1. How are Marie Jo items packaged?
We aim to reduce and reuse our operational packaging material to the greatest extent possible. All our lingerie is sold in FSC-labelled cardboard boxes.
SUSTAINABILITY
Designed to wear and love every day , made to last
At Marie Jo, we are dedicated to corporate social responsibility and life-long learning. We are committed to continuously improving our efforts to reduce our environmental footprint, support our employees, delight our lingerie enthusiasts and empower women around the world. Join us on our path towards continuous improvement and unwavering dedication.
EVERY STITCH IS MADE TO LAST
Our mission, reflected in every bra?
To make sure you feel good in our lingerie, both in terms of look and comfort. A passion for Lingerie with capital L since 1981:
- In our atelier in Schellebelle (Belgium) fashion designers, fit experts and textile engineers team up to make sure that every Marie Jo bra offers that ideal combination of comfort and fashion .
- Marie Jo was founded by the Van de Velde group, a manufacturer of fine lingerie with over 100 year s of experience. Our craftsmanship is passed on from generation to generation and refined by our expert innovation team.
- A database of anonymous body scans obtained from thousands of Marie Jo lovers helps us perfect our designs and develop the most advanced digital fit tools.
- Our approach ensures that we continually improve our fit and style, creating lingerie that meets the highest standards of comfort all while making you look and feel your best.
Timeless icons, a tried and trusted fit
We dare to say that you could buy Marie Jo blindfolded. Every one of our products is designed to make you feel confident and comfortable. Our technical team is dedicated to offering you the ultimate in consistency with respect to sizes and styles, in every new collection. That means easy and stress-free shopping for you, as well as fewer returns.
100% safe lingerie
It might sound a bit unusual, but did you know that a lot of fast fashion products contain substances that can be harmful for your health or that of the people producing it? Marie Jo lingerie and swimwear is 100% safe for you to wear. All our fabrics and materials carry the following labels:
- Standard 100 by OEKO-TEX
- REACH
- Global Recycled Standard
This means that the materials and fabrics we use in our collections do not contain toxic substances that can be harmful to your health, the planet, or your skin.
Size does matter
Poorly fitting lingerie can never be sustainable. Obtaining advice to ensure the right fit and size will help you make the best possible choice. The Van de Velde Academy was established to coach Lingerie Stylists in boutiques worldwide in their ability to provide women with the best advice for finding the right size and style of lingerie . For those who prefer to take their own measurements independently, our in-store Bra Size Scan and online fit tools help you find your size with ease and accuracy.
EVERY ACTION IS MADE TO EMPOWER
Marie Jo is feel-good lingerie
The Marie Jo woman is at the heart of everything we do. Our purpose in life is to make a woman feel on top of her game when she’s wearing Marie Jo. We believe in the power of high-quality, comfortable and pretty lingerie. The right lingerie gives you that little confidence boost you need. It’s your Invisible Force.
Marie Jo listens
Our motto is: listen first, design later. We need to know what Marie Jo women need and want to wear, taking into account all the latest developments in the world of lingerie. We are never done listening, whether in our own fitting rooms or those of our many partners, or to surveys or messages and reactions on our digital channels . We listen to all the feedback we can get so that we can learn, improve and innovate. What do you need? How does the lingerie make you feel? How well does it fit you? Can you move freely in it? Does it offer enough support? Is it comfortable? Are you missing anything? We keep up with trends and make constant improvements to our materials, designs and processes, together with our fit experts, material engineers and innovation team. We‘re never done listening, so we can keep making lingerie and swimwear for you to love and feel great in.
Bras with a purpose
Being a purpose-driven company, we believe we can make an even bigger contribution to the empowerment of women all over the world. We passionately support local and global initiatives that empower women to thrive. Here are some examples:
- We partner with Plan International to enhance the societal standing of young women, sponsoring programmes that foster the development of girls in Rwanda and providing materials to local tailoring schools.
- We donate lingerie and swimwear to organisations aiding women in crisis situations.
- We collaborate with Doctors Without Borders.
- We contribute to oncological research, also by developing special bras for women undergoing radiation treatment at University Hospital Ghent and the oncology research centre in Antwerp (BE).
- We fund local Belgian projects combating poverty and offering family support:
- We provide financial support to local initiatives such as De Katrol and SamenBergenOp, who provide underprivileged children with guidance and counselling.
- We donate deadstock to local not-for-profit organisations dedicated to young girls and women.
EVERY CHOICE IS MADE TO SUSTAIN
We care about everyone who makes your lingerie
Marie Jo is part of the Van de Velde group, a family-run company that has been designing lingerie in Belgium for over 100 years. Our design process, as well as quality control, pattern cutting, innovation, and all activities associated with distribution take place here in Belgium. The stitching is done at our atelier in Tunisia and by a partner with specialised ateliers in Tunisia, Thailand and China. Working conditions there are strictly monitored. Independent certificates and labels such as SMETA and WRAP guarantee that our production is carried out in a fair, safe and healthy manner.
Made by women, for women
Marie Jo lingerie is made under the best possible working conditions. The health and well-being of our colleagues, most of whom are women, is our highest priority. Because happy employees create the best products. We are committed to fostering safe and enjoyable working conditions across all our facilities, and strive to motivate, educate and encourage personal growth among our team members. Did you know:
- We employ over 1,500 staff worldwide, ensuring a fair working environment for each individual.
- 90% of our workforce is female, and 62.5% of our leadership team is composed of women.
- We collaborate only with ateliers that were conferred social responsibility labels. and all our partners have signed our social responsibility charter.
- The greatest part of our production process takes place in Belgium, where we handle design, quality control and pattern cutting. Only the stitching of our garments takes place elsewhere: in our atelier in Tunisia or the specialised ateliers of our partner in Tunisia, Thailand and China. Independent certifications such as WRAP and SMETA guarantee our commitment to fair, safe and sustainable practices.
- Our own atelier in Tunisia prioritises fair treatment and safety for our 700 employees, mostly women, with ongoing investments in facilities and training.
- Our long-term partnership with Top Form in China and Thailand helps us maintain high ethical and sustainability standards. We play an active role in shaping the long-term strategy and governance of Top Form.
Ranked 7th worldwide
We are proud to say that our company (the Van de Velde lingerie group) currently ranks 7th worldwide on the ESG rating scale for clothing companies. This rating by Sustainalytics shows a company’s efforts to reduce ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) risks.
Want to know more? Read our FAQ!
2. How does Marie Jo take care of its employees?
Our co-workers are our most important asset. This is why we take the best possible care of them, while respecting their working conditions. This includes aspects such as health & safety, working hours and living wages. To underscore our commitment, we have a social charter and code of conduct that serve as the cornerstone of a thriving work culture for all our employees. In addition, we also undergo annual audits by an external agency to ensure meticulous compliance with all aspects of our social charter.
3. What happens to unsold lingerie?
Managing our stocks accurately and planning smartly allows us to keep any unsold stock to a minimum. We use smart forecasting models that calculate how much lingerie and swimwear we need each season. We never destroy unsold lingerie. Instead, whatever is left over at the end of a season is donated in a targeted manner.
4. What is done with leftover fabric?
The largest part of our waste is cutting waste. We have intelligent cutting robots in our atelier that make sure we waste as little fabric as possible when cutting out our patterns from the fabric.
We are always looking for new circular solutions for any scraps left over from our seasonal fabrics. The items made from these include make-up bags, face masks, or even acoustic panels.
1. How can I extend the lifespan of my bra?
Our lingerie and swimwear are rigorously tested to ensure they withstand the rigours of everyday wear, thus providing lasting comfort and durability. However, to keep these items looking and feeling their best, it's important to care for them properly. Following our advice on laundering will help preserve the quality and longevity of your favourite pieces. Proper care not only maintains their shape and colour but also enhances their overall lifespan, ensuring that they continue to provide you with confidence and comfort.
2. Where are materials for PrimaDonna lingerie procured?
75% of our raw materials is procured in Western Europe. The shorter the supply chains, the shorter the shipping distances. Proximity also allows for more flexibility, allowing us to respond quickly to changing needs and trends.
3. How does Marie Jo select fabrics?
The fabrics and materials we select for our collections meet our high quality standards: Whether synthetic or natural, they offer a good fit and plenty of comfort, are colourfast and long lasting.
However, the specific blends of yarns, fabrics and/or materials we use do have an impact on the environment:
- Their production requires a lot of fossil fuels and energy.
- They are usually a blend of polyester, polyamide and elastane. This composition makes them difficult to recycle.
We are always on the lookout for more environmentally friendly alternatives, such as recycled and bio-based yarns. In 2021, 2.5% of our fibres were recycled. In 2023, we were able to increase this to 6%.
Why don’t we make more use of recycled fibres? Most recycled fibres cannot guarantee the same quality, or cannot do so yet. We are constantly looking to increase our share of environmentally friendly alternatives, without compromising on wearability, comfort, or quality.
1. Can you explain your commitment to women?
We're committed to supporting social projects that make a real difference to underprivileged women in society, focusing on equal opportunities, education and health for women and girls worldwide.
2. Which charity associations do you support?
We support local and global initiatives that focus on empowering women.
Education and training
Plan International is an organisation dedicated to improving the position of young women in society. Its mission aligns perfectly with ours. We are proud to support a fantastic programme that is making a real difference to the development of girls in Rwanda. We offer financial and material support to a local fashion school.
Health and well-being
We donate lingerie and swimwear to local organisations that help women in need, such as women's shelters. We are proud to collaborate with Doctors Without Borders by facilitating the targeted donation of our products to underprivileged women.
Equal opportunities
We also fund local projects that strive for equal opportunities and provide family support at home.
3. How do you ensure good working conditions for your employees?
At PrimaDonna, we ensure that all our employees can work in the best possible environment.
We have a social and ethical charter in place and several committees that monitor the company’s social accountability. We are also engaged in a partnership with Top Form workshops in China and Thailand. These ateliers hold a WRAP label guaranteeing safe, fair and sustainable production practices. Both of our subcontractors in Tunisia are SMETA-certified for ethical practices and human rights. We're proud to invest in fair and good working conditions for all employees throughout the value chain, most of whom are women, worldwide.
The health of our employees is also one of our highest priorities, and we continue to make substantial investments to ensure comfortable working conditions. We also provide training that helps both experienced colleagues and starters to grow and develop.