From H&M to Gucci, Fashion's Sustainability Push Turns to Regenerative Agriculture

Fashion's push for sustainability is reaching all the way back to the fields where its raw materials begin their journey. As concerns about farming's impact on soil, water, and biodiversity grow, brands are adopting regenerative agriculture to protect the very land that produces cotton, wool, and other key fibres they use.

The Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) is the newest to transition to regenerative standards. At the same time, Gucci, H&M Group, Primark, and Patagonia are expanding projects that link farming practices to fashion sourcing.

Better Cotton Changes Direction

On 13 October, BCI adopted regenerative standards after updating its farming rules in April 2026. BCI's standard covers more than 20% of the world's cotton production, making this change significant for brands that depend on it.

Traditional farming practices can degrade soil, reduce biodiversity, and waste water, threatening the land that supports the fashion industry. Regenerative farming aims to tackle these issues by improving soil health, protecting natural areas, and increasing water retention and carbon capture.

BCI now prioritises locally adapted farming methods and continuous improvement in environmental and social outcomes. Its goal is to help farmers maintain productive land and give brands greater supply chain transparency.

To support this transition, BCI acquired the Co team and technology from Materra, a farming technology provider. This system streamlines field data collection and reduces administrative tasks for farmers and partners.

H&M Builds on Existing Work

In 2025, H&M Group partnered with BCI on a regenerative agriculture project in Gujarat, India, to train and support 12,000 local farmers. In its first year, 1,764 farmers received bonus payments.

H&M's supply chain used 1,700 metric tonnes of traceable BCI cotton fibre, achieving half of the initial target. These results show the impact of farm-level changes on the supply chain. However, these figures only indicate progress toward project goals and do not reflect H&M's total cotton use or confirm that all cotton is produced using regenerative methods.

H&M also collaborates with WWF on farming projects near India's Satpura and Pench reserves. An April 2025 case study reports that 4,250 farmers adopted regenerative methods for at least one growing season.

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Gucci Extends Regenerative Wool

Regenerative sourcing is gaining momentum in luxury fashion. In 2021, Kering, Gucci's parent company, launched the Regenerative Fund for Nature with Conservation International. Inditex, Zara's parent company, joined in 2023 and expanded the project to cover materials for clothing, footwear, and accessories.

The fund promotes better farming and grazing practices to restore natural areas and safeguard key raw materials such as cotton, wool, cashmere, and leather. By the end of 2024, it managed 13 projects across eight countries. According to its annual report, these projects covered 1.1 million hectares and supported 105,000 people.

In addition, Gucci launched a regenerative wool project in Uruguay with Chargeurs Luxury Fibres. In 2024, the brand introduced scarves made from wool sourced from these farms. Each scarf includes an NFC tag that customers can scan to view supply chain details, including the originating farm.

This initiative links farming practices directly to finished luxury accessories. It also expands regenerative agriculture from cotton to wool used in scarves and knitwear.

Primark Expands Farmer Training

Primark has improved its cotton sourcing through a long-term partnership with CottonConnect. Since 2013, the Primark Cotton Project has trained and supported over 300,000 farmers in India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan.

The training aims to reduce water and chemical use, improve soil health, and support farmers' livelihoods. Primark also uses CottonConnect's TraceBale system to track cotton throughout the supply chain.

In 2023, the program introduced training on CottonConnect's REEL Regenerative Code. Primark plans to make regenerative farming central to the project by 2030. This will begin with a pilot involving 3,000 farmers. Separately, Primark aims for all cotton used in its clothing to be organic, recycled or sourced through the project.

Traceability Remains a Priority

Other brands are enhancing supply chain transparency and improving farming practices. In 2018, Patagonia launched a Regenerative Organic Certified cotton pilot in India with more than 150 farmers.

The program later expanded to over 2,000 farmers, leading to Patagonia's first certified cotton collection in 2022. Adidas also joined Traceable Better Cotton (TBC) in 2024 to improve cotton traceability. Its 2025 annual report also outlines efforts to map its cotton supply chain.

Some brands prioritise better farming practices, while others focus on tracing cotton to its source. Both approaches matter and address different parts of the supply chain. Such efforts demonstrate a broader shift in fashion toward responsible sourcing, as brands increasingly consider how raw materials are grown, processed, and supplied.

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