Candiani creates regenerative denim with regenerative agriculture

Italian denim producer Candiani, has created a plant-based stretch yarn made from natural rubber to replace synthetic, petroleum-based yarns in the first entirely circular experiment. As part of the Road to Denim project, representatives from companies like Redone, Everlane, J Crew, Citizens of Humanity, and Taylor Perez visited the location to inspect the experiment.

The innovative Coreva yarn was used in the seven-week experiment to fertilize the soil and promote the growth of regenerative Blue Seed cotton. Candiani’s own hybrid non-GMO cotton variety is called Blue Seed. It was intended to be a stronger fiber, but it was also made to be more field-resistant and use less water and pesticides.

The top research facility for organic and regenerative agriculture in California, the Rodale Institute, joined forces with Candiani for the experiment. The business sought to demonstrate how its Coreva technology can be used to grow regenerative cotton and have a positive influence on the environment.

The outcome demonstrated that from the first to the seventh week, Coreva’s presence in the soil improved the moisture content of the soil. This effect diminished after the seventh week, most likely as a result of the material’s breakdown. No difference in plant development was seen, although this is likely because cotton has a lengthy growth cycle, and seven weeks is insufficient for it. Therefore, additional tests are necessary.

The successful outcome validates Candiani’s hypothesis that industrial denim production and regenerative agriculture may coexist. This implies that a pair of jeans can return to nature to develop the raw materials for a new pair of jeans when it has reached the end of its useful life.

The company’s president and owner, Alberto Candiani, said that they must look for renewable resources, in addition to biodegradable and compostable materials, in a world where resources are depleting and landfills are overflowing with wasted garments.

Candiani said that denim must lead this change, and they are happy to be collaborating with Stella McCartney, Denham the Jeanmaker, and companies like Huit, Kings of Indigo, Closed, and Heron Preston to share their innovation with the larger fashion industry.