MARINA TESTINO & OTHER CHANGEMAKERS CONTINUING TO SHOWCASE BRAND’S COMMITMENT TO HIGHLIGHTING THE IMPORTANCE OF ITS REGENERATIVE INITIATIVES

SANTA BARBARA, Calif., Oct. 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — In taking a step toward a more regenerative world, Southern California-based global lifestyle brand UGG® (a division of Deckers Brands [NYSE: DECK]) released Regenerate by UGG, an all-gender sustainability-focused collection crafted with materials from land cared for with regenerative traditions.

The fashion industry and its supply chains are intrinsically linked to agriculture through raw materials resulting in consumer products, often created through destructive farming practices. Regenerative Agriculture ensures that farming is conducted in harmony with nature to help restore soil, encourage wildlife diversity, capture carbon in the ground, and preserve the land for future generations.

By 2025, UGG® has vowed to help restore one million acres of grassland into regenerative farmland. In 2022, the brand established a long-term grant with Savory Institute to support regenerative farming practices on sheep farms in Australia. Today, UGG® has contributed to the restoration of 310,000 acres. Throughout this five-year commitment, the brand hopes to leave a legacy of transformation on the Australian sheepskin industry by helping these farms work regeneratively.  

UGG® is continuing to find ways to source innovative materials more responsibly and support the well-being of surrounding communities through tapping heros in the space. The brand partnered with creators, activists and changemakers in the regenerative community to debut the Regenerate by UGG collection.

Marina Testino, after graduating from Parsons in Fashion Marketing in 2017, established her career as a Creator, Connector and Strategist in the niche space of sustainable fashion and conscious consumerism. Marina is uniquely tapped into the new generation of consumers who are holding brands to higher social and environmental standards. Her connections and strategies help fashion brands, tech investors and consumers alike move towards a much needed reset for the fashion industry. Marina has worked with global brands and organizations among the likes of Green Peace, United Nations, and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. On top of this, Marina is known for her activations on social media (via @MarinaTestino), such as #OneDressToImpress, where she took a stand against overconsumption and the stigma of “outfit repeating” by wearing the same suit for 60 days. Additional activations include: #YellowLikeALemon, #WeSeaThrough, and #GreenRooms.

Jesse Smith is the Director of Land Stewardship for White Buffalo Land Trust, a non-profit organization dedicated to the practice, promotion and development of regenerative agriculture. Born and raised on California’s Central Coast, Jesse has been instrumental in transforming agriculture to support a diverse community and create a vibrant and healthy future for his family. Passionate about food and farming, Jesse brings a creative approach to designing regenerative processes for land and community. Through his farming practices, he actively restores ecological balance to food, fiber, and medicine production, enhancing soil health, water cycles, and biodiversity. Jesse empowers other land stewards to adopt regenerative principles in the decision-making, all rooted in the unique context of place. Jesse envisions a global embrace of regenerative agriculture, tailored to each unique location and supported by diverse stakeholders. At White Buffalo Land Trust’s Center of Regenerative Agriculture at Jalama Canyon Ranch, Jesse demonstrates the power of collaboration. He directs the operation of a 1,000-acre working farm, ranch, and conservation site, overseeing vineyard management, livestock care, and restoration work. Jesse Smith’s leadership and commitment to regenerative agriculture are transforming the agricultural landscape. Through his collaborative approach and dedication, he inspires others and contributes to the advancement of regenerative land stewardship principles.

María Bernad, having her origins in the Spanish city of Elche, the cradle of Spanish footwear, is a Paris-based influencer and stylist whose role in the fashion industry has been growing exponentially in recent years. After living a few years in Madrid, María moved to the French capital, where her work as an influencer and fashion professional on social media has been established with constant work with top luxury brands. A few years ago, María Bernad became the the Founder and Creative Director of her brand ‘Les Fleurs Studio’, an upcycling fashion firm. Recently, she is applying her unique sense of style working as a creative director and stylist for different fashion firms.

Jerome Foster II is a 21-year-old environmental justice activist, keynote speaker, youngest-ever White House Advisor in U.S. History, and Cofounder & Co-Executive Director at Waic Up. He served as intern for the late Honorable John Lewis at 16-years old and served as Board Member for the DC State Board of Education’s High School Graduation Requirements Task Force at 15. Waic Up is an international communication to community impact charity which is an expansion of OneMillionOfUs, which mobilized a movement of young people to vote in the 2020 Elections.

Zaya Guarani (b. 2001), born and raised in an Indigenous community in the remote Brazilian Amazon, belongs to a line of strong women who have led their communities as both shamans and spiritual guides. Continuing her ancestral tradition of political and spiritual engagement, Zaya has chosen to dedicate her platform as an internationally renowned model to the ongoing global struggle for Indigenous rights and climate justice. A member of the powerful Kamurape and Guarani Mbya ethnicities, Zaya initially infused her traditional Indigenous upbringing with a German school education after earning a scholarship in Rio de Janeiro at the age of 16. Shortly thereafter, Zaya was spotted by Dayana Molina, a prominent Brazilian Indigenous rights advocate, stylist, and columnist, with whom Zaya would found the first Indigenous Creative Collective (featured in Vogue Brazil and Elle Brazil) dedicated to Indigenous representation in the fashion world. As an Indigenous Brazilian activist and speaker, Zaya first achieved fame in her country as the first fully Indigenous model raised in the Amazon rainforest before gracing the pages of Vogue Brazil, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar. In the last few years, Zaya has also relentlessly devoted herself to working with partners who understand and support her political and climate activism, both within and beyond the fashion industry. Currently based in New York City, Zaya is a model, activist and speaker, she is a board advisor for Slow Factory Climate Innovation Hub in New York and works with the United Nations Spotlight Program among other initiatives.

Created with commitment to exacting artisanship, precision cutting, and premium construction methods, the Regenerate by UGG collection is a pinnacle execution of everything consumers love about the UGG® icons. From bold, “stitch-out” aesthetic reminiscent of the Classic Boot to innovative comfort details like the unique footboard design, UGG® has worked hard to ensure commitment to regenerative sourcing only enhances the beauty and durability of the brand’s shoes.

The Neumel Crafted Regenerate Boot is crafted with regeneratively-sourced sheepskin, stitch-out construction reminiscent of the Classic Boot and luxe, crafted details to elevate the brand’s iconic design to new, artisanal heights.

A boot for all occasions, the Classic Mini Regenerate Boot features the same light, durable outsole as the Classic Boot, which can be worn both indoors and out. The Classic Mini Regenerate adds a conscious twist with an upper of Regenerative twinface, a Regenerative tablegrade sock liner and the same easy, slip-on silhouette. 

Inspired by epic, coastal California road trips, the Campfire Crafted Regenerate Boot silhouette combines the UGG® Classic boot and a slip-on. It features the signature UGGplush wool blend liner, soft Twinface sheepskin sourced from ranches that practice regenerative agriculture, and an outsole made from renewable sugarcane for a lightweight, flexible fit.

The Scuffette II Regenerate Slipper has all the features consumers know and love from the iconic Scuffette II, including a soft suede upper and Twinface fluffy lining creating the signature feeling of UGG®.

The Tasman Regenerate Slipper has all that consumers love about the original but is made from low-impact materials sourced from ranches that practice regenerative agriculture. The SugarSole outsole is made from fast-growing sugarcane and offers the same cushioning and traction as the traditional Treadlite by UGG outsole.

Regenerate by UGGis available now for purchase at UGG.com, UGG® stores and select wholesale retailers nationwide.

About UGG®
Founded in 1978 by an Australian surfer on the coast of California, UGG® is a global lifestyle brand renowned for its iconic Classic Boot. First worn by Hollywood royalty, fashion editors, and then the world, UGG® designs and retails footwear, apparel, accessories, and homewares with an uncompromising attitude toward quality and craftsmanship. UGG® is an environmentally and socially conscious brand which strives to be socially just, economically inclusive, and environmentally restorative. Delivering more than $1.5 billion in annual sales, UGG® partners with the best retailers globally and owns concept and outlet stores worldwide in key markets, including New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Paris, London, Tokyo, Shanghai, and Beijing. For more information, please visit www.ugg.com @ugg #FeelsLikeUGG.

Press Contact:

UGG®
Sarajane McQuaid
Associate PR Manager
Mobile: (913) 744 – 7553
[email protected] 

HIGH-RES CONTENT
Credit: UGG®

SOURCE UGG