You may have heard of regenerative agriculture in the food industry – a promising concept on paper that’s too often been used to greenwash animal agriculture. Now, what if we told you that the same concept exists in the fashion industry? The very threads of your favourite t-shirt can also be cultivated using methods from so-called regenerative agriculture. Experts say natural fibres should be grown not just organically but regeneratively to truly be sustainable. So yes, the materials in your wardrobe matter just as much as the organic carrots in your salad. But what exactly is regenerative fashion, and how does it tie into healthy fashion ecosystems? Let’s take a look at the 5 steps that fashion could take for a more sustainable wardrobe. We’ll try to see if regenerative fashion is yet another buzzword or if it can truly reduce the environmental impact of fashion.
Slow fashion often advocates sustainable practices, biodegradable materials, and fair production. But is that really enough to clean up the fashion industry? Considering we’ve already crossed five of the nine planetary boundaries – climate change, chemical pollution, phosphorus and nitrogen cycles, land-use changes, and biodiversity loss – the fashion industry is a major culprit in our planet’s destruction. It’s clear we need more effective initiatives and strategies than just using organic cotton. Fast fashion has degraded our natural ecosystems. Naturally, it’s time to talk about regeneration – meaning the restoration of our ecosystems. But what does regenerative fashion really mean?
Regenerative Fashion Defined
Unlike sustainable fashion, regenerative fashion doesn’t just use natural resources in a controlled, chemical-free way. It also commits to leaving nature better than it was found. This approach aims to restore and improve ecosystems, not just minimize damage. In other words: it’s about making a positive impact, not just a smaller footprint. But how can this happen?
5 Steps For More Sustainability In Your Wardrobe:
- Regenerative Materials
- Avoiding Pesticides & Chemicals
- Water Management
- Energy Efficiency And Renewable Energies
- Quality & Longevity
1. Regenerative Materials
First things first: regenerative fashion relies on regenerative materials. This means sustainable, biodegradable fibres like hemp, organic cotton, Tencel, or linen. These materials not only use fewer resources but can potentially also improve the soil they grow in. Regenerative agriculture enriches the soil through composting and minimal pesticide use. This boosts biodiversity and the overall ecosystem health.
At SANVT, we only use natural, biodegradable fibres like organic cotton, Lyocell, and recycled wool. Even our labels are 100% cotton, not polyester. Read more about it here.
2. Avoiding Pesticides & Chemicals
Wondering how biodiversity is threatened by the fashion industry? The answer lies amongst other things in the nasty chemicals and pesticides. A step towards regenerative fashion is using non-toxic, biodegradable chemicals in textile processing. Beyond that, innovative water treatment technologies should be employed to remove harmful substances before they hit the ground, especially during dyeing processes.
3. Water Management
Speaking of water, efficient water use is crucial in regenerative fashion. Water is the new gold, after all. Initiatives that reduce water consumption in textile production, like closed-loop systems, are essential. That’s why at SANVT, our facilities have closed water loops, recycling 99.9% of wastewater. Plus, our factories dye our fabrics without any harmful chemicals or heavy metals.
4. Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy
The greenest materials and most regenerative farming practices won’t cut it if the production energy isn’t renewable. Regenerative fashion leans on renewable energy sources like solar and wind, and offsets production emissions through climate projects. Measures to reduce energy consumption, such as more efficient machinery and better insulation, help minimise CO2 footprints. At SANVT, we’ve analysed and optimised our supply chain’s environmental impact with external experts. Our Perfect T-Shirt’s production for instance now generates only 3.4kg of CO2, down from 5kg – 50% lower than conventionally produced t-shirt.
5. Quality & Longevity
Last but not least, quality and longevity are the cornerstones of regenerative fashion. After all, a product’s sustainability plummets if its quality is poor – and regenerative fashion is also about not having to produce as much material such as conventional cotton. Regenerative fashion promotes reduced consumption through durable, timeless clothing that curbs the need for constant replacements, overconsumption and impulsive shopping. At SANVT, we believe true sustainability is quality that lasts a lifetime. That’s exactly why we specialised in producing timeless, high-quality essentials that are not only fair and sustainable but also long-lasting.
Regenerative Fashion: Conclusion
As you can see, regenerative fashion goes beyond standard sustainable fashion. When a brand truly follows these five steps for sustainability, regenerative fashion is far from greenwashing. It’s an integrative socio-economic development in the fashion industry, promoting biodiversity and product quality. Regenerative fashion is arguably the most promising – though still somewhat utopian – movement in the slow fashion sphere. If the fashion industry fully embraced regenerative practices, our clothes would be as green as your morning smoothie – figuratively speaking, of course.