Sustainable footwear and apparel company Allbirds has pledged that by the end of 2025, 100% of its wool will come from regenerative sources, and all of its annual on-farm emissions from wool will be reduced or sequestered.
The San Francisco-based firm says the goals “will only be possible through a pioneering approach to material sourcing, land management, and inter-organisational cooperation. If successful, this bold experiment in natural carbon-capture has the potential to have widescale impact, giving us all a new weapon in the fight against climate change.”
Regenerative farming practices improve or restore soils by adding cover crops, reducing tillage, and other practices such as rebuilding soil organic matter. As well as emitting less carbon, they have the potential to suck carbon out of the atmosphere and absorb it back into the land – but measuring this impact is still a cutting-edge field of study, Allbirds says.
The company, which last year revealed plans to label all of its products with a carbon footprint, adds that it hopes to launch products made from regenerative wool in the next year.
“Our mission is to reverse climate change through better business,” says Allbirds sustainability manager Hana Kajimura. “As part of our strategy to tread lighter on the planet, we’re focused on developing initiatives that reduce our carbon footprint.
“Merino wool is one of our key natural materials, and while the material benefits are significant, it is currently one of our most carbon-intensive resources. On our journey towards zero emissions, we believe regenerative agriculture presents a huge opportunity to draw down carbon and in turn help to tackle the climate crisis”.
Earlier this year, Allbirds committed to sourcing its New Zealand Merino wool through the new ZQRX platform which was launched by New Zealand Merino Company (NZM).
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