Bestseller brand to source regenerative cotton from Artistic Milliners

Bestseller-owned Jack & Jones will exclusively receive a share of regenerative cotton from long-standing supplier and partner Artistic Milliners’ very first harvest. Bestseller is now expanding its direct-to-farm initiatives with regenerative practices to gain new learnings.

In a bid to explore new and better cotton cultivation approaches, Pakistan-based vertical supplier Artistic Milliners has recently entered the field of regenerative agriculture in a new holistic pilot project. Brand partner Jack & Jones will implement cotton from the first harvest to its denim collections while simultaneously gaining useful learnings on restoration, measuring methods and farming practices, the company said in a press release.

“By integrating regenerative practices in our supply chain, Artistic Milliners is investing in the future of our planet by mitigating environmental challenges posed by agriculture,” said Murtaza Ahmed, CEO in Artistic Milliners.

“I value our longstanding, strategic partnership with Bestseller which has been an invaluable example of how two corporations can stand together to accelerate change in the textile industry. Through their long-standing support, Jack & Jones helps our communities build resilience in the face of climate change,” explained Ahmed.

Regenerative agriculture is not a new concept. Overall, the approach aims to restore nature with improved soil health, more biodiversity, and increased carbon capture as some of the hoped outcomes. But it can be tricky, as there is no agreed singular standard of how ‘regenerative agriculture’ should be defined and measured. 

“Implementing regen cotton into our supply chain – starting with Jack & Jones – can be a way to meet our sustainability goals, and that’s why we are keen to learn and explore more. At the same time, we are also aware of the challenges posed when going into regen practises, with lots of different methods, paths, and time frames,” said Danique Lodewijks, senior project specialist at Bestseller Sustainability.

“Looking into regenerative cotton with Artistic Milliners builds on our current cotton commitments, where our approach focuses on actively supporting cotton farming practises on the ground through investment and sourcing policies. Bestseller is continuously increasing our direct-to-farm approach which ensures 100 per cent traceable cotton,” added Lodewijks.

Through on-the-ground data collection, Bestseller hopes to verify the impact and effectiveness of the practices as well as evaluate the scalability. 

Given the impact of climate change on agricultural systems, such as the floods in Pakistan, Artistic Milliners emphasises the importance of prioritising soil health through practices like cover cropping and minimal tillage. Healthy soils can store carbon and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by minimising the use of synthetic fertilisers and pesticides.

The project is being executed in Rahim Yar Khan in Pakistan, in close collaboration with World Wildlife Fund-Pakistan, and local government bodies. The pilot follows Control Union’s certification programme RegenAgri.