Sealand is proud to announce its ongoing commitment to protecting one of South Africa’s most breathtaking natural treasures: the Pondoland coastline. Now in our third consecutive year of partnering with the incredible Pondo Trail Run, we’re taking our collaboration with Wild Child Africa to bold new heights - united by our shared mission to protect the wild spaces we love.
This year’s Pondo Trail Run marks an exciting milestone. We are thrilled to officially launch our upcycled beach cleaning bags, designed and handcrafted from waste materials right here in South Africa. These bags will debut at the trail run and become a permanent part of the Pondo Trail experience. Moving forward, every single trail and hike - 52 weeks a year - will make use of these bags, empowering hikers to actively clean the coastline and forests as they explore these natural playgrounds.
With at least two guided tours hiking the Pondo Trail every week, we know the collective impact will be powerful. Every person who steps onto the trail now has a unique opportunity to be part of the solution, turning each hike into an act of mindful conservation. Whether it’s picking up plastic from the beach or clearing litter from the forest floor, these small, consistent actions will add up to a significant, sustained impact. This is important in a space like this, one of South Africa's most raw and untouched coastlines, but one that suffers from a perennial problem - waste washed down rivers, swirled across the mighty Agulhas current and deposited onto the beaches where it breaks down to form enduring, toxic microplastics.
“This is about more than just a trail run,” says Sealand co-founder Jasper Eales, “it’s about creating a movement. Thanks to our incredible partnership with Wild Child Africa, every step along the trail is a step toward a cleaner, more beautiful South Africa. We’re honoured to be part of the Pondo Trail Run - one of the most iconic trail events in the country - and even more honoured to empower new stewards of this coastline every day of the year.”
Matt Botha, CEO of Wild Child Africa, shared his enthusiasm about the continued partnership, “We’re absolutely thrilled to be working with Sealand again. They’re a company that genuinely shares our values and always brings fresh energy and ideas to the table. They’re not just talking the talk - they’re walking the walk, literally. And they’re doing it with purpose, with fun, and with the kind of integrity that makes a real difference. This partnership is proof that doing the right thing can also be a great adventure.”
The beach clean-up bags are more than just functional gear, they’re symbols of circularity, built from repurposed materials that once added to our waste problem. Now, those same materials are being used to tackle the litter crisis head-on. The bulk of these bags are formed from post-consumer PVC waste, with thread and straps forming the only new materials. It’s a full-circle moment, and a reminder that when we come together with creativity and purpose, we can rewrite the story of waste.
We believe in a South Africa where pristine coastlines and clean forests aren’t the exception, they’re the norm. Through partnerships like this, we’re making that vision a reality, week by week, hike by hike, bag by bag.
Let’s hit the trail and leave it better than we found it. Together.
