crops that each contributes to the growth of soil, energy, or other crops. The crops have multiple purposes, for example, “cover crops,” which shade the soil to keep it cool and absorb water so that more microbiomes can grow.

Regenerative farms may also plant “pollinator stripes,” which are sections of crops designed to attract bees or butterflies in the area to pollinate. They may, on the other hand, have “trap crops” (used as an alternative to chemical pesticides), which are specific plants meant to divert pests away from crops.

Patagonia is a pioneer in the field of sustainable and regenerative textile practices. It has inspired other brands to follow suit on their path towards good style. Recently, the brand launched its first collection made of organic t-shirts from regenerative farms in India.

Since the release of its regenerative farm products, Patagonia has partnered up with a number of farmers. Helena Barbour is the head of Patagonia Sportswear. She says, “It’s dramatic to find a product that does more than mitigate a situation or reduce its impact, but actually do something good.”

She says that while the discussion of regenerative practices may be new to some, it’s not for everyone, particularly farmers. She says that many farmers in India felt this was a return to their traditional practices …,”. They said that their great-grandfathers farmed like this, but they were then approached by chemical companies selling synthetic fertilizers.

Brands like Patagonia, Christy Dawn, and others have shown that fashion brands can do the same. Rebecca Burgess is the founder of Fibershed, an organization that creates regenerative textile systems. She says, “I believe fashion can be a place where we mainstream regenerative agriculture.” “I believe in some ways that fashion is better positioned than the food industry to be at the forefront of [the conversation] as it is more permanent.”

It is, therefore, a great time to begin imitating nature, especially as we continue to challenge the industry’s direction and question its legitimacy. She will always be there. We are the ones who could not.