Italian denim mill, Candiani, becomes the first company to receive certification against the new Rregenagri Chain of Custody supply chain standard, allowing it to openly state that its denim is created from Regenagri certified regenerative cotton.

Regenagri's mission is to protect the land's health and the prosperity of those who live on it. Regenagri is an international regenerative agriculture program that promotes the adoption of regenerative farming practises on farms and throughout the supply chain, as well as providing farms with additional funding.

According to Regenagri, it takes a holistic approach, recognizing that every farm's transition to regeneration will be unique, depending on the local environment, the products they produce, and the physical and financial resources they have. As a result, rather than using a pass/fail approach, it works with farms on a continuous improvement basis, acknowledging that the transition to regeneration is an ongoing process and focusing on positive outcomes rather than set KPIs.

Farms benefit from the program by having access to Regenagri's digital center, which makes regenerative practices assessment and monitoring easier, as well as certification and verification. As a result, new funding sources, such as Carbon Credits, may become available. They can also connect directly with the brands they supply, allowing for transparent reporting on the results of joint projects, Regenagri notes.

The Regenagri chain of custody certification has the added benefit of allowing organisations to report on their progress toward their environmental goals, which is becoming increasingly important to enterprises around the world.

They can be confident in the regenerative techniques being implemented on their supplier farms, allowing them to make claims in their marketing materials that support their progress toward Net Zero or other ESG pledges.

As the number of Regenagri cotton growers increases, so does the number of supply chains that use the Regenagri certification to claim that their goods are environmentally friendly. These items are made from cotton that is grown in a way that promotes soil health, biodiversity, and water management while actively lowering greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

Franco Costantini, managing director of global certification body Control Union UK, which runs the Regenagri initiative, said that Candiani underwent a complete supply chain audit to ensure compliance with Regenagri criteria, including traceability, management systems, and material integrity. This certification allows them to openly state that their denim is made from Regenagri certified regenerative cotton.

Costantini added that Regenagri's new Chain of Custody standard is an important component of our role in assisting food and fiber supply chains in making the transition to regenerative farming. They’re pleased to have reached this critical milestone with Candiani, as it demonstrates the industry's move toward more ecologically responsible methods.

Alberto Candiani, global manager of Candiani, said that they believe in a future where regeneratively cultivated cotton is the industry standard. They're excited to be the first to join with Regenagri to help with this shift, and they believe they're in the ideal position to help promote regenerative methods and provide full verification.