No doubt you’ve heard the buzz about regenerative agriculture. But who’s actually putting it into practice for the textile sector? At the soil level? Brands can say they want it, regulators can try to incentivise it, chemical companies might resist it, but at the end of the day, it’s the grower who has to actually do it.
What’s it really like for a small-scale Indian cotton farmer trying to make a living? What challenges do they face? And what’s in it for them if they do decide to transition their fields and methods back to the old ways? Yes, the old ways... because, guess what - regenerative agriculture is not at new idea!
This week, Clare meets Nishanth Chopra, founder of Oshadi, a "seed to sew" fashion supply chain, contemporary womenswear brand, artisanal textile company and regenerative cotton farm in India.This is a story about how the future of textiles and modern artisanship relies on learning lessons from the past. It’s also about one extraordinary young man’s drive to make a difference, and his galvanising tactics - let’s just say, he’s not someone willing to take no for an answer. Nishanth is proving that it can be done.
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ABOUT NISHANTH At 24, in 2018, he made the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia list. His grandfather, and his father both worked in textiles, first producing traditional clothing for Indians and eventually, textiles for a global audience. Read the rest here.
OSHADI (which means ‘essence of Nature’ or a healing plant in Sanskrit) began as a womenswear label (above) in 2016. Today it’s a seed-to-garment operation based on regenerative cotton farming, that works with like-minded brands determined to do fashion differently.
They say: “Today we are cultivating a new fashion system–one rooted in ancient Indian agricultural practices and artisan heritage, with a 50-acre regenerative cotton farm at its heart. We share what we have built with brands and designers whose values align with our simple ethos: to give back more than we take.” Discover them here.
STORY MGF is a UK-based ethical fashion brand that focuses on sustainability as well as style They say: “Story mfg. was born out of a desire for a more authentic, fulfilling and kind approach to fashion -- one that doesn't involve a trade-off between aesthetics and consciousness. We are a husband and wife team and work with a large group of dyers, weavers, embroiderers and tailors. We want to make things and choices that help change the fashion industry for the better and show that being considerate and kind (to people and the planet) is not only important but an enormous strength. We believe fashion can be a form of social activism and that STORY mfg. can help create a more positive future 🌍. “
And…. “The Fashion industry is one of the most powerful oppressors. If it were a government, we would call it the cruelest regime on the planet for the way it upholds racist practices, disenfranchises, economically enslaves and perpetuates racist stereotypes. The industry relies on the hard work, culture, history, passion and resources of people it chooses not to represent - often perpetuating a disgusting measure of value to customers based on race.” More here.
REBECCA BURGESS is the founder of FIBRESHED, a Californian non-profit organisation that develops regional fibre systems that build ecosystem and community health. Discover them here.
ERODE a small city on the outskirts of Coimbatore, in the heart of India's textile manufacturing industry. His grandfather, and his father both worked in textiles, first producing ethnic wear for Indians and eventually, textiles for a global audience.
REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE is a system of growing that seeks to seeks to rehabilitate and enhance the entire ecosystem by rebuilding soil organic matter and restoring degraded soil biodiversity. See also Fibershed’s CLIMATE BENEFICIAL AGRICULTURE, which provides direct technical and financial support to farmers and ranchers for the implementation of carbon farming practices.
TRAP CROPS is are plants that attract agricultural pests, usually insects, away from nearby crops. Smarter than drenching the whole thing with toxic crap, eh?
PANCHAGAVY is an ORGANIC GROWTH PROMOTER concoction made from cow dung, fresh cow's urine, cow's milk, cow's curd, jaggery. The word Panchagavya originated from Sanskrit which means the mixture of five products obtained from cow. Further reading here.
Brill ethical fashion leader and journo TAMSIN BLANCHARD is the greatest. See what she’s up to here. Oh, but wait, MARION HUME is also the greatest. Find in IG here. They both tie for The Greatest award. Pioneers, both.