US-based company Gallant International and its factory partners have launched the largest global regenerative organic cotton project in coordination with Chetna Organic, India’s cotton co-op, for transitioning more than 700 farmers to regenerative organic cotton. This winter, over 3,500 acres of land have been Regenerative Organic Certified, making it one of the largest ROC projects in cotton globally.
“We’ve been using organic cotton for nearly a decade, and we’re just so thrilled to take it a step further with this certification. Now farmers will not only be participating in the most regenerative practices possible, they will be playing a major role in healing the planet—while making extra income from organic, fairtrade premiums and rotational crops. This certification is much more than just a checklist. We’re working to create a more holistic supply chain that takes care of everyone involved, not just the buyer,” Vikrant Giri, founder of Gallant International, and its sister company, Terra Thread, said.
Gallant has been working alongside its factory partners and Chetna Organic to manufacture organic cotton bags, and accessories, made for a variety of clients in tech, beauty, corporates, brands, non-profits, and even celebrities.
“With climate change, a reality, agriculture lands and forest covers shrinking, expert’s world over are advocating for agroecological and regenerative agricultural practices. For us, it’s imperative to promote a more holistic approach to farming, especially amongst its smallholder cotton farming communities living in the forest corridors,” said Arun Ambatipudi, Executive Director of Chetna, a 100 percent farmer-owned organisation.
R. Nanda Kumar, CEO of Chetna added, “India grows much of the world’s cotton but sadly with chemicals, pesticides and GMO seeds. We would like to change that by writing a new narrative for the cotton in the country by not only being organic and fair-trade but also with regenerative practices.”
Regenerative Organic Certified is a relatively new certification spearheaded by the Regenerative Organic Alliance, a California-based non-profit founded by Patagonia, Dr. Bronner’s, and the Rodale Institute. The certification programme requires farming communities to meet a variety of criteria that prioritise soil health, animal welfare, and the social well-being of farmers and farmworkers. Regenerative practices on the farm include intercropping, encouraging biodiversity, using organic inputs (ideally from within the farm’s ecosystem), little or no tilling, and crop rotation to keep soils covered year-round. In addition, the farming systems are certified to be fair-trade. Following these practices leads to the increase of organic matter in the soil and improves overall soil health while providing fair and just working conditions for farmers and workers, explained.
Elizabeth Whitlow, Executive Director of ROA said, “Gallant emulates the best of the ROC programme. The aspirational principles encoded in our standard are perfectly expressed by Vik, Gallant, and his team. They have become allies and advocates for the farmers they are sourcing from and clearly demonstrated that they are on the regenerative journey with the hardworking humans in these communities. As I’ve come to know them, it is apparent that such principles are deeply intrinsic to who they are as people AND as a brand.”
As the fashion industry realises its massive ecological and social footprint, many brands are turning to organic cotton and the demand for organic cotton is rising in the industry, disclosed the official statement.
Giri concluded, “To build a completely traceable supply chain, and that too committed to regenerative organic practices is crucial for us to show that fashion can benefit, not harm, the planet. That’s why we embarked on this process and are keen to see how we can expand it across farming communities in India.”
In 2022, Gallant will be offering woven shirts, knitwear, bags, and accessories made with ROC cotton. In addition, its sister company, Terra Thread, will become the first of its kind, using exclusively Regenerative Organic Certified cotton, and thus the first bag brand in the world specialising in ROC cotton, they added.
