To ensure that orders placed on our website arrive smoothly, Hast relies on the expertise of a dedicated logistics centre. It serves as a central hub, receiving a large share of the garments crafted in our workshops before carefully packaging them so they arrive on your doorstep or in your letterbox in impeccable style.
This facility is set in the heart of the Burgundian countryside, near the small town of Semur-en-Auxois. Around fifteen order fulfilment operatives work here, managing some 100,000 items—both ours and those of many other brands, mostly clothing labels. These are the unsung men and women behind the scenes whom we rarely think of when picturing a garment's journey. They are essential because they keep things moving in a seamless, continuous flow. Jordan, 29, is one of them.
How did you become an order fulfilment operative?
At secondary school, I obtained a baccalaureate in agricultural science and technology, which usually leads to farming professions. Instead, I quickly started working as an operative in a factory manufacturing steam generator tubes. I worked there for seven years, the last three as a supervisor. Then I decided to move on. My former workshop manager called me to say he was working at a fulfilment warehouse. I applied and got the job. That is how I ended up here, in Semur-en-Auxois.
What is your working environment like?
It is a huge 3,500-square-metre warehouse located in an industrial estate. When you step inside, the first thing you see are the packing benches and, to the side, the office area dedicated to client relations. We are surrounded by products ready to be packed and dispatched. Each area of the warehouse is allocated to a specific client or brand. Today, within the company, let's say I am a link in the chain—and it is a well-oiled one. Everyone knows their job inside out and knows what everyone else has to do. It runs like clockwork!
What are the different stages involved in preparing an order?
First thing in the morning, we run a computer summary of all the orders placed the previous day for dispatch that day, broken down by brand. This allows us to know how many items need to be retrieved from stock during the day. We can then schedule a preparation window for each brand. Right after that, we collect the items from the various storage areas using a trolley. This is what is known as 'picking'. We then verify the order by scanning the product with a handheld terminal.
With every order, I can't help but picture the customer waiting for it and the life they lead. It comes naturally. If I see a seaside address, I picture an elegant, stylishly dressed person strolling along the beach.
The next step is the packaging preparation. This varies from one brand to another. Some require their garments to be wrapped in tissue paper; others like to include a small thank-you card or a sticker. Packaging takes place at a bench where operatives work in pairs. One handles the paperwork and documents, while the other takes care of the packing. Once ready, the parcel is placed in postal cages, at least for standard postal parcels. Dedicated collection areas are set up for express couriers like Chronopost, DHL, and other carriers.
Is there a specific technique for packing items?
We don’t use machines. Everything is done by hand. As a result, you develop natural reflexes in the way you handle products, like little routines. We always pick up the box with the left hand to place it on our right, so that once the item is finished being packed, it is as close to the box as possible. It is the kind of detail that minimises unnecessary movements while saving time. Here, one person once packed 240 parcels in a single day. That record has stood for a very long time.
Do you ever let your imagination run wild when packing a particular order?
With every order, I can't help but picture the customer waiting for it and the life they lead. It comes naturally. If I see a seaside address, I picture an elegant, stylishly dressed person strolling along the beach. Over the years, we’ve sent parcels all across France and abroad. What surprises me most is when an address is right near our warehouse, as if we were packing a parcel for our next-door neighbour. In those cases, I always wonder whether I might have bumped into them at the Sunday morning market.
Are some orders particularly impressive?
Sometimes we have to handle ten shirts or ten pairs of trousers in one go. And every time, I tell myself that a good number of those pieces will end up coming back. It happens often: people order in bulk to be sure of getting the right cut and size. The rest, they return. It never fails.
What is your own relationship with clothing?
Fashion doesn't particularly appeal to me! I like nice shirts and polo shirts, but generally speaking, I wear everyday clothes. At the warehouse, I wear a fleece with the company logo. And gloves and safety boots when necessary.
What would you like to say to everyone who receives the parcels you prepare behind the scenes every day?
What can be frustrating about our job is that we never get any direct feedback. I don't know whether the customer likes what I've done, whether they appreciate the packaging, or if they are pleasantly surprised... I'd like to think they are.
The stories of Hast and Bourgogne Direct Logistics are closely intertwined, as our journeys began at almost the exact same time—we were their very first client. We are proud to work with a partner whose human and environmental commitments have continuously evolved over the years. Today, our partner is successfully carbon neutral by offsetting emissions and using 100% recyclable cardboard boxes, 70% of which come from recycled materials (the remaining 30% sourced from sustainably managed forests), all to your benefit.
Note: We would like to take this opportunity to thank Jordan, Martin, Guillaume and the entire team for their professionalism and responsiveness over the past few months.
