We collaborate with smallholder farmers to develop agroforestry systems with natural fibers and help the fashion industry regenerate nature.
Long description
Fashion industry is one of the most polluting in the world. Materials are sourced either from fossil fuels (polyester) or natural fibers, with cotton comprising the majority. Conventional cotton methods represent 99% of Brazilian cotton production, it is highly pesticide-intensive and tied to commodities, which are major contributors to deforestation.
We collaborate with smallholder farmers in the Amazon to cultivate cotton using agroforestry systems. Agroforestry combine a diversity of species to collaborate with each other, enhance ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration, biodiversity, and water availability. Smallholder farmers are learning a new method involving over 20 different crops, from annuals to fruits and timber.
Today, these families sell their cotton at premium prices to the sneaker brand VEJA, while growing organic crops, providing food security, increasing wages and contributing to the regeneration of one of the most vulnerable regions in the Amazon.
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