Regenerative Agriculture Press Release

The Sustainable Home Pioneer Goes Beyond Organic to Support the Future of Farming

 

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - April 22, 2020 - The Coyuchi Philanthropy Project Fund by Coyuchi, the pioneer of sustainable home textiles, announced today it has invested $50,000 in White Buffalo Land Trust. The money directly supports White Buffalo’s Campaign for Jalama Canyon Ranch, for which it is raising funds to acquire one of California’s richest stretches of land for regenerative agriculture. 

Since its founding in 1991, Coyuchi has set the standard for what it means to be a sustainable business in the home industry. The 29-year-old California small business was the first home brand to enter the regenerative agriculture space in 2018 when it shifted to purchasing Climate Beneficial™ Wool exclusively from Fibershed, a California nonprofit that seeks to build regional and regenerative fiber systems. The investment in White Buffalo not only demonstrates Coyuchi’s continued commitment to innovation in the future of farming, but also drives forward the necessity for sustainable farming practices in fiber, and thus textiles.  

In adding White Buffalo to Coyuchi’s community of farming partners, the brand aims to continue pioneering sustainable practices in fiber and become the first home brand to release a regenerative organic cotton product by 2023. 

The Power and Potential of Regenerative Agriculture at Scale

Regenerative agriculture is a system of farming principles and practices that restores agricultural land and surrounding ecosystems by naturally increasing biodiversity, enriching soil, and restoring watersheds. These farming practices have been proven to lead to a healthier food system, draw carbon out of the atmosphere, increase biodiversity, strengthen communities, and improve farmer and rancher livelihoods. Regenerative agriculture has the power to reverse some of the public health and environmental crises facing our planet today. 

Due to our longstanding history in organic cotton farming, Coyuchi has a deep understanding of  the role fiber plays in our agricultural system,” says Eileen Mockus, Coyuchi CEO. “Supporting the work at White Buffalo and their purchase of the Jalama Canyon Ranch allows us to directly impact the California coast, connect fiber with our food systems and create a path for Coyuchi to share our journey to regenerative agriculture for our fiber.

 

Coyuchi has chosen White Buffalo for this investment because of its commitment to restoring the land in a degraded portion of the California coast. Through soil sequestration, CO2 is removed from the atmosphere and stored in the soil carbon pool. According to Rodale Institute, recent data from farming systems and pasture trials around the globe show we could sequester more than 100% of current annual carbon emissions with a switch to these widely available and inexpensive management practices. 

 

Beyond its positive environmental impact, regenerative agriculture has the potential to transform what we grow to be nutrient rich. From cotton to corn, what grows in the ground thrives when the soil is healthy, and the healthier crops, combined with ecologically and socially responsible practices, equate to a healthier world and people living in it.

“We are all facing accelerating environmental and public health crises; so in response we can come together in full creativity and ambition to redesign how we take care of ourselves as a society in a way that minimizes extractive and harmful practices on the planet,” says Steve Finkel, Founder and President of White Buffalo Land Trust. “Our partnership with Coyuchi is a critical step on the path toward transitioning our economy, agriculture, and society to a system that creates lasting health and wellbeing for our ecosystem and communities.”  

 

“Through its investment in Jalama Canyon Ranch, Coyuchi is laying the groundwork to move our economy and culture toward a regenerative model,” he continued. “We hope that every time someone enjoys a beautiful Coyuchi sheet set or towel in their home, it is a reminder of the brand’s commitment to our planet, as well as our individual responsibility to it. We couldn't be happier to be working with Coyuchi as we all evolve toward this future, together.”  

Going Beyond Organic

Recognizing that sustainability in retail begins on the farm, Coyuchi has historically focused on working exclusively with organic growers across the globe. The use of organic versus conventional cotton equates to an enormous environmental impact including reductions in water usage, chemical runoff, soil erosion and degradation, energy usage, and greenhouse gas emissions. For this reason, more than 90% of Coyuchi’s organic cotton products are certified by The Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), the world's leading textile processing standard for organic fibers, including ecological and social criteria. 

As an innovator of climate-conscious retail, Coyuchi’s investment in White Buffalo is a strategic move for the brand to go beyond organic and explore what more can be done to combat climate change in the textile industry. In addition to the incredible work White Buffalo is currently doing with soil, Jalama Canyon Ranch will serve as a 1,000 acre example of regenerative agriculture for other producers to learn from. All of the farm’s financial and ecological outcomes will be shared publicly, allowing producers from around the world to learn from its model. It will also invest in shared processing infrastructure currently unavailable in the region.

To learn more about Jalama Canyon Ranch and how you can donate to its efforts to combat climate change, visit their website. You can also learn more about Coyuchi’s strides in sustainability at https://www.coyuchi.com/pages/circular-initiatives. 

About Coyuchi

Since 1991, Coyuchi has been crafting the finest, coastal-inspired organic bedding, sheets, towels, apparel, and more for a clean, environmentally conscious home. We intend to change the way people think about buying home textiles by providing transparency, product innovation, and practices that limit harm to the environment and the people who live in it. Transparency means being open about our supply chain, fiber, chemistry, and safety. We are product innovators with a commitment to organic, regenerative, and circular practices that serve the planet and its people. We see ourselves as disruptors in the way home textiles are made and activists for a cleaner and safer planet. 

About White Buffalo Land Trust 

​Founded in honor of the spirit and vision of Lyndsey McMorrow, the Santa Barbara based 501(c)3 non-profit organization practices, develops, and promotes systems of regenerative agriculture for local, regional, and global impact. The Trust serves as a leader in Regenerative Agriculture in the Santa Barbara region and a connected hub in the growing global movement. The White Buffalo Land Trust team of active land stewards, researchers, educators, and innovators are committed to aligning agriculture, conservation, and human development for long term ecosystem, economic, and community health.