VF Corporation: Scaling Regenerative Materials Across Global Apparel Supply Chains
From Climate Rising by Harvard Business School Business & Environment Initiative
April 1, 2026 · 35 min
About this episode
Alyse Russel discusses VF Corporation's efforts to embed sustainability in its global apparel supply chains through regenerative materials.
Alyse Russel, Senior Manager of Global Sustainability Programs at VF Corporation, joins Climate Rising to discuss how one of the world’s largest apparel companies is embedding sustainability across a complex, multi-brand supply chain. VF owns major global brands including Vans, The North Face, and Timberland, and is working to reduce product-related emissions by transforming how key materials are sourced and produced. The conversation explores why raw materials—such as cotton, leather, rubber, and wool—account for the majority of VF’s emissions footprint, and how the company is prioritizing regenerative agriculture to address this challenge. Alyse explains how VF is scaling regenerative cotton, rubber, and wool programs across different geographies, while navigating trade-offs related to cost, verification, and supply chain complexity. The episode also examines how VF collaborates with farmers, NGOs, and researchers to implement regenerative practices, the challenges of measuring outcomes like soil carbon and biodiversity, and the evolving role of traceability and certification in validating sustainability claims. Alyse also reflects on the future of regenerative agriculture in…
People in this episode
Guest: Alyse Russel
Topics covered
- sustainability
- apparel supply chain
- regenerative agriculture
- emissions reduction
- material sourcing
- collaboration
Keywords
- VF Corporation
- sustainability
- regenerative materials
- apparel
- emissions
- supply chain
- agriculture
- cotton
- traceability
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: VF Corporation, Vans, The North Face, Timberland, NGOs, researchers
More episodes of Climate Rising
- IBM’s Chief Sustainability Officer on AI, Efficiency, and the Future of Sustainable Business · June 10, 2026 · 35 min
- Using AI to Unlock Geothermal Energy at Scale: Zanskar · May 27, 2026 · 50 min
- David Potere at BCG X: Using AI & Satellites in Climate Solutions · May 13, 2026 · 38 min
- Climate Risk Meets Finance: Modeling the Future of Real Estate with First Street · April 29, 2026 · 44 min
- Patagonia Provisions: Regenerative Organic Agriculture and Reimagining the Food System · April 15, 2026 · 38 min
- Agreena: Regenerative Agriculture, Data, and Carbon Markets · March 18, 2026 · 45 min
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Climate Rising podcast page.