The Future of Clothing:
Regenerative by Design Report
Designing for Regeneration
By outlining the negative impact of the fashion industry, this first section explores regenerative design as a call to action: Rather than simply reducing harm, how can clothing design become a medium for actively restoring ecosystems, supporting communities and contributing to a more just and resilient future?
Regenerative Agriculture & Its Principles
This section turns to regenerative agriculture as inspiration for more than just soil restoration. We look at the philosophy behind it as guiding principles toward systemic change, applied to four levels of regenerative clothing design: soil, ecosystems, ways of being and connection to place.
Soil & Ecosystems
Regeneration starts at the farm and extends throughout the supply chain. In this section, we consider how design decisions can restore soil health and entire ecosystems. By investing in regeneration now, living systems—as well as the brands that rely on them—will benefit in the long term.
Ways of Being & Connection to Place
This section explores how design decisions can regenerate our relationships with the communities and land behind our clothes. Through the power of storytelling, we can recenter regenerative Indigenous practices and confront colonial systems that erase, marginalize or commodify them.
The Transition Period: Challenges & Opportunities
Despite the vital ecological benefits and business case for regenerative agriculture, it remains far from widespread. This section highlights challenges and opportunities to bridge the transition gap—and how clothing brands can lead by example to move regenerative agriculture and design forward.
Key Action Points
To close, we distill the report's findings into a layered roadmap of actionable design strategies—from soil health to human flourishing—to be adapted to your own context rather than applied as a one-size-fits-all model.
Principal Author
Hannah Scharmer
PhD Candidate, Philosophy,
The New School for Social Research
Contributors
Amy Hall
Sustainability Strategic Advisor,
Eileen Fisher Foundation
Antoinette Klatzky
Vice President,
Eileen Fisher Foundation
Alena Manzor
Copywriter,
Eileen Fisher Foundation
Bone+Black
Graphic designer
Disclaimer
Great care and diligence was exercised in the preparation of this report. The report has been compiled with a variety of sources (including expressions of opinion) accurate at the time of writing. The author and contributors have relied upon information they reasonably believe to be reliable and make no promises in regard to the content of the report. Eileen Fisher Foundation, its team, and corporate group members will not be liable for any claims arising from reliance upon the report including indirect and consequential losses.