For all of us, 2020 was a period of profound reflection. Faced with the health crisis, we had to take a step back to learn how to operate, but also how to communicate differently. The question was: how could we continue to be meaningful and meet the needs of our community in the current context?
For the Hast team, this reflection on the role of brands followed on from the one begun in 2019 in response to environmental challenges. In many ways, the year was unusual and difficult, but undoubtedly fruitful. We have drawn important lessons from it in order to remain true to our values and commitments.
Looking back on a year full of twists and turns and, above all, lessons learned!
Towards an ever stronger commitment
The year began at a fast pace and quickly confirmed our desire to go further in our environmental and educational commitments.
Better tracking the life cycle of our products
It is in Hast’s DNA to offer you quality products at prices we consider fair. But in 2020, we did not want to stop there! We wanted to support you as much as possible throughout the rest of our products’ life cycle.
To this end, we collaborated with the eco-friendly laundry detergent brand Petits Bidons. Made with Marseille soap, this responsible detergent keeps our clothes soft while protecting our environment. Because a product that lasts is a product that is cared for! Every day, more than 17 000 loads of laundry are washed in France, so making the right choice for your clothes and our planet is more important than ever.
In this spirit, we decided to offer you more advice on caring for your clothes and extending their lifespan. We therefore wrote a series of articles to help you look after your shirts and other garments. To find out more, visit our Advice section.
Affirming our values
At Hast, we are convinced that brands have a responsibility to use their visibility to make a positive impact on our world and its ecosystems. That is why this year we wanted to introduce you to personalities whose work, journeys and thinking inspire us, in our Portraits section. We therefore strive to provide quality content and highlight practices we consider both worthwhile and instructive.
A necessary adaptation
A collection launched in difficult circumstances
At the beginning of February, the Hast team headed to Marseille to shoot the spring/summer collection campaign. Two days filled with encounters later, and with a handsome van bearing Hast colours, the first images of the collection designed by our stylist Martina emerged. We also took the opportunity to meet local personalities. But on our return, the health crisis hit us head-on! Lockdown, shop closures... launching the new collection was a real challenge. We had to adapt!
The health crisis is prompting us to rethink our roles and ways of working
What values do we want to stand for in this context? How can we communicate about our products while remaining empathetic and committed in the face of this unprecedented health situation? These were the first questions facing the Hast team as it adapted to remote working.
But we also need to rethink all the working practices within our production chain!
The closure of our shops and their subsequent reopening have required us to manage stock even more flexibly. A challenge for Hast, where we strive to produce as close to demand as possible, while respecting the environment and workers.
Promising projects for the future
An expanded wardrobe and complete transparency
2020 was a year of reflection but, above all and despite everything, one of real progress!
Our wardrobe expanded with the launch of our first coats – the virgin wool coat and the new waxed cotton jacket. Something we had wanted to do for a long time, and a successful challenge for the Hast team!
A number of projects we had begun working on came to fruition, with the aim of offering you ever greater transparency about how our products are made. In September, we took you inside our Italian workshop to show you behind the scenes at Hast, and introduced a new video format to answer all your questions. To take our environmental commitment further, we also began calculating our detailed carbon footprint. More to come in 2021!
All these efforts gradually paid off, as we had the pleasure of appearing in the pages of The Good Life and Challenges! Two fine showcases that crown our efforts and encourage us to continue along this path.
A breath of fresh air within the Hast team
The team learned a great deal from this admittedly difficult context and emerged stronger. Let us conclude this 2020 review with the happy news that two new people have joined the Hast family. Maxime, who looks after customer service, joined us at the beginning of 2020. And Pauline took the reins of communications at the end of the year.
2020 was therefore a year rich in lessons. In 2021, we will look to the future, with the whole team determined to further affirm our commitments to quality, ecology and content!
