Veja

"One foot in design, the other in commitment."

Veja, the ethical trainer brand for women and men

Since 2005, VEJA, founded by François-Ghislain Morillion and Sébastien Kopp, has been making sneakers differently, with a positive impact at every stage of the production cycle. More environmentally friendly materials, social reintegration and renewable energy are just some of the issues tackled by its passionate founders. In terms of style, the VEJA trainer for women and men has become a classic by offering an ethical, stylish trainer with a refined, timeless design.

The environmental commitments of Veja trainers

Raw materials are at the heart of the brand's concerns. For its eco-friendly trainers, VEJA uses organic cotton grown in Brazil and Peru, and the brand works with a cooperative of small producers following fair trade principles. The organic cotton is used for the canvas of its shoes as well as for the laces.

The soles are made from natural rubber from wild rubber trees, also known as wild rubber. Here too, Veja works with a local cooperative in the Amazon rainforest, the only region in the world where rubber trees grow in the wild.

All the leathers used comply with the REACH regulation and contain no chromium VI. The brand is looking for an alternative. In the meantime, it uses tanned leather whose environmental impact is reduced thanks to vegetable tanning.

The mesh models are made from recycled materials such as recycled plastic bottles (P.E.T).

VEJA's head office in Paris is powered by Enercoop: 100% green electricity.

In 2020, the French brand Veja went even further into the circular economy by opening a concept store in Bordeaux dedicated to repairing, refurbishing and recycling its worn trainers.

The ethical commitments of the Veja brand

VEJA makes sure its growth goes hand in hand with that of its partners. To do this, it works directly with the rubber and cotton producer cooperatives, which apply fair trade principles. Working conditions are decent, and wages and social benefits are set with the manufacturers and producer associations such as ADEC.

The Veja trainers for men and women have been made in the same factory in Porto Alegre, Brazil, since the brand began. This long-term partnership allows VEJA to guarantee healthy working conditions, fair pay and social benefits. The eco-responsible brand Veja requires regular social audits and chemical tests from its suppliers.

For its logistics, VEJA works with Atelier Sans Frontières, an association whose mission is to promote social and professional integration by offering work to people facing exclusion.

The French trainer brand does no advertising, so all its resources go into its production chain.

Veja, eco-responsible and stylish trainers

Veja now has a wide collection of trainers: you'll find more than fifteen different models, from classic to colourful. Veja caters to every style, and its eco-responsible trainers are made for men and women alike. No more excuses not to switch to eco-friendly sneakers. Veja trainers are made to last and easily outlive trends and seasons. They've also been adopted by many celebrities who wear Veja trainers because they share the brand's strong values.

How to wear Veja?

It's quite easy to pair Veja trainers with an eco-responsible wardrobe. The models are unisex, and a great basic to have is the white Veja trainer. It goes with any outfit: the leather Veja V-10 and V-12 models, for example, will give a relaxed look to a skirt or smart trousers.

The lighter Veja Campo or Esplar will go with your work outfits. Veja offers its famous V in different colourways: to add a bit of pep to an outfit, choose it in bright colours like pink, yellow or red, or for softer tones go for pastel, blue or green. If you fancy a change from lace-ups, go for the Recife, the Veja trainers with Velcro straps, in ChromeFree leather with a super soft suede logo, and pick them in white sable for a feminine look. Overall, you can't go wrong with Veja: the ethical sneakers pair easily with mom jeans or skinny jeans for women, and for men, Veja go just as well with blue chinos, shorts or straight jeans.

If you're after a sportier outfit, the Rio Branco and Veja Venturi models, made from recycled polyester, bring breathability, flexibility and lightness. They'll give your outfits a relaxed feel, and they're comfortable shoes for walking all day long.

Veja hasn't forgotten sporty types and designed the eco-responsible running trainer especially for them. The Condor is the result of several years of research and development to find the ideal formula combining performance and ecology: the Veja Condor is made from innovative, bio-based and recycled materials.

Finally, Veja offers an alternative to leather with many Veja vegan trainers, made from organic cotton canvas covered with a coating based on corn starch and castor oil.

WeDressFair selects brands according to a strict charter. Read our article on 14 eco-responsible trainer brands. And to go beyond shoes, discover our selection of eco-responsible clothing for men and ethical clothing for women.