New Balance joins Regenerative Agriculture movement

New Balance joined Land to Market, an outcomes-based verified sourcing solution for raw materials sourced from verified regenerative land. Regenerative agriculture is a nature-based method that goes beyond sustainability to improve the entire ecosystem — soil, water, air, and animals — on a continuous basis.

John Stokes, New Balance director of Global Sustainability, said that New Balance has a long history of doing things differently. They’re always looking for a better way to do things, and given the urgency of the climate situation, collaboration is essential. They believe that like-minded relationships with specialists who can help them expand their reach boost their work. Creating and maintaining a healthier planet necessitates a concerted effort from the top of their supply chain down, and they couldn’t be more excited for the work ahead with Land to Market.

New Balance takes a comprehensive approach to climate change, focusing on key areas where the company can make a difference. Polyester and leather are two of New Balance’s biggest climate-impacting materials. By 2025, the business hopes to purchase 50% recycled polyester and 100% preferred leather as a first step toward reducing such consequences. New Balance is working toward these objectives with important partners who help to facilitate activities and track success.

Cynthia Maletz, New Balance director of Product Creation Platforms, said that they’re continually searching for ways to advance and expand their portfolio of environmentally favored materials. Through their partnership with Land to Market, they will be able to increase the sustainability credentials of their leather, which is a key priority material for them.

Chris Kerston, co-leader of Land to Market, said that regenerative agriculture fixes the damage that humans have done to the Earth and makes things better. Humanity will fail to meet vital climate targets unless the industry takes bold action. New Balance has committed to being an action leader by joining Land to Market and having an effect on the climate issue by recovering the land through regenerative agriculture.

Land to Market works directly with farmers, ranchers, and other raw material producers to monitor land health and verify whether farmland is in a state of regeneration or degeneration using Ecological Outcome VerificationTM (EOV), Land to Market’s proprietary technology. The Savory Institute, in collaboration with Michigan State University, Texas A&M University, The Nature Conservancy, and others, developed EOV.

EOV evaluates the environmental impact of farmers and ranchers as they undertake land regeneration management and gives feedback for continual improvement. As more land is regenerated, more flora grows, and more carbon dioxide is taken from the atmosphere, aiding in the reduction of rising carbon levels in the atmosphere. As a result, regenerative agriculture plays an important role in combating climate change.

New Balance will release a new product produced with leather from verified regenerative ranches in 2023, and it is already working on plans to expand its sourcing across the supply chain. Materials acquired from farms and ranches that have achieved excellent environmental outcomes through EOV are used in products with the Land to Market verification seal.