Himalayan Regenerative Fashion Living Lab

Rach Colling on May 25, 2026

Living Lab 2.0

Himalayan Regenerative Fashion Living Lab

In the remote high-altitude plateau of Changthang in the Himalayas, pashmina production is more than a tradition – it is the heartbeat of local life. For centuries, the nomadic Changpa herders have relied on the fine pashmina fibre of the Changthangi goat for mobility, craftsmanship and cultural identity. In this harsh environment, where agriculture is limited, the herding, combing and weaving of pashmina is central to community livelihoods and preserves an ancient heritage that links community, culture and the fragile mountain ecosystem.

To protect this heritage while simultaneously strengthening local livelihoods, the Circular Bioeconomy Alliance (CBA), with the support of the Brunello Cucinelli Casa di Moda, together with the Sustainable Markets Initiative and in collaboration with the Nature Conservation Foundation (NCF), the Thiksay Foundation, and the Ladakh Council of India, has established a CBA Living Lab dedicated to regenerative pashmina in the Changthang region.

About the CBA Living Lab

The Living Lab aims to support herder communities to produce regenerative pashmina – fibre that is not only of exceptional quality but also nurtures the land and the people who depend on it.

In 2022, a feasibility study identified two key challenges: limited access to fodder crops and increasing youth out-migration, leading to a loss of traditional knowledge. In response, the 2023 pilot phase of the Living Lab prioritised fodder security, youth engagement and entrepreneurship development, laying the groundwork for long-term resilience of the landscape and also the rural economy. Building on the pilot phase, the second phase of the Living Lab started in 2025.

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Highlights from 2025

  • Landscape visioning for the future
    The Ladakh Restoration Visioning Exercise for the CBA Living Lab, in partnership with NCF, the Ecological Restoration Alliance and the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (and supported by CBA), brought together over 80 participants from across Changthang. The group co-created a 25-year vision for ecological restoration, outlining shared values and long-term strategies for a resilient, regenerative landscape.
  • Science-led restoration
    A scientific assessment, led by NCF, is examining how climate change and land use affect high-altitude rangelands – focusing on soil carbon, vegetation dynamics and wetland health to inform adaptive management strategies. The study includes a socioeconomic assessment to understand how ecological, socio-cultural and economic diversities intersect across Changthang, providing a holistic view of the landscape and the livelihoods it supports.
  • Restoring degraded pastures
    Community field teams have begun planting food and fodder crops across three pilot sites, improving fodder availability designed to reduce goat mortality and enhancing local food security.
  • Empowering youth
    In partnership with the Thiksay Foundation, CBA co-designed a Weaving Futures Youth Skill Development & Livelihood Workshop to inspire the next generation of Changthang’s herders and entrepreneurs. The six-day programme equipped participants with practical skills, technical knowledge, and business insights in pashmina production, while reigniting their connection to pastoral heritage. The workshop also fostered innovative ideas and strengthened partnerships between youth, cooperatives, and local enterprises – building momentum for a resilient, community-led pashmina economy.
  • Supporting wellbeing
    A Nomadic Health and Hygiene Drive provided essential healthcare and awareness for herder families living in remote grazing areas.

Looking ahead

In 2026, the CBA Living Lab will continue to enhance socio-economic and environmental outcomes for Ladakh’s herder communities. Priorities include increasing fodder availability, improving community welfare, deepening youth engagement, and conducting a value chain assessment to create more local value and support herder communities’ livelihoods. The outcomes of the Living Lab will be linked to CBA’s monitoring and evaluation system, guided by our seven Principles of Regenerative Landscapes, to ensure that each action contributes to long-term regenerative and resilient landscapes.

Updates

Developing agroforestry-based medicinal plants Living Lab

Rach Colling on April 13, 2026

Living Lab 2.0

Developing agroforestry-based medicinal plants Living Lab

Nestled in the Tuscan hills, medicinal plants have been cultivated in the land around Aboca since the 13th century. The CBA Living Lab is testing agroforestry-based medicinal plant production, where trees are planted together with the medicinal plant crop. It aims to scientifically assess the effects of regenerative agroforestry on biodiversity, carbon sequestration and soil health as well as the social and economic implications.

The Living Lab is supported by Aboca, and carried out in collaboration with the European Forest Institute.

About the CBA Living Lab

The Living Lab aims to create a blueprint for the health industry in Italy.

The two-year project uses different combinations of trees, shrubs and herbal cropping systems on 15 hectares of land, alongside regenerative practices like using microorganisms to reduce pests and diseases, and the use of green manure and cover crops.

Scientific assessment will look at the impacts on:

  • medicinal plant yields and biologically active compounds
  • soil health and soil fertility
  • above and below ground biodiversity
  • carbon and water balance

Highlights from 2025

  • Choosing the type of trees, testing regenerative practices and designs
    An agroforestry system made of windbreaks and high-biodiversity tree hedges was designed to surround 10-hectare field plot of medicinal herbaceous crops. A certified local nursery supplied 5,000 plants of 30 different native species of trees and shrubs for transplanting in late winter 2025-2026.
  • Poplars (Populus species) were selected for planting alongside the medicinal plants, in another field site nearby: they grow quickly, work well as windbreaks, and also produce biochemical compounds that are of interest for their nutraceutical and pharmaceutical properties.
  • Black poplar cuttings were planted to test their growth, management (eg water requirements) and survival.
  • Preparing for the next phase
    Meetings with public and civil society organisations were held to exchange ideas and experiences, both about scientific aspects as well as community involvement. More trees and shrubs will be planted in the winter of 2025/2026, and monitoring (eg of biodiversity and soil health) will begin.

Updates