DAMART,
DAMART,
THE WORLD
IS CHANGING
AND WE’RE CHANGING WITH IT
We’re constantly facing challenges from social and economic to environmental and ethical issues. We need to take action. That’s why we’re changing our approach to more environmentally conscious fashion.
We’re already committed to Commercial Social Responsibility and it plays a huge role in our decisions, actions and choices. But there’s still a long way to go. Every day, we strive to improve our processes and find better ways to reduce our impact.
DAMART ANSWERS
What measures are Damart taking to reduce its carbon footprint?
We have implemented action plans to reduce our carbon footprint:
Energy efficiency in buildings: Following several energy audits sources of potential gains were identified: we made progress in additional installed LED lighting, motion sensors, improved boiler system, monitoring dashboards, working groups.These actions have enabled us to reduce our energy-related CO2eq emissions by 15% between 2020 and 2023 at the various Damart sites. Of course, we are continuing our efforts and intend to intensify them over the long term.
Electric vehicles: Our fleet of company vehicles has switched fully electric, and we have installed electric charging stations available to employees. Our travel policy requires that we prefer to take the train over the plane.
Commuting: We encourage our employees to favour alternative modes of transport to the private car: we operate a cycle to work scheme, EV salary sacrifice scheme along with subsidized rail travel.
Regarding logistics: We use Evri who have a 21% reduction of carbon per parcel since last year and reduction of operational carbon by over a third since 2020/21 baseline.
And transport: We have very little use of air supplies in favour of sea or road transport. In 2023-24, less than 2% of the quantities purchased were transported by air.
How do you raise awareness of climate change among your employees?
With the depletion of fossil resources and the environmental crisis, the climate is one of the major societal issues of the 21st century.
Reducing the causes of climate change and adapting to its consequences will impact all aspects of our societies and our lives.
At all ages and in all contexts, everyone must be trained in the scientific basis of the climate, in order to be able to understand the situation, decipher the information, form an opinion and act on a collective and individual scale.
Our ambition is to train 100% of employees in the Climate Fresk.
What is Damart doing to reduce the use of plastic?
- Gradual replacement of plastic polybags: underwear packaging is now made of paper, we have designed kraft rings for gifts and some products, some items are sold without packaging…
- Improvement of the recycling of plastic polybags: in the warehouse, since September 2019, the plastic bags of textile items are removed before sending to stores, compacted and sent to a recycling service provider for plastic and cardboard (about 15 tons of plastic per year recycled)
- We participated in the writing of the white paper “Plastic-free fashion” published by Fashion Green Hub, which presents the concrete solutions tested and implemented by the 14 companies that are members of the working group: org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Mode-sans-plastique-2022.pdf
- Elimination of plastic films from communications: catalogues and mailings are sent without packaging or with paper packaging from sustainably managed forests.
- Improved shipping packages: Since November 2020, the plastic bags used for delivery are made of 60% recycled content.
- Overall, all these actions have allowed us to reduce the use of plastic by 50% this year compared to 2023.
How is Damart committed to more ethics?
Because ethics is a cardinal value for us, Damart is committed to responsible purchasing, we have drafted a Responsible Purchasing Charter which sets out the principles of human rights, labour rights and the fight against corruption.We ensure that each of our garment suppliers signs it and adheres to the ten principles of the United Nations Global Compact.2023-2024 : 76% of items placed on the market come from audited factories 100%* OF OUR CLOTHING SUPPLIERS HAVE SIGNED OUR RESPONSIBLE PURCHASING CHARTER*(excluding promotional items and home collections)
How does Damart control the working conditions of its partners?
We make sure to guarantee a more responsible production.Since 2017, Damart has been a member of the Initiative for Compliance and Sustainability* and since 2019, Damart has been a member of the COPIL.In order to ensure the compliance of our subcontractors, we allow independent auditors to verify that the principles of the United Nations Global Compact are respected.We use the ICS audit protocol to monitor and improve the social and environmental conditions of manufacturing in our subcontractors’ factories.We also support multi-sectoral initiatives to identify and prevent risks of human rights violations, to the health and safety of workers and serious damage to the environment.
To ensure the traceability of products and strengthen the quality of the supplier relationship, Damart has set up an online portal as a space for exchange between the brand, agents and suppliers.
This portal aims to manage their contractual, commercial and ethical relationships.
Audits are conducted to verify the working conditions and environment at suppliers, as well as the health risks associated with the products.
2026 target: 80% of purchasing volume from audited factories
What is Damart doing in terms of recycling?
As part of the fight against waste and the reduction of our carbon footprint, and because fighting against waste means reducing our waste, pollution, we are happy to give a second life to our unsold or second-choice products.We distribute these pieces to solidarity associations and they are therefore oriented towards reuse, reuse and recycling.In addition, Damart is joining forces with Modimalisme, a young start-up from Toufflers, to develop capsule collections that upcycle and recycle some of our unsold products by giving them a second life.
In an ethical and solidarity-based approach, the making and packaging are entrusted to establishments providing work assistance for people with disabilities and an association to help women who are far from employment.
Damart’s Research and Development team works on the recycling of thermolactyl blend, our brand’s flagship product.
To create and produce thermolactyl underwear, the DMT factory uses technical mixtures with high added value.
In order to recover production “losses” (cutting cuts, non-conforming, etc.), studies were carried out to recycle the cutting scraps on the main mixture.
This year, new tests were carried out to introduce “Recylactyl” fibers (from these cutting scraps) into the yarns used to produce Thermolactyl underwear.
In September 2024, Damart signed a partnership with “Les Réparables”, a workshop specialising in clothing repair. The aim is to encourage customers to have their clothes repaired rather than throw them away, by giving them the repair bonus.
Is Damart committed to animal welfare?
Damart is committed to animal welfare: The Group’s brands have been committed for several years not to use animal fur in the collections.
Damart wanted to go further and banned angora wool and exotic leather since 2018.
DAMART
AND THE ENVIRONMENT
Carbon Footprint - Climate Strategy Measurement
Thanks to a software solution for collecting and managing the Climate strategy, the carbon footprint of activities was measured for the third time in 2024 and an emissions reduction plan is being deployed.
Climate governance has been put in place: five Damart employees are members of the Damartex group’s superhero community, whose mission is to develop strong links with management and help them implement action plans. This initiative was rewarded with two MR21 (the community of responsible managers) awards: “Employees as actors in sustainable transformation” in 2022 and “Responsible managerial innovation” in 2023.
Damartex Group’s ambitions: Reduction of the carbon footprint by 25% in 2026 (based on emissions measured in 2019)
Towards more FSC certification
Because we are committed to respecting nature, in accordance with the legal obligation, we have been using paper from sustainably managed forests for all our catalogues and mailings since 2017.
We are gradually replacing the packaging of our items with boxes, rings, hangers made of recycled cardboard and paper. Since 2021, our entire underwear department has benefited from a new FSC-certified packaging from responsible sources.
Towards less plastic
Because plastic pollution seriously harms humans and nature, we want to reduce the use of all single-use plastic packaging. In accordance with legal obligations, we have replaced the plastic packaging of our catalogues and mailings with a paper alternative, and we replace our plastic packaging all our items, your parcels, your gifts and in-store packaging with alternative cardboard or paper solutions as soon as possible.Overall, all these actions have allowed us to reduce the use of plastic by 50% this year compared to 2023.
Creating differently
Different raw materials and manufacturing processes.
Because we are committed to better fashion and reducing our impact on the environment, every season we develop more and more items made from recycled fibers, certified products, organically grown cotton, Lenzing EcovéroTM and LivaecoTM viscose, or that benefit from a less water and energy-intensive wash.
Our less impactful items are stamped with a logo, which indicates an item made from recycled fibers, in cotton from organic farming, or a piece that benefits from a wash that requires less water and energy…
Damart is committed to achieving 100% of the collections designed in the best way by 2030.
More durable items over time:
Damart is committed to an approach that is the opposite of Fast Fashion* by offering quality products that are made to last. This commitment is reflected in particular in the high renewal rate of the collections (75% in 2023-24), the Thermolactyl, Climatyl, PerfectFit by Damart, Amortyl and Piédical collections developed by the engineers of our R&D department, as well as the presentation of timeless, quality ranges that twist easily, for a more sober but still stylish wardrobe that gives pride of place to creativity.
Damart’s Quality teams have launched the “Made to last” project, an internal project whose objective is to reassure our customers about the quality and longevity of products by launching extensive tests of up to more than 70 washes. A first study took place this year on Thermolactyl underwear.
The fight against waste
As part of the fight against waste and the reduction of our carbon footprint, and because fighting against waste means reducing our waste, pollution, we are happy to give a second life to our unsold or second-choice products.We distribute these pieces to solidarity associations and they are therefore oriented towards reuse, reuse and recycling.In addition, Damart is joining forces with Modimalisme, a young start-up from Toufflers, to develop capsule collections that upcycle and recycle some of our unsold products by giving them a second life.
In an ethical and solidarity-based approach, the making and packaging are entrusted to establishments providing work assistance for people with disabilities and an association to help women who are far from employment.
Damart’s Research and Development team works on the recycling of thermolactyl blend, our brand’s flagship product.
To create and produce thermolactyl underwear, the DMT factory uses technical mixtures with high added value.
In order to recover production “losses” (cutting cuts, non-conforming, etc.), studies were carried out to recycle the cutting scraps on the main mixture.
This year, new tests were carried out to introduce “Recylactyl” fibers (from these cutting scraps) into the yarns used to produce Thermolactyl underwear.
In September 2024, Damart signed a partnership with “Les Réparables”, a workshop specialising in clothing repair. The aim is to encourage customers to have their clothes repaired rather than throw them away, by giving them the repair bonus.
The Relay
Damart has been committed to the Le Relais association since 2022: we have installed collection terminals for clothes in our stores, in order to give them a second life: they will be recycled, resold second-hand, transformed into industrial rags or recovered into energy.
As far as our second-choice products (with defects) are concerned, partnerships with associations are established. At Damart, more than 20,000 pieces were redistributed to associations in France this year.
Recycle! - Research and Development
Fervent in innovation, the Damart R&D team is thinking about recycling the Thermolactyl blend, our brand’s flagship product. To create and produce thermolactyl underwear, the DMT factory uses technical mixtures with high added value. In order to recover production “losses” (cutting cuts, non-conforming, etc.), studies were carried out to recycle the cutting scraps on the main mixture. The objective is to find solutions and applications that make it possible to enhance these components at the height of their performance. Tests have been carried out to imagine different avenues for transformation and to assess their recycling potential.
This year, new tests were carried out to introduce “Recylactyl” fibers (from these cutting scraps) into the yarns used to produce Thermolactyl underwear.
DAMART
IS COMMITTED
TO PEOPLE
Acting for more vigilance on the value chain
Because ethics is a cardinal value for us, we have drawn up a Responsible Purchasing Charter which sets out the principles of human rights, labour rights, and the fight against corruption. We ensure that each of our garment suppliers signs it and adheres to the ten principles of the United Nations Global Compact.
100%* OF OUR CLOTHING SUPPLIERS HAVE SIGNED OUR RESPONSIBLE PURCHASING CHARTER
*(excluding promotional items and home collections)
Ensuring more responsible production
Since 2017, Damart has been a member of the ICS (Initiative for Compliance and Sustainability*).
To ensure the compliance of our subcontractors, we allow independent auditors to verify that the principles of the United Nations Global Compact are respected.
Duo for a Job
Damart is committed to working alongside the association “DUO for a JOB” to develop intergenerational mentoring and facilitate access to employment for young people from diverse backgrounds. With this partnership, Damart is committed to supporting “DUO for a JOB” in the training of new mentors from the structure’s Lille office and in its communication.
This desire to transmit, to open up to the world, resonates on a daily basis in our Human Policy. We rely on collective intelligence, the transmission of knowledge and the entrepreneurial spirit of our employees so that everyone can get involved in CSR projects.
The On seniors side foundation
Because being at the side of seniors means committing beyond business to their well-being, we have created the Damartex group foundation “On Seniors’Side”, in which each employee is invited to invest.
We are involved in 3 areas:
– Promote the well-being of seniors and contribute to their home care,
– Encourage intergenerational links
– Supporting caregivers.
The Damart attitude
Managing men and women means of course bringing together all the necessary conditions to guarantee the health and safety of our employees. For us, it also means transmitting values to them, supporting them on a daily basis, making them actors in their professional projects, developing their skills by adopting a managerial posture on a daily basis that combines high standards and benevolence.
The charter of commitment for 50+ years in the company
The employment of the over-50s in companies requires special attention. Damartex is a signatory of the Charter of Commitment for the place of employees aged 50+ in the company. This unprecedented act is broken down into 10 key commitments around Recruitment, Training, Job Retention, Career Development Support, Well-being at Work, Retirement and Awareness of Age-Related Stereotypes. Commitment to gender equality
Commitment to gender equality
Since 2019, all companies have been required to calculate and publish their professional gender equality index. For the year 2023, Damart France obtains a score of 94/100!. We are striving to maintain this score thanks to a dynamic that has been underway for several years in favour of gender equality and we are continuing our efforts in this direction to improve it.