Media
The story, told from every angle.
For five years, partners, researchers, and the press have documented the Wanakaset network and the Regenerative Rubber Alliance. Here is the gathered record — peer-reviewed science, films, industry coverage, and our partners' own words.
Newsletter & essays
Origin Stories
Field updates and milestones, plus longer essays on the transition to regenerative systems — published on Substack.
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Peer-reviewed & field research
Science
Rubber Management Systems: A Progression from Extractive to Regenerative Production
Verhofste, Dunteman, Commons, Kristiansen & Tongkaemkaew · ASEAN J. Sci. Tech. Reports, 2024, 27(3)
From field observations and interviews with 60 rubber farmers across Phatthalung and Songkhla (2020–2022), this study maps six management systems along a continuum from degenerative monoculture to regenerative agroforestry (Wanakaset) — establishing that rubber production can evolve, non-linearly and context by context, from extractive monoculture toward complex, abundant agroforestry.
Read the paper ↗Regeneration of Soil Fertility in Relationship with the Diversification of Rubber Agroforestry Systems
Tongkaemkaew, Commons, Verhofste, Phooi, Wonglom & Bua-Khwan · ASEAN J. Sci. Tech. Reports, 2025
Comparing diversified rubber agroforestry against monocultures in Phatthalung — soil sampled at two depths plus multi-year vegetation cover (2017–2023) — the study found agroforestry plots held consistently higher soil-fertility indicators and greater ground cover (~63% vs 58%). Diversifying rubber systems raises soil nutrient and organic-matter levels, rebuilding the soil it grows in.
Read the paper ↗Synergistic Carbon-Biodiversity Gains in Diversified Rubber Agroforestry Systems, Southern Thailand
Tongkaemkaew, Bua-Khwan, Kasikam, Verhofste, Commons, Phooi, Azman & Ismail · ASEAN J. Sci. Tech. Reports, 2026
Measuring tree-species richness, soil properties, and carbon together across six systems — conventional monoculture through five progressively diversified forest-rubber systems in southern Thailand — the study found the most complex held 6.4× more tree species, roughly double the soil organic carbon, and nearly four times the above-ground non-rubber biomass of monoculture (4.04 vs 1.20 tCO₂e per hectare). Soil fertility, biodiversity, and carbon accumulation rise synergistically along the diversification gradient.
Read the paper ↗Wanakaset Agroforestry as a Vital Refugium for Avian Diversity: Insights from Ecoacoustic Monitoring in Southern Thailand
Tongkaemkaew, Commons, Bicudo, Nascimento de Melo, Harmon, Leite, Ribeiro, Campos-Cerqueira & Smith · Small-Scale Forestry, 2026
Using ecoacoustic monitoring — sensor networks recording the soundscape as a proxy for wildlife — to compare bird communities across Wanakaset and conventional rubber systems, this study finds diversified Wanakaset agroforestry acts as a vital refugium for avian diversity, sustaining bird life that intensive monoculture does not.
Read the paper ↗Ecoacoustic Biodiversity Monitoring Across Rubber Management Systems in Southern Thailand
Bicudo, Ribeiro, Leite, Nascimento de Melo, Melo, Harmon & Campos-Cerqueira · WildMon · Project report, 2025
Passive acoustic monitoring across 78 sites in southern Thailand — spanning rubber monocultures, early- and advanced-stage Wanakaset agroforestry, and secondary forest. Detection algorithms and multi-species occupancy models identified 135 species (119 birds, 11 amphibians, 4 mammals, 1 reptile), seven of them threatened, including the Endangered brown-cheeked bulbul. Advanced Wanakaset systems showed significantly higher community-level occupancy than monoculture, with structurally complex agroforests holding distinct, richer communities — evidence that maturing rubber agroforestry rebuilds habitat for wildlife.
Read the paper ↗In the pipeline
- Drought & Flood Tolerance of Regenerative Rubber Systems (pending)
- Regenerative Rubber Systems' Effect on Yield & Dry Rubber Content (pending)
- Regenerative Rubber Life-Cycle Analysis (pending publication in the Higg Index)
Watch here
Films & talks
Groundwork: Building Community Through Regenerative Rubber
The North Face × Gnarly Bay — documentary
Premium Regenerative Rubber: A Solution for Farmer Livelihoods & Planetary Health
PBS Thailand — documentary
Building Community Through Regenerative Rubber
Funding the Commons — session recording
Brand & marketing
From the brands
- VF Corporation Brands — Timberland, Vans & The North Face to Roll Out Regenerative RubberThe brands' own announcement of the regenerative rubber rollout.VF Corporation ↗
- VF Corporation Named to FORTUNE 2023 'Change the World' List for First Global Regenerative Rubber Supply SystemFORTUNE's 2023 recognition of the regenerative rubber supply system.VF Corporation ↗
- Sustainable Materials VisionVF's corporate sustainable-materials strategy.VF Corporation ↗
- Material Sustainability — VR3Vans' sustainable-materials programme.Vans ↗
- Material SustainabilityThe North Face's sustainable-materials commitments.The North Face ↗
Press & industry
In the news
- Timberland Aims to Build Footwear's First Regenerative Rubber Supply SystemEarly trade coverage of the supply-system goal (2021).California Apparel News ↗
- Why The North Face is Changing Where It Gets Its Rubber and CottonGreenBiz on The North Face's rubber and cotton sourcing shift.Trellis (GreenBiz) ↗
- Why Regenerative Rubber is the Future for VF CorpAn industry take on regenerative rubber at VF Corp.The Spinoff ↗
- VF Corp Takes Long Footwear Stride with First Regenerative Rubber Supply SystemTrade coverage of VF's first regenerative rubber supply system.Texfash ↗
- Timberland, Vans and The North Face Rolling Out Regenerative Rubber FootwearSourcing Journal on the footwear rollout across the three brands.Sourcing Journal ↗
Partner sites & blogs
From our partners
- Ethos Regenerative Outcome VerificationThe regenerative-outcome verification platform (Ethos).EthosROV ↗
- Assessing Rubber Agroforestry's Effects on Wildlife with Bioacoustic MonitoringBioacoustic monitoring of wildlife in rubber agroforestry.WildMon ↗
- Pure Strategies Launches Carbon Footprint of Regeneratively Produced RubberA carbon footprint for regenerative rubber, with Terra Genesis & the RRA.Pure Strategies ↗
- The Landscape of Regenerative Product CertificationsEthos featured among regenerative certifications.RegenBrands ↗
- Regenerative Certifications & VerificationsA certifications resource that includes Ethos.Kiss the Ground ↗
- Background & Guidance for the Regenerative Agriculture Outcome Framework V1Guidance for the Regenerative Agriculture Outcome Framework.Textile Exchange ↗
Essays & references
More
- The Wisdom of the Woods: The Poetry of Vinai NuansanongPoems of the forest, illustrated by Jaroon Noipan, translated by Michael B. Commons (2022).Vinai Nuansanong ↗
- Ethos: A Journey with Many BeginningsOn the origins of the Ethos verification system.Michael Commons ↗
- Commons-based Savings Groups in ThailandOn community savings groups in Thailand.Michael Commons ↗