In 2024, farmers became the heroes of sustainability as regenerative agriculture transitioned from a buzzword to a proven reality.
The global momentum behind regenerative practices gained undeniable traction, with regenerative farming increasingly recognized for its economic and environmental benefits. In July, the certification body Regenagri reported a dramatic surge in the adoption of its standards. The number of farms and supply chain operators joining the regenerative movement grew fivefold in 2023, with an additional 640 supply chain companies committing to the program.
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Denim mills launched impactful initiatives aimed at transforming their sourcing practices. In April, Soorty unveiled the Soorty Regenagri Initiative (SRI), a project in partnership with the Rural Education and Economic Development Society (REEDS). SRI aims to rejuvenate agricultural ecosystems through regenerative farming techniques, producing cotton in a more sustainable and transparent manner. The initiative focuses on soil health, biodiversity conservation, reduced chemical use, and improved water management, all while ensuring full traceability throughout the supply chain.
A month later, AGI Denim, a vertically integrated denim manufacturer, announced its own regenerative agriculture initiative, the AGI Denim Regenerative Cotton Farm Project, in collaboration with REEDS. “We aim to reduce our environmental impact through a more localized supply chain that empowers the communities where we source our materials from,” said Hasan Javed, AGI Denim executive director. “By keeping things closer to home, we are better set to create more opportunities for the people who help make our denim possible.”
Other denim producers also made significant strides in sustainable cotton sourcing. Turkish mill Maritaş Denim embraced regenerative farming practices to overhaul its cotton production, aiming to revitalize both its products and its reputation. Meanwhile, Brazilian mill Vichuna partnered with Scheffer, a leader in regenerative cotton production, to produce its first fabrics made from regenerative cotton. Scheffer’s cotton is grown in an irrigation-free, rain-fed system, dramatically reducing the water footprint of textile production.
In July, Calik Denim took to the global stage at the United Nations Fashion and Lifestyle Network’s annual meeting, sharing the steps it is taking to transform cotton farming into a more sustainable practice. With these efforts, the denim industry is increasingly aligning itself with regenerative agriculture, setting new standards for environmental responsibility and traceability.
Brands are throwing in their support for regenerative programs. Citizens of Humanity partnered with farm consultancy Advancing Eco Agriculture to debut Integrity Grown, a data-driven standard for growing regenerative cotton. Through on-the-ground teams of agronomists and farm consultants, combined with field technology that measures progress and results, Integrity Grown aims to eliminate the guesswork in regenerative growing.
“The Integrity Grown standard creates a deeper level of transparency for consumers in the cotton growing practices of the regenerative farmers who are supplying us,” said Amy Williams, CEO of Citizens of Humanity Group. “We’ll now be able to more deeply understand the impact of our regenerative cotton supply, with the goal to improve one of the most chemical intensive and soil degrading systems of agriculture: growing cotton.”
The Los Angeles-based brand has been working with 11 farms across the U.S. in addition to three in Turkey to procure about 5 million pounds of fiber over the past two years. It released its debut collection of jeans and denim staples made with regenerative cotton this spring.
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