Reflecting the Journey from Field to Fashion: An Afternoon of Regenerative Discovery
A captivating exploration of California's climate beneficial agriculture and sustainable fashion systems, as written by our Program Director Mira Musank. Photos by Paige Green unless noted otherwise.
On Friday, April 18th, just one day before SF Climate Week 2025 officially began, a more than 50 people gathered at Fibershed Learning Center, located on Black Mountain Ranch - a breathtaking 1,300-acre working ranch. They came for the Half-Day Retreat: Exploring Regenerative Food & Fiber Systems, an especially curated from-field-to-fashion event that was months in the making.
Jahnavi Mange, co-founder of a documentary startup From Soil to Soul, who first connected to me through SF Climate Week 2024 events, is one of the earliest supporters of Rethink the Runway. A fellow explorer of interconnection between systems, our mission to highlight the intersection of fashion, sustainability, and climate action is a no-brainer to her, and we immediately joined forces to curate a special event.
Fibershed’s Rebecca Burgess immediately came on board when we pitched the idea through a phone call. A pioneer in building a regional soil-to-soil system in California and beyond, she recognized the importance of creating a day program that explored system intersections to disentangle ourselves from siloed approaches. Lexi Fujii, whom I first connected via Fibershed’s Borrowed from the Soil Design Challenge, became our main Fibershed contact, and the three of us worked closely together to bring this event to life.
Fibershed arranged to have our event held at and around the historic barn of Black Mountain Ranch, dating back to 1896. Its surroundings provided the perfect setting for this intimate journey into the interconnected systems that sustain both our bodies and our wardrobes.
Black Fiber & Textile Network, led by Teju Adisa-Farrar came on board shortly after, to weave stories together through their Woven From Nature documentary film screening and natural dyeing demonstration.
Creating this event as part of SF Climate Week 2025 programming felt very timely and apt. We were ready to explore the intersectionality of food and fiber systems, and observe firsthand how to build climate and community resilience. It would set the tone for meaningful discussions throughout the week about more holistic, regenerative approaches to sustainability.
Special thanks to our volunteers and Fibershed folks who made the event extra special: Lily, Meggie, Lindsay, Allison, Navit, Lynette, Michael, and Tamsin. We couldn’t have done it without your support!
Welcome Ceremony and Powerful Storytelling
The afternoon began with a grounding meditation session led by Jahnavi, setting an intentional tone for the day. Rebecca delivered a compelling welcome address to acknowledge the land we were on and its history throughout the years. I provided context about the Rethink the Runway initiative and the importance to generate and continue the momentum of community engagements. Lastly, Jasmine Nyende of Black Fiber & Textile Network rounded out our welcome with an invitation to reconnect indigenous culture roots.
Attendees then gathered in the renovated three-story barn for a powerful joint film screening. From Soil to Soul's 15-minute pilot episode showcased BIPOC farmers, thought leaders, and food activists working toward food sovereignty and climate resilience in Los Angeles. Black Fiber Textiles Network's Woven from Nature documentary highlighted their collective of over 50 Black-owned businesses dedicated to sustainable practices in fiber, plant dyes, and textiles. Through both films, the intricate interconnection of food and fiber systems rooted in generations of regenerative indigenous practices became clear.
During the presentation and audience Q&A that followed afterwards, Jahnavi went through several highlights, including systemic injustice and land stewardship - more specifically the Yurok tribe and the Klamath River. Some audience members also chimed in to share their reflection and awareness of how food & fiber systems intersect within their own daily lives.
Nourishments throughout the Day
The retreat lasted for more than 4 hours, so naturally we worked with several food vendors who provided nourishments throughout the day. Lexi worked hard with Fibershed to secure our nourishments for the day, and they include:
Locally sourced lunch catered by Mariko of Westbound & Found | @westboundandfound
Delicious blood orange-mandarin fermented soda by Point Reyes-based Wild West Ferments | @wildwestferments
Cheese thoughtfully donated by Point Reyes Farmstead Creamery | @pointreyescheese
Locally-grown & arranged flowers by Marilú of Indigenous Love Design | @indigenouslove
Special shout-out to Rhonda Kutter from the Fibershed team, who made sure that all food was served with zero-waste principles in mind. She carefully managed compostable materials and ensured minimal environmental impact throughout the event.
Immersive Learning Experiences
After enjoying Westbound & Found delicious lunch, participants divided into groups for rotating interactive sessions. One group embarked on a plant walk with Rebecca Burgess, who introduced both cultivated and native plant restoration zones that Fibershed’s land steward team has been tending to.
Meanwhile, Jasmine Nyende led an engaging natural dyeing demonstration, showing attendees how to extract vivid colors from marigolds and additives on Climate Beneficial Wool fabric swatches. Her hands-on workshop included a naturally dyed swatch quiz that had participants testing their knowledge of local plant dyes.
Regenerative Fashion Showcase
After the lively plant walk and natural dyeing demo sessions, the participants gathered at the grassy field behind the barn for the final event of the afternoon: the regenerative fashion show. We had four local designers showcased collections made with Fibershed's fabrics, each bringing a unique perspective to what regenerative fashion means for them.
As the lead organizer for this fashion show, it is my privilege to recruit fellow Borrowed from the Soil Design Challenge participants Carol Miltimore of SEEK Collective (@seekcollective) and Alexandria Vasquez of Herderin (@__herderin), as well as a designer I immensely admire Elaine Hamblin of KOSA Arts (@kosa_arts) to join my own Fafafoom Studio (@miramusank) as featuring designers.
The Borrowed from the Soil Design Challenge invites artisans and small businesses to use Fibershed textiles in creating garment prototypes that explore three technical areas: compostability, longevity, and zero waste design. The challenge lasted for one year (2023 - 2024).
Each of us came to regenerative fashion at various points in our lives; digesting the concepts and translating them through our diverse practices.
Fafafoom Studio
I opened the show, presenting my perspective of easing into regenerative fashion through my usual textile upcycling practice, which often involves not being able to control fiber content or fabric shapes I receive from the community. I added that it’s such a luxury to be able to work with regionally produced textiles and that the Design Challenge opened my horizon broadly about what’s possible.
SEEK Collective
Carol Miltimore shared her emphasis on compostability of her garment designs. She brought samples of compostable textile swatches in jars to show how well they re-integrate back into the soil, and she also designed pockets in her garments that are specifically reserved for flowers!
Herderin
Alexandria Vasquez had her models coming out from a big rock to showcase her regenerative fashion practice through her sociologist perspective. Her outfits highlighted emotional connections and how she chooses close friends and family as her models. Read Alix’s full transcript from that afternoon here.
KOSA Arts
Elaine Hamblin showcased her polished slow fashion craftsmanship through naturally dyed shirts, botanical printing, and smart silhouettes to close the show. Her experience of working with deadstocks, quality fabrics, and resilient practices shone through. Bonus point for her husband Joseph for joining her towards the end, modeling the sweater she made for him out of cutoffs and remnants!
Unwinding and Looking Forward
Staying true to the soil-to-soil concept, Rebecca invited participants who could stay a little longer to join her at the compost pile during the retreat conclusion. She encouraged the group to touch and feel the pile, partially mixed with fiber waste, and reminded everyone to stay away from toxic contaminants.
After everyone left, Jahnavi and I reflected on our experience with a short hike. Watching the stunning view of the hills and the grazing animals, we were once again reminded of the importance of land stewardship and continuing our missions in fostering collaborative approaches to addressing climate challenges through interconnected sectors.
The Half-Day Retreat: Exploring Regenerative Food & Fiber Systems event served as a powerful reminder that sustainable solutions require holistic thinking that bridges industries and traditions. By bringing together food sovereignty advocates, textile artisans, fashion designers, and environmental stewards, we were able to show how regional, regenerative systems can provide a blueprint for a more resilient community for generations.
Going forward, we will continue building on this momentum. Already, talks for follow-up events have started, and we cannot wait to have you join us next time!
Thank you for having me write this Half-Day Retreat recap. Signing off for now with a full heart and much love.
Until next time,
Mira Musank
On behalf of Rethink the Runway Team
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This event was made possible through the collaboration of Fibershed, From Soil to Soul, Rethink the Runway, and the Black Fiber & Textile Network. Special thanks to all designers, presenters, and participants who contributed to this transformative experience, including our volunteers and Fibershed folks who made the event extra special: Lily, Meggie, Lindsay, Allison, Navit, Lynette, Michael, and Tamsin. Much love to our photographer Paige Green, who captured the event so beautifully!