What is Veja and when did it start?
The Parisian shoe brand Veja was founded in 2005 by Sebastian Kopp and Francois-Ghislain Moillion, and now some 15 years later, the brand has conquered the sustainable shoe market.
When Kopp and Ghislain started the brand, they had only one goal in mind: create a timeless trainer that stood the test of time. After all, what is more sustainable than creating something that never goes out of style. By eliminating 70% the business costs that usually would go to marketing and advertising, the brand could focus on respecting both the environment and the people who made the shoes. With the 70% eliminated costs Veja was able to source the finest raw materials. These cost savings also allows the brand to protect farmers from market fluctuations and cut out any middlemen.
Is Veja truly sustainable?
Veja is a brand that breathes transparency, organic materials and fair trade. But is VEJA truly sustainable? The answer is… YES! While not every shoe is made out of vegan leathers (1/3 Veja model is 100% vegan), every leather is tanned using non-toxic processes to reduce their impact on the environment, and their tanneries are audited by the Leather Working Group.
Furthermore, the brand uses a high proportion of eco-friendly materials, including organic cotton, which therefore reduces its climate impact and limits the amount of chemicals, water and wastewater used in production.
Sustainability is ofcourse not only about the materials but also about the working conditions. In terms of their manufacturers, they have a code of conduct that covers all of the ILO’s four Fundamental Freedom principles. By living up to these principles, VEJA monitors health and safety issues by visiting all of its final stages of production suppliers and ensures payment of a living wage in its supply chain.
We, from Zero-Packaging, couldn't be more happy with brands such as VEJA. We truly believe that every company can achieve carbon neutral solutions to existing products. Good job VEJA
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