Journey To Regeneration
Ken Pucker on Why Sustainable Fashion Keeps Failing
Published: 28 May 2026 at 04:30 Europe/London
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Episode notes
In this episode of Journey to Regeneration, Christopher Marquis speaks with Ken Pucker, former COO of Timberland and one of the most thoughtful critics of modern corporate sustainability. Drawing on his experience helping build Timberland into one of the earliest high-profile examples of responsible business, Pucker reflects on the evolution of sustainability over the past two decades. The conversation also explores why many mission-driven companies, including Allbirds and Everlane, struggled not because sustainability itself failed, but because of tensions between long-term purpose and growth-oriented business models shaped by venture capital and public markets. Pucker also examines the structural incentives that continue to reward overproduction, low costs, and environmental externalization across the fashion industry, while discussing the role of policy initiatives such as the New York Fashion Act in creating stronger accountability around emissions and supply chains. Throughout the episode, the discussion moves beyond simplistic “win-win” sustainability narratives to confront deeper questions about governance, capitalism, incentives, and whether current economic systems are capable of delivering the scale of transformation required for a livable future.
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