Design, minimalism and transparency. These are the three main pillars that Veja is based on, a sneakers brand distinguished from the rest thanks to their ethical and sustainable principles.
Ethics as a business principle
They are all about classic designs, and therefore timeless. An emblematic “V” on the sides, a neat look and a high quality manufacture are some of the characteristics of Veja’s sneakers, a brand whose dynamics are worth-known in depth.
The French brand was created in 2005 thanks to the pioneer idea of Sébastien Kopp and François Morillion, two graduates in Economy that wanted to focus their knowledge on developing a project based on environmental consciousness. After launching their foundation Just Planet, they took a step forward creating their own ecological brand, Veja. Both friends decided to take a turn away from the financial arrangements to fully engage in the sustainable development. And what’s better than doing it through something they were passionate about: sneakers. Each of them inverted 5.000€, enough to launch one of the most admirable initiatives of the urban and casual fashion.
The word “veja” means “to look” in Portuguese. With this name, Kopp and Morillion wanted to evoke something like “to look beyond”, to lead the consumer to develop a consciousness regarding the manufacture and values behind each product, and not just regarding the product itself. The ethics and environmental consciousness immerses their whole business model, from the manufacture from renewable energy technologies and recycled materials to responsible packaging. The brand is completely transparent about their production, conditions and workers.
Veja only produces what they know is going to sell. In order to avoid production surplus, they produce in the interest of the next six months. In order to buy a pair from Veja, it is needed to pay in advance. This way, in case there is a year of drought, which a country like Brazil is susceptible to, or in case of poor crop, leaving not enough cotton to manufacture, they opt for recycled cotton and make sure their workers continue getting their salary.
Respect for humans and the environment
Veja buys cotton from 320 Brazilian families that live from the eco agriculture, taking care of the environment and meeting fair trade regulations. These cultivation processes renounce chemical products and pesticides. It is precisely in the Brazilian state Ceará where these ecosneakers are manufactured.
The materials which the sneakers are made from are worth mentioning: high quality vegan suede, soles made from wild rubber from the Amazonian forest, organic cotton and recycled materials, among others. And all of this from environmental-consciousness processes. For example, in order to get the rubber for the sole, the Seringueiros (the rubber tappers) extract it from the rubber trees, what avoids deforestation and supports the rearing process. Veja ensures that 60% from all their soles are made from natural wild rubber. These sneakers made in Brazil are also the first ones to use B-Mesh (Bottle Mesh), a material that comes from recycled plastic bottles.
But they still have an unfinished business, and they openly acknowledge it. Nowadays, it is completely impossible to know certainly where the suede comes from, or to be sure about if the livestock has been treated fair. As a further goal, Veja intends to fully control their suede supply chain, from the livestock rearing process to the finishing of the materials.
Slowly but surely
From its origins, the brand decided not to invest in advertisement. The money that would be destined to advertising goes instead to guarantee the fair payment of all the employees, ensuring there is no job insecurity in the business: not for the Amazonian forest collectors, nor for the sales assistants in the Veja store in Paris.
We have seen them at Emma Watson or Katie Homes’ feet, they even reached Megan Markle. There is no doubt Veja is such a phenomenon in the sneaker scene. Nevertheless, the brand assures that they won’t be able to grow large-scale, due to their organic and low development. As otherwise they could not ensure the protection of the environment and of all the workers implied in the production. But this is not a restriction to them, it is a challenge. Veja’s goal is to make the difference, in both the social and the economic level. And through their journey they have proven not to be in a hurry, but to be moral.