Bestseller announces $3 million investment in nature regeneration in South Africa

Danish fashion group Bestseller, of the labels Jack & Jones, Only, and Vero Moda, etc., has announced a $3 million investment in the Regenerative Fund for Nature. Established in 2021 by Kering and the NGO Conservation International, the fund supports sheep farmers and local herders in their efforts to restore natural landscapes in South Africa.

The $3 million will fund a project in the Eastern Cape province, where local pastoral and farming communities are working with the Regenerative Fund for Nature and Conservation International to improve the condition of grasslands and bolster soil resilience against erosion and climate change.

“Amplifying the impact” of the project

“This contribution reflects our commitment to supporting resource-rich landscapes that are vital to nature, to the people who depend on them, and to our industry. We know there is still a long way to go,” says Dorte Rye Olsen, head of sustainability at Bestseller. “Through the Regenerative Fund for Nature, we are engaging in a long-term collaboration in which initiatives are developed progressively and in close partnership with local stakeholders.”

“Over the past five years, our work in the Eastern Cape has delivered tangible benefits for pastoralists and their land,” explains Virginia Keesee, head of Conservation International’s global fashion and nature initiatives. “Bestseller’s support will enable us to amplify this impact across the region.”

Efforts to offset the impact of its brands?

After welcoming Inditex in 2023, which invested 15 million euros, the fund now includes three fashion groups. This new investment, which helps position Bestseller as a fashion group committed to sustainability, comes on top of several measures taken by the Danish company this year, including paying a sustainability bonus to employees equivalent to one week’s salary and renewing its commitment to worker safety in Pakistan.

These decisions strengthen the group’s sustainability credentials, even though its brands- at least the best known- could significantly improve their social and environmental impact, according to the Good On You and Clear Fashion tools, which assess brands by contacting them and compiling publicly available information. While progress has been noted in the use of recycled materials, reducing water use throughout production, and protecting workers, the brands follow a fast-fashion model and continue to manufacture in countries where working conditions remain poor, according to the Good On You website.

With a portfolio of 16 brands, the Bestseller group has 2,200 directly operated stores in 47 countries, and works with 16,500 retailers worldwide. Revenue for its 2024-2025 financial year reached 5.1 billion euros, with annual growth of 7%.