Ugg has reached its goal to support one million acres of grasslands across 80 sheep farms in Australia.
According to the Deckers Brands-owned footwear company, the milestone comes a year ahead of schedule and only four years after the brand established a long-term partnership with Land to Market and Savory Institute to support regenerative agriculture.
“Ugg has set the bar and provided a pathway for true stewardship – not just sourcing regeneratively, but actively engaging in the hands-on work of land regeneration,” David Rizzo, co-chief executive officer of Land to Market, said in a statement. “Their commitment to sourcing verified regenerative raw materials is matched only by their dedication to rolling up their sleeves and directly impacting land health.”
This partnership started in 2021 when Ugg established a $3.3 million grant with the Savory Institute. The grants were used to develop programs that work to protect and reverse environmental degradation through agriculture aimed at restoring soil, encouraging wildlife diversity, capturing carbon in the ground, and improving land health for future generations. Aside from connecting brands with raw materials coming from verified land bases, the program also provides innovative tools and curricula to land managers working to be verified.
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In October 2022, Ugg launched its first product featuring materials that originate from land being managed through regenerative farming practices. The Ugg Classic Mini Regenerate featured materials that originate from farms that practice regenerative agriculture. Shortly thereafter, in January 2023, Ugg released the Tasman Regenerative. Both styles were met with positive feedback from consumers and sold out shortly after their release evidencing consumer’s desire for more mindful products. The most recent Regenerated by Ugg collection launched in January with a Tasman and an Ultra Mini boot.
In its most recent “Creating Change” report released in November, Ugg parent company Deckers said that 42.27 percent of all cotton fibers used in its footwear was sourced from a sustainable cotton growing scheme, or are made of recycled materials, in 2023.
Deckers also noted in the report that it is looking to increasing its use of leather and suede sourced from farms that practice regenerative agriculture. In fact, of the approximately 45.77 million-sq.-ft. of leather and suede used in its products, 15,700-sq.-ft. was sourced from farms practicing regenerative agriculture.
“We are committed to ensuring that all cotton used in our products is either recycled or sourced from farms that utilize sustainable crop growing practices by 2025,” the company said in the report. “Our vision is to support the evolution of the Australian sheep farming industry, where the vast majority of our sheepskin for Ugg is sourced. Our hope is that this commitment will also allow regenerative sheepskin to reach the scale needed for use in our products.”
