The textiles industry stands at a critical crossroads, grappling with the pressing need to address its long-standing sustainability challenges. From water consumption and chemical pollution to carbon emissions, the industry's environmental impact has become increasingly unsustainable. Driven by rising consumption and falling manufacturing costs, current practices are no longer viable if we aim to preserve our planet for future generations.

A promising solution lies in embracing regenerative agriculture, a holistic approach that not only reduces environmental impacts but actively restores natural systems. The food industry has already demonstrated the success and potential of regenerative practices, offering a valuable blueprint for the textiles sector to follow.

A key hurdle hindering the widespread adoption of regenerative practices is the lack of consensus and evidence on the measurement of environmental, socio-cultural, and economic outcomes. The absence of corporate accountability, driven by insufficient regulation and investor requirements, has exacerbated greenwashing concerns, inhibiting investments and preventing the valuation of data collected.

Regenerative Agriculture Summit Europe

At the Regenerative Agriculture Summit Europe (3-5 September | Amsterdam), leaders from the Textile Exchange and WBCSD will convene to address the joint efforts required to align on regenerative agriculture outcomes, exploring how the private sector and philanthropic efforts can enable better alignment for metrics at farm, landscape, and global ESG levels.

Alongside the challenge of metrics, the textiles industry faces mounting pressure to support its sustainability claims accurately and credibly. This is particularly pronounced in the wool industry, where the availability and quantification of regenerative wool remain crucial considerations.

The International Wool Textile Organisation, Hugo Boss, and The Knitwit Stable will explore strategies for achieving sufficient visibility and transparency over wool supply chains, covering the current state of regenerative wool farming systems and retailer expectations. Whilst Climate Farmers and The Green Farm Collective will delve into the importance of traceability in driving genuine sustainability efforts, examining new EU legislation and the technological solutions available for capturing and managing supply chain data.

Recognising the vital role of biodiversity in enhancing farm productivity, textile companies must also integrate nature-based solutions into their climate strategies. Conservation International, Reforest'Action, and Quantis will discuss how textile brands can establish realistic biodiversity KPIs, overcome barriers to action across the supply chain, and navigate strategies for water usage, wastage, and scarcity.

The 3rd annual Regenerative Agriculture Summit Europe (3-5 September | Amsterdam) provides a timely platform for the implementation and acceleration of regenerative practices across the textiles industry. Bringing together a diverse group of stakeholders from across the value chain, the summit offers a unique opportunity to explore supply chain transparency and traceability, share case studies, and tackle real-world challenges and learnings within the transition towards a more regenerative future.

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Who’s Speaking?

- Heinz Zeller, Principal Sustainability, Hugo Boss

- Hanna Denes, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Strategy Lead, Textile Exchange

- Dalena White, Secretary General, International Wool Textile Organisation

- Reina Ovinge, Founder, the Knitwit Stable

- Simon Kraemer, Policy Steward for Regenerative Agrifood Ecosystems, European Alliance for Regenerative Agriculture

- Ivo Degn, Co-Founder, Climate Farmers

- Gijs Schilthuis, Head of Unit Policy perspectives, Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development, European Commission

Regenerative Agriculture Summit Europe

3-5 September 2024

Amsterdam

Regenerative Agriculture Summit Europe