Denim has long outlived trends. Durable, versatile and universally worn, it effortlessly crosses seasons, age groups and price points. For South African families, denim is more than a staple, it’s a symbol of value that’s seen as a single item that can serve multiple lives, from playground to workwear, from weekend uniform to casual Friday. Behind its everyday ease lies a more complex truth. Denim production is water- and energy-intensive, and globally, it’s one of fashion’s highest-impact categories.

This is where the story of sustainable access begins. As one of southern Africa’s leading retail groups, Pepkor is rooted in making quality affordable. Its customer base, largely value-conscious households, relies on many of the group’s wide range of brands to deliver clothing that’s functional, fashionable and priced with care. Ensuring those garments are also sustainably sourced is an added bonus.

A homegrown fit: Meet 7 Trees Clothing
A South African manufacturing company, 7 Trees, supplies denim garments to Ackermans through a model that demonstrates how sustainability and affordability can co-exist. From fabric sourcing to finishing, their process has been redesigned to reduce environmental impact while enhancing production efficiency. Through integrating innovation into every stage of manufacturing, they are helping Pepkor move closer to its green goals without compromising on price or quality.

Denim that works for real life
For Ackermans’ customers, many of whom are caregivers, workers and budget-conscious parents, denim must deliver on durability, wearability and affordability. The partnership with 7 Trees ensures that high-quality garments remain accessible while subtly incorporating sustainability into the story. It’s a reflection of Pepkor’s broader procurement philosophy, which involves investing in supplier relationships that enable scale, preserve access and embed environmental responsibility from the ground up. For customers, this means the same durable denim they trust, now backed by cleaner production processes, smarter technologies and a reduced ecological footprint.

Innovation that cleans up the supply chain
At the heart of 7 Trees’ approach is a mindset of continuous improvement. The company has invested in equipment and processes that reduce energy use, chemical load and water consumption. These include vertical washing machines that use up to 50% less water than traditional barrel systems, as well as heat pumps that reduce reliance on coal boilers by generating and storing hot water more efficiently.

Efficiency on the factory floor
The factory floor is equally forward-thinking. LED lighting systems, robotic machines and automated cutting systems all contribute to reducing energy consumption and fabric waste. Production efficiency is tracked in real time through an AI-linked system that allows operators to monitor their output and optimise their workflow, yielding potential efficiency gains of up to 20%.

The R4 million shift: Better for people, planet and price
One of the company’s most transformative investments is a R4 million laser finishing machine that eliminates the need for potassium permanganate in the garment wash process. Traditionally used to create worn-in denim effects, this chemical is harmful to both workers and the environment. With the laser machine in operation, 7 Trees can achieve the same aesthetic using safer, faster and more cost-efficient methods. The investment is expected to pay for itself in under five years, based on volumes of 40 000 ladies’ jeggings, demonstrating a clear case of sustainability aligning with long-term financial sense.

Beyond the factory floor: Local impact, real accountability
The benefits extend beyond the supplier. For Ackermans, working with a local manufacturer like 7 Trees offers agility, traceability and alignment with the group’s Building Better Business sustainability framework and goals to enable affordable living and inclusive growth. It strengthens local supply chains while ensuring that the group’s environmental commitments are grounded in real action, both inside factories and on the ground, not just on paper.

The environmental wins are clear. 7 Trees has introduced circular practices, including yarn recycling and the use of water reclaimed from its own effluent treatment system. Chemicals are sourced to meet the highest compliance standards (ZDHC Level 3), and strict chemical tracking logs ensure accountability across operations. Their water usage is also regulated by South Africa’s Central Ground Water Authority, with extraction and usage monitored, metered and formally documented.

As the fashion industry faces rising pressure to decarbonise, innovate and clean up its act, 7 Trees stands as a South African example of what’s possible. They are not only making better denim, they are making denim better.

For Pepkor, this partnership embodies a vision that access, affordability and sustainability are not mutually exclusive. Through innovative, future-fit collaborations with suppliers like 7 Trees, the group is demonstrating that affordability can still mean quality, and quality can mean caring for the customer, the economy and the planet.