In partnership with Citizens of Humanity and Kiss the Ground, Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA) has designed a program to work with farmers to grow cotton regeneratively.

 

MIDDLEFIELD, OH. — Jan 10, 2023 — Today, premium denim label Citizens of Humanity Group announced a long-term partnership with regenerative agriculture leader Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA) and regenerative advocacy group Kiss the Ground Foundation (an inspiration for the highly-acclaimed Kiss the Ground Film, available on Netflix) to work with farmers to grow cotton regeneratively. The Citizens of Humanity Group and its family of brands, Citizens of Humanity, AGOLDE, and GOLDSIGN will launch Kiss the Ground Cotton as part of their Fall 2023 Collections and beyond to supply regeneratively grown cotton that consumers can believe in. 

 

The market demand for regenerative agriculture is increasing at record levels, year over year. According to research from Polaris Market Research, the global regenerative agriculture market was valued at $7.74 billion in 2021 and is projected to be worth more than $24 billion in 2030 with an estimated compound annual growth rate of 14.4%. The same study names “lack of awareness among consumers regarding the benefits of regenerative agriculture” as being one of the limiting factors to the category's growth potential.

 

This partnership aims to increase awareness of the many benefits regenerative agriculture provides - for farmers, brands, consumers, and everybody in between. The initiative will leverage AEA’s leading practices, products, and services to support farmers in the program to grow regenerative cotton and reap the benefits that come from healthier soils with year-after-year improvements.

 

“Partnerships and projects such as these help regenerative growers sell their crops to deliver value-aligned products that consumers are looking for. We believe that in addition to working directly with farmers, it is important to increase public awareness for regeneratively grown products. The shift to regenerative is well underway and will bring more regeneratively grown materials into the supply chain and ultimately to consumers.” Eric Girdler, Chief Operating Officer of AEA

 

The team at AEA – the company that brings growers the popular “Regenerative Agriculture Podcast” – manufactures and distributes crop nutritional supplements and biological inoculants, along with providing science-based programs that give growers the ability to test instead of guess on their journey into regenerative agriculture. These data-driven programs and 1:1 personal support help growers and their operations become more resilient, efficient, and profitable. 

 

“I have always believed that regenerative agriculture has an incredible capacity to regenerate more than just soil health. This approach to agriculture presents the opportunity to regenerate ecosystems, public health and rural landscapes,” said AEA Founder John Kempf. “What I appreciate most about partnering with Kiss the Ground and Citizens of Humanity is that they are not just assigning the responsibility of building healthier supply chains onto farmers. Instead, they are assuming responsibility alongside their grower partners by channeling the economic incentives of better land management into the countryside. This story is absolutely about healthier soils and healthier products for consumers, but it’s also about healthier supply chains that create capacity for better rural stewardship.” 

 

From just one harvest season, the team at Citizens of Humanity has purchased over 1 million pounds of cotton which will be used to produce more than 700,000 products. The program is expanding to include more regenerative farmers in the United States and Turkey for the Spring 2023 planting season. 

 

“We are excited to partner with Citizens of Humanity, Kiss the Ground, and their cotton suppliers to continue to accelerate the adoption of regenerative agricultural practices,” said Jason Hobson, CEO of AEA. “Our team at AEA has repeatedly demonstrated that driving economic returns for farmers is the key to unlocking value-responsible growth throughout the agricultural supply chain. We have seen this in the supermarket produce aisles and look forward to bringing this reality to the racks and shelves in clothing stores.”

 

With a growing number of examples highlighting the damaging health effects of poor product quality, rising concerns around climate change and resource depletion, as well as the increasing economic headwinds farmers face - it’s hard to throw a stone in the business world without hearing about the need for sustainability or regenerative supply chains. 

 

“The challenge for most companies and farmers is in implementation,” said AEA Director of Sales, Kish Johnson. “For many on both sides of this obstacle, the desire has been there, but the barriers to entry have been seemingly insurmountable. With this partnership, we are looking forward to clearing that hurdle and continuing to prove that regenerative agriculture is not only just as profitable as conventional farming but unlocks unprecedented benefits throughout the entire product supply chain.”

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About Advancing Eco Agriculture

The recognized leader in regenerative agriculture since 2006, AEA (Advancing Eco Agriculture) is on a mission to help growers become more resilient, efficient, and profitable. 

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AEA works directly with growers on the application of its unique line of crop nutritional supplements and biological inoculants. Informed by cutting edge plant and soil data gathering techniques, AEA’s science-based programs empower farm operations to meet the crop quality markers that matter the most. 

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AEA has created real and lasting change on millions of acres with their products and data-driven services by working hand-in-hand with growers in North America to produce healthier soil, stronger crops, and higher profits.

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Beyond working on the ground with growers, AEA leads in regenerative agriculture media and education, producing and distributing the popular and highly-regarded Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, inspiring webinars, and other educational content that serve as go-to resources for growers around the world who thirst for actionable information about regenerative agriculture.

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About Citizens of Humanity Group

Within the Citizens of Humanity Group, you’ll find Citizens of Humanity, AGOLDE and GOLDSIGN. Three ready-to-wear labels, each of which boasts a uniquely directional voice and clearly carved place in the denim market. Built upon a philosophical foundation of commitment to quality and uncompromising standards, the company’s core values support everything it does. The company uses the most innovative fabrics sourced from around the world and facilitates product development in its vertically owned facilities to create denim, knits and outerwear of the highest caliber. Company-wide, each brand is committed to being thoughtful in the creation of its products and uses advanced methods to reduce its imprint on the environment, including regenerative cotton, laser technology, ozone machines and high-efficiency wash methods. In short, Citizens of Humanity Group invests in the future. 
 

About Kiss the Ground

Kiss the Ground is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit on a mission to awaken people to the possibilities of regeneration and inspire participation in this movement through storytelling, education, and advocacy. Since being established in 2013 with the goal of creating societal awareness around soil health, Kiss the Ground has educated and activated tens of millions across the

world. kisstheground.com