Citizens of Humanity Group, the parent company of Citizens of Humanity, Agolde and Goldsign, has established a U.S.-based farming program to encourage farmers to adopt regenerative methods to grow cotton for its brands.
As part of the program, the Los Angeles-based company selected independent certification and inspection body Control Union to conduct its Regenagri certification audit on its first program-approved farm, Hardwick Planting Company in Louisiana. The 8,000-acre site is the first Regenagri-certified cotton farm in the U.S.
Through this new partnership, Citizens of Humanity Group will pay a premium for cotton grown on the farm in return for Hardwick Planting Company using regenerative techniques, Control Union said. The company plans to use this cotton for both denim and knits.
Regenagri is an international agriculture initiative that helps organizations reach new levels of sustainability. Launched in June 2020, the agriculture program supports the health of the land and the wealth of those who live on it. Cone Denim and Candiani Denim have worked with Regenagri to promote regenerative agriculture in their own production as a more sustainable approach to farming and a way to minimize apparel’s global footprint.
“It is encouraging to see the rapid growth of Regenagri globally,” said Franco Costantini, Control Union managing director. “Adoption of the initiative by leading premium brands such as Citizens of Humanity, Agolde and Goldsign is a great indicator of the industry wide move towards regeneratively produced cotton.”
In addition to achieving certification, Citizens of Humanity Group and Regenagri are working with Hardwick Planting Company to support continuous improvement in its regenerative methodology. Methods it utilizes include minimum tillage, cover cropping, rotating five crops, afforestation and natural buffer zones. This will result in carbon sequestration, increased biodiversity, improved soil health and other benefits, Control Union stated.
“We are committed to practices and programs that reduce our carbon footprint and are sustainable in every sense of the word,” said Amy Williams, Citizens of Humanity Group CEO. “We are incredibly proud to support the Hardwick Family and other U.S. cotton farmers by investing in programs that will improve the health of our soil, our planet, and the people who inhabit it.”
Reducing its carbon impact is a critical part of the denim company’s sustainability initiatives.
In March, it launched its most sustainable capsule collection to date, designed exclusively for Net-a-Porter’s eco-minded platform, Net Sustain. The group’s team sourced 100 percent organic cotton and recycled fabrics with a lower environmental impact, working with patternmakers to “fine-tune each garment prototype” and laundry facilities using “green washes and dyes,” laser technology and ozone machines.