Cotton has been grown on the Söke Plain in Turkey since the mid-nineteenth century. It’s as much a part of daily life as sweet chai and the smell of grilled meat cooked over coals.

Industrial farming started as a way to increase productivity. It worked, for a while, but over time this shortcut has taken its toll - stripping the land of life. In 2019, when this project started, not a single earthworm was found in the soil. Without synthetic fertilisers and pesticides, crops would not grow. Something needed to change.

Last year, 25.7 million tonnes of cotton were produced - an amount so large it’s impossible to imagine. As a natural fibre cotton is biodegradable, but it has a heavy environmental impact through the amount of water it uses and the devastating effect chemicals have on the land. The problems on this farm mirror those faced by cotton production worldwide.

The answer was regenerative farming - an approach that aims to improve the land and increase biodiversity over time, so the soil can support a crop naturally. It’s different to organic farming, which can focus on yield results and rely on mineral fertilisers to sustain growth. Regenerative farming takes a holistic view.

Having first heard about this project at the beginning of the year, we were keen to learn more about the approach, and how we might be able to support it.

After flying into Bodrum, we turned north and followed the coast for a couple of hours, stopping en route for a delicious köfte cooked in a converted van beside the road. The food on this trip always hit the spot.

Arriving at the farm we were greeted by Bartu, who has managed the transition from industrial to regenerative. Straightened out after our first Turkish coffee - strong enough to fuel a rocket - we spent the afternoon meeting everyone on the farm and hearing about the journey they’d been on.

As you can imagine, convincing farmers to abandon practices that have been passed down through generations and accept yield losses isn’t easy. Factor in pressure from climate change and global price fluctuations, and you get a sense of the effort that went into getting this project off the ground.

As with many environmental solutions, these ideas aren’t new. Really, this is a return to pre-industrial farming. That said, it isn’t as simple as going back to the days of horse and cart. Innovative machinery and the latest academic research have been combined with trial and analysis to develop solutions that fit commercial realities. This mindset is one of the things I liked most. If global environmental change is to happen, solutions need to scale.

Bartu told us the early days were the hardest, when they weren’t sure what would work. Seeing earthworms return was proof that the changes were making a difference. From five hectares, the project expanded to eleven - allowing for more testing. Success continued and the project has grown, now all 270 hectares of the farm have switched to regenerative.

We wanted to understand the nuts and bolts of how it all worked, so after the second round of coffees - wits sharp and hearts racing - we went in for the deep dive. Here it is in a nutshell...

With regenerative farming, the aim is to disturb the soil as little as possible. Instead of ploughing or tilling a field after the cotton is harvested and leaving it bare, cover crops are planted to protect the land from erosion, add organic matter, support biodiversity and help lock carbon into the ground. At the end of a growing cycle, crops are laid down and left to decompose, feeding the soil naturally and protecting the root structures, fungal networks, earthworms and microbial life below the surface.

Healthy soil behaves like a sponge. In dry periods, it can hold water for longer. In heavy rain, it reduces run-off, keeps nutrients in the ground and prevents erosion. This is important because water use and irrigation are major issues in many cotton-growing regions, especially as weather patterns become less predictable.

Before sowing a cover crop, the soil is tested and a mix of plants is chosen based on the nutrients they will return to the ground. For example, a pea will add nitrogen to the soil. If more nutrients are needed, manure is used before turning to organic fertilisers. As soil fertility improves, the need for synthetic fertilisers are reduced. When we visited, drones were being used to spray the fields with a natural mix of molasses and milk, designed to support microbial life in the soil. This project really is a blend of old and new.

Habitat strips, trees, mixed crops and pollinator-friendly planting all help support more insect life. More insect life creates natural pest control. Plants that attract pests away from the cotton are grown in and around the fields. As the farm moves away from a monoculture, it begins to work like an ecosystem.

In 2021, three years into the project, the cotton yield per hectare was 3 tonnes. Last year this increased to 5.5 tonnes. For context, the yield for conventional industrial farming is 5 tonnes. With the land needing less intervention, fewer raw materials are required. Overhead costs have been halved and the farm is now better insulated against global price fluctuations. Not only is this approach better for the environment, it makes commercial sense.

All the other numbers are moving in the right direction. Biodiversity and microbial life have increased - there are now 100 earthworms per square metre. The soil is healthier, carbon capture is above expectation and reduced exposure to chemicals improves long-term health for farm workers. A pivot irrigation system has reduced water usage by 60%, and partnerships with universities and agricultural engineers have led to specialist machinery being developed that’s suited to the geography and the crops.

Having heard of this success, 160 farmers from the region visited last year to learn about regenerative methods. Despite all of this, Bartu was keen to reiterate that the project is an ongoing process, and that everyone on the farm is looking for ways to improve.

The most powerful thing that came across during our visit was everyone’s passion and connection to the land. It felt deeply human and universal - refreshing when so many of the things we use in modern life are disconnected from their source.

This isn’t a fledgling idea that will take years to develop, it’s a solution that has been proven and is ready to go. We’ve been testing fabrics made using this cotton - they look and feel brilliant. Moving forwards, we’ll be working with this project to use regenerative cotton in our garments, starting with the Agora Jacket →

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PHOTOGRAPHS: TOM ANSELL + ASHLEY WATSON