CSR - Corporate Social Responsibility

SUSTAINABLE AWARENESS

At DEPECHE, we create unique pieces, in genuine leather, to be loved now and beyond just a single season. Our main goal is to offer top quality products, since good quality is an investment in the future, where we consume less and buy better. Making products that will last a lifetime, in stylish and timeless designs, is what we do best. As a fashion brand, we feel committed to getting involved and looking into how we can create with consideration. Social and environmental responsibility is a growing and well-developed goal at DEPECHE. Read more about our initiatives, materials, and code of conduct here…

CODE OF CONDUCT

HUMAN RIGHTS

We're committed to respect international human rights and the principles and guidance in the United Nations (UN) Guiding Principles. At our suppliers, we have the largest human rights risks, and the biggest opportunity to make a positive impact on people’s wellbeing. We have a strong focus on social responsibility and ensuring decent working conditions, as well as maintaining the principles of good control and social and environmental sustainability.

At DEPECHE, we’ve been working in India since 2008, and over time developed a close cooperation with our suppliers, who we regularly visit. We care a lot about our relationship with our suppliers, as it is very valuable for us as a brand with good connection throughout our value chain. Together with our partners, we work to ensure that the employees of our suppliers have a healthy and safe place to work, good hygiene, good toilet conditions, clean drinking water, no child labour, the opportunity to provide themselves and their families, as well free from bribery and corruption. We support and respect the different religions of our employees, and we support their right to practice their religion at any time.

ANIMAL WELFARE

All our leather is supported by EU’s rules of animal welfare and the so-called 'Five Freedoms':
- Freedom from hunger and thirst
- Freedom from discomfort
- Freedom from pain, injury and disease
- Freedom to express normal behavior
- Freedom from fear and distress

At DEPECHE, we support and respect that skin from endangered and protected animal species are not used in any context. We work exclusively with leftover leather from meat production, and we therefore do not contribute to the unnecessary slaughter of animals. Our production in India is certified by the Leather Working Group (LWG), which works purposefully to reduce the environmental impact of the leather industry. We have a strong focus to use as much leather as possible of each skin to minimize and reduce waste.

ENVIRONMENT

We strive to be more sustainable and environmentally responsible. We work towards a more sustainable production and fight as a brand to leave a smaller environmental footprint. We have a strong cooperation with all our suppliers and encouraging them to reduce the consumption of water, chemicals, energy, and the production of waste, is vital to reducing our environmental impact. At DEPECHE, we use Micro-Pak bags, which are free from chemicals and at the same time an environmentally friendly reusable alternative. In addition, we try to reduce our consumption of cardboard boxes and recycle the boxes in which the goods are delivered from our suppliers.

ANTI-CORRUPTION

We're committed to respect anti-corruption principles and guidance in the United Nations Convention against Corruption. We have a responsibility to make a positive impact on our suppliers to avoid corrupt practices.

PROCESS OF PRODUCTION

All our styles are designed In-house. Before the production process everything is reviewed: leather quality, shape, measurement, colours, inside compartments and details. When the designs are ready for production, final leather is selected for each piece, to make sure only the best leather quality is used. Before putting the pieces together, the leather is waxed by hand to remove any dirt and scratches. The finishing touch is made, and the last details are added before each piece is finalized and put together by hand. Before putting it into production, we check every style and makes sure everything lives up to our standard.

The materials for all our styles are handpicked to create the raw yet feminine expression we desire. Every product is carefully put together by hand to achieve the best possible product every time. With our creative designs and dedication to high quality, functionality, discreet luxury, and explicit details we create styles to make any stylish woman feel unique and styles made to last.  

CLOSE COOPERATION

One of our most important responsibilities is, and has always been, creating a safe working environment for our employees. Both for the employees at the office and our production employees in India. We wouldn’t be where we are today if it weren’t for them. At DEPECHE, we work purposefully to become more responsible, smarter, and more skilled at the concepts of sustainability and human rights.

We have been working in India for more than 15 years and hired a competent QC team to maintain our close relationship with our suppliers. A good relationship is very valuable to us as a brand, and we want to ensure things are done in accordance with our Code of Conduct. In addition, the QC team helps to assure that our products live up to our high standard, as well as the entire production behind it.

 QUALITY OVER QUANTITY

An overarching goal at DEPECHE is to be able to offer top quality products, where only the best is good enough. Thanks to our products' high skin quality, we make products that will last a lifetime and do not support the "throw away" culture. Our stylish and timeless products can be used by a wide target group and passed down through several generations, which means that the qualities of our products are made to last. A requirement and a goal that we live and breathe for at DEPECHE.

We are leather specialists with some of the highest leather qualities on the market. Since we started in 1999, quality has been top priority, and we therefore know for sure how to feel and sense good genuine skin quality. The deliciously soft expression of the leather is a consistent part of DEPECHE's DNA. All our collections are designed in selected types of leather, such as calfskin and lambskin. The high quality of the leather ensures a strong durability and help create a positive change in consumer behavior towards a greener future.

At DEPECHE, we want to use our role in the fashion industry to change our consumer's behavior from quantity to quality. We’ll put more awareness to the high quality and the fact, that our products are made to last a lifetime, as we feel committed to reduce our climate footprint. We want to learn more about our actions and how we can become even more socially and environmentally responsible. Therefore, in the future we want to discover new collaborations where we can strengthen our knowledge of DEPECHE's development towards a greener company. We aim to create concepts that extend the life of our further products and give them new life with new consumers.

Dare to be Genuine