I think perhaps the song “Pumped up kicks” was made for VEJA.
For this month’s That Charming Brand feature, I’m highlighting my all time favorite shoe company: VEJA sustainable sneakers! As a reminder, “That Charming Brand” is a regular series where I highlight companies putting efforts toward sustainability in efforts to help support them. Be sure to check out my feature on Sezane here if you’re interested!
It’s no secret that I’m a huge VEJA fan.
I bought my first pair in the beginning of last year and haven’t looked back since. (You can check out my review here – it’s one of my most popular posts to this day!) I love my VEJA sneakers so much that I honestly haven’t bought a pair of white sneakers since — I just rely on my trusty VEJA’s! And when it’s time for me to buy new running shoes soon, guess where I’m getting them? Yup, you guessed it. VEJA.
The more I learn about VEJA and their efforts, the more impressed I am.
I’m excited to dive into some of the company’s efforts today, to help share the amazing things they’re doing for not only the environment, but for social responsibility as well. There are so few brands taking the stance they are; I learn a lot when I dive into their efforts, and am encouraged by it all.
VEJA Sustainable Sneakers: It All Started With Wanting A Better Shoe
One quick note before we dive in: There’s so much information that it can almost be overwhelming! Learning about the company is like taking a Master’s degree crash-course in sustainability. To ease the info overload, I’ve provided some very high level summary points below, which is all largely taken from the VEJA website. If you’re interested in learning more, they provide a much more in-depth overview that you should swing by and read!
Why sneakers? The founders felt that sneakers are a symbol of our generation and era. Sneakers also happen to be a crystallization of a host of sustainability and social responsibility issues. The goal? To create well-designed sneakers that stand the test of time. To reduce our dependency on petroleum and plastic waste.
What issues? Let me count thy ways.
- Today, 99% of running shoes on the market are composed of plastics, which are 99% derived from petroleum. Our society’s dependence on plastic and oil is an ecological catastrophe.
- The majority of cotton produced every year in the world comes from intensive monoculture crops. Because of the heavy use of irrigation practices and massive quantities of pollutants, the environmental impact of this kind of industrial farming is disastrous.
- VEJA asked a Chinese factory to price out the manufacturing of their sneakers. Turns out, manufacturing in China would cost 3x less than what the shoes currently do. But that would also mean that they wouldn’t be made with socially and environmentally responsible materials and processes. (This is a really strong point to keep in mind with fast fashion in general!)
- In the clothing and fashion industries, the factory is often where all global economic dysfunction is focused: unsafe, even unsanitary working conditions, highly eroded wages and little concern for the environment.
- 70% of the cost of a normal big sneaker brand is related to advertising. (YIKES.)
There are so many more issues with the industry – and specifically shoes — at large, but for the sake of digestion I’ll leave it with the above.
Like I said before, swing by the VEJA website to learn more!
Now that we all have a general understanding of the massive issues involved with standard production of sneakers (and the industry at large), let’s dive into what VEJA is doing about it.
One really interesting stat that is that VEJA sustainable sneakers cost 5 times more to produce than big brand sneakers. This is because they use fair trade and organic raw materials, are more economically equitable for all parties involved in the production chain, and because they invest in research and new technologies. However, since there are no advertising or marketing costs, they are sold at the same price. If you leave with nothing more from this post, let it be that!
Top-line VEJA Sustainability Efforts
Additionally, the organic cotton VEJA shoes are made with is agro-ecological cotton, meaning it’s harvested in the same field as subsistence crops, without chemical fertilizers or pesticides. Better for the environment, also better for farmers.
VEJA soles are made of 18 to 22 % natural rubber.
Since 2004, VEJA purchased 195 tons of wild rubber, allowing them to preserve 120,000 hectares of the Amazon forest.
The Condor running shoe is 53% natural-based and recycled, which is VEJA’s first step towards the running world.
Every year, they check the chemical safety of their sneakers to ensure they have eliminated all hazardous chemicals from the production processes.
Since 2004, VEJA has entrusted its logistics to Ateliers Sans Frontières, a job reintegration workshop.
Every year, this non-profit helps about a hundred vulnerable individuals to find a job and regain social stability. In the clothing and fashion industries, the factory is often where all global economic dysfunction is focused: unsafe, even unsanitary working conditions, highly eroded wages and little concern for the environment.
Several types of recycled and transformed materials are used in VEJA sneakers:
- VEJA is the first sneaker brand to use fabric entirely made from recycled plastic bottles: B-mesh.
- After 5 years of research & development, VEJA found the C.W.L, a vegan and bio-sourced material offering an alternative to leather for both smoothness and ecological commitment.
- J-Mesh is created using a blend of jute, recycled cotton and recycled PET. Burlap, a traditional Brazilian material, gives it anti-static and thermoregulation properties.
- Recycled cotton is used in several sneakers. Recycled polyester, in jersey form, is used to make sneaker linings in many of our styles.
One additional thing I give them a lot of credit for is recognizing their weaknesses and where they perhaps aren’t as sustainable as possible, which you can read about here. I believe that this transparency is vital — the fact that they identify these areas means they’re working on how to improve, which is so much more than other companies can say.
Need A “Too Long, Didn’t Read” Summary?
Here it is. Basically, VEJA sustainable sneakers dive into every part of the production chain — from the materials to manufacturing — and are committed to building a sneaker that makes a positive impact at every stage of the process.
Alright, Let’s Shop VEJA!
Below are some of my favorite VEJA styles to shop right now. My favorites are definitely the V-10 in Black/White (I have the pink but it’s sold out – gah!). The black & white style also happens to be the ones that Meghan Markle owns. #JustSaying 😉
In closing, I thought this quote from the VEJA site was really impactful. “While we’re proud of our sneakers and the way we make them, other questions beg to be answered. Do we really need to buy so many pairs of shoes? We’re aware our product is fashionable, but is it necessary to fetishize them in such a way? To always own the latest style?”
As I continue to challenge myself to shop quality over quantity and not get caught in the want, want, want cycle, I think this is super important to keep in mind. It’s great to have brands like VEJA that are not only doing, but educating and inspiring action along the way. I hope you agree this is a great brand to support! (Especially since they don’t advertise or invest in marketing — hopefully posts like this help in some small way to encourage people to choose them over competitor brands!)
PS – VEJA Sneakers Review + That Charming Brand: Why Sezane Clothing Takes The Cake On French Style
