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PrimaDonna

SUSTAINABILITY

We love the body you’re in and the planet you’re on. 

At PrimaDonna, 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 sustainability journey, because at PrimaDonna we truly care about the things that matter most.

WE PROMOTE INCLUSIVITY

PDTW IDO CATALOG 0141606 SKT 0541601 SKT ICONS | PrimaDonna

Who in their right mind would offer 93 different bra sizes?

Well, we do! We know that this matters more than you can imagine to at least one woman. At PrimaDonna, we strive to ensure the perfect fit and the ultimate in comfort for every woman with a larger cup size. Our technical expertise ensures that every woman feels confident and comfortable in our lingerie. We offer lingerie and swimwear from cup sizes B to M to make sure that every woman will find the support she needs in a set that makes her look and feel amazing – both inside & out.

Keeping it very real | PrimaDonna
Keeping it very real | PrimaDonna

Keeping it very real

Everything we do revolves around our fans – from our shop windows to our campaign images, they are all based on YOU – with real-life PrimaDonna fans in front of the lens in our ‘Shine in PrimaDonna’ campaigns and shop mannequins based on hundreds of anonymous body scans obtained from our lingerie lovers. We want you to feel represented, welcome and confident at every moment in your lingerie shopping journey.

WE CARE ABOUT QUALITY AND LONGEVITY

PD Sustainability website images3 | PrimaDonna

Superior quality, always

Only products of very high standard of quality and that can last for many years can truly be considered sustainable. While fast-fashion brands can produce new collections in mere weeks, it takes us 18 months to craft each new collection! This meticulous process includes 6 months for production and 12 months for design, research, fitting and the optimisation of our products.
Only when we are absolutely certain that a bra meets our high standards in terms of quality and fit will we start up the actual production process. New designs go through the hands and heads of not only our designers, but also a large technical team of dedicated fit experts and material engineers. When it takes 45 different parts to create a single bra and make it in up to 93 different sizes just to get that perfect fit, some may call this an obsession. We simply call it a passion.

PD Sustainability website images icon1 | PrimaDonna

65-double quality check?

If our test panel of 65 fitting ladies doesn’t love it, we don’t make it. Every new bra undergoes rigorous testing and is worn by a panel of 65 colleagues with a diverse range of sizes and body types. Their invaluable feedback on fit and comfort directly influences our design team's decisions. Only when we are certain that every detail is perfect, will a new series move forward into production, thus ensuring that every PrimaDonna bra meets our standards of comfort and quality.

PD Sustainability website images icon2 | PrimaDonna

PrimaDonna has been designed in Belgium for over 100 years.

With over 100 years of experience in lingerie, our craftsmanship is passed down through generations in our ateliers. All our collections start off in the picturesque Belgian village of Schellebelle, where they have been meticulously designed for over a century. The staff at our production centre in Wichelen ensures a rigorous quality control procedure for all materials, finished lingerie and swimwear, as well as pattern cutting. Our unique expertise is enhanced by a technical team pushing boundaries in product innovation and fit analysis to ensure that every piece we create delivers unparalleled quality and comfort.

PD Sustainability website images icon3 | PrimaDonna

Close to home and to our hearts.

Seventy-five per cent of our suppliers are European. They are partners with whom we have long-lasting relationships and shared values. There are many advantages to collaborating with close-to-home partners. Western European designs and quality are unparalleled, while shortening the supply chain obviously results in shorter shipping distances.

"PrimaDonna lingerie isn’t just about beautiful designs—it’s about empowering people. We create our pieces with care, fairness, and a commitment to sustainable, people-first practices."

We know who makes your lingerie

PrimaDonna lingerie is made under working conditions that prioritise the well-being of all our workers. 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, most of whom are women, with ongoing investments in facilities and training.
  • Thanks to our partnership with Top Form in China and Thailand, we can guarantee that our production processes adhere to the highest standards in terms of ethics and sustainability. We play an active role in this longtime partnership in shaping the long-term strategy and governance of Top Form.

WE CARE ABOUT ALL WOMEN

PD Sustainability website images10 | PrimaDonna

Made by women, for women

PrimaDonna 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. 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.
  • Our workplaces hold various social responsibility certifications, demonstrating our commitment to safeguarding employee rights and well-being (e.g., no discrimination, no child labour, fair wages).
  • We have launched our own social initiative, VdV Connect, driven by a team of employees, organising numerous activities and challenges to support charitable causes.
  • In 2023 alone, we provided more than a staggering 208,000 hours of training to our employees, supporting their personal and professional development.

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.

"At PrimaDonna, we don’t just empower women through lingerie—we uplift them around the world. We’re committed to making a difference for women everywhere."

Global and local initiatives for positive change

At PrimaDonna, we passionately support local and global initiatives that empower women to thrive. 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, we collaborate with Doctors Without Borders to support disadvantaged women and 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 also 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.

Want to know more? Read our FAQ!

PrimaDonna 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.

No. All our lingerie and swimwear items are 100% safe. 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

We go the extra mile to make sure your lingerie and swimwear last as long as possible. That is why we test all our fabrics and material components on a number of different aspects: strength, colourfastness, stretchability, and so on. We've got some great laundering tips for you to make sure your lingerie and swimwear last as long as possible.

The fabrics and materials we select for our collections meet our high quality standards: They offer a good fit and plenty of comfort, are colourfast and long lasting.

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.

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.

PrimaDonna's mission is to create lingerie that makes women feel confident and comfortable. Finding beautiful and well-fitting lingerie can be challenging for women with larger cup sizes. PrimaDonna has been designing trendy lingerie with the perfect fit for every woman with a larger cup size for years. Our commitment to inclusive design and representation is evident in several ways:

  • We offer an extensive size range, featuring up to 93 different sizes comprising cup and band measurements from a B up to an M cup.
  • Our ‘Shine in PrimaDonna’ campaigns feature real fans, who radiate self-love and inspire others.
  • We've revolutionised lingerie display by creating patented mannequins based on anonymised fitting data obtained from thousands of PrimaDonna wearers, using AI to develop lifelike mannequins that reflect the average PrimaDonna body. This ensures every woman feels welcome and understood from the moment she sets foot in the lingerie boutique.
  • 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.

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.

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.

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