Why VEJA?
With a cult following from both celebrities and royalty alike there is no denying their popularity, for us at Biome of course the most important thing is that we can vouch for their ethics, use of sustainable materials and excellent quality.Things had to change
The VEJA story began in 2003 when French founders Sébastien Kopp and François-Ghislain Morillion were auditing factories in Asia. They discovered that whilst the factories themselves appeared to be clean and all above board the workers seemed tired and miserable. Demanding to see the living quarters they found tiny rooms that were shared by 32 workers, sleeping in 5 stacked-high bunk beds. In the centre of the room there was a small hole that was used as both the shower and toilet! They realised these were the workers that were making the clothes that their friends and families were wearing, that this was very wrong, and it had to change! At the time many companies were starting to talk about concepts like sustainable development, but it was just talk - they wanted to do something about it. After working for AlterEco, the first French brand of Fairtrade, Kopp and Morillion discovered that by collaborating directly with farmers and producers around the world they could make a positive difference.
Biological cotton during harvest, Peru 2018. Source: project.veja
The symbol of our generation
Kopp and Morillion believed the perfect product to develop was the sneaker. Why? Because they saw it as a symbol of our generation that is celebrated both on and off the sports field. They also knew that it was an interesting product from a business perspective because for most of the big brands they concentrate the majority of their advertising expenses to sneakers alone. For a lot of the big bands 70% of the cost of the shoe goes to advertising and marketing and only 30% for raw materials and labour. Kopp and Morillion set out to Brazil to start their own business with little money or experience but a driving passion to create an incredible product.Launching a different sneaker
Veja launched in 2005 with the purpose to make a different sneaker that would be well made with a positive impact at every stage of the economic chain. True to their vision they were able to make sustainable sneakers, paying above market prices and wages all whilst maintaining a competitive RRP by removing advertising from their business model.“A pair of VEJA costs 5-7 times more to produce but because there are no advertising costs they are sold for the same price.”Transparency remains at the heart of what they do. VEJA choose to use banks that have no branches in tax havens and their power is supplied by green electricity collected from small independent producers.
Choose your style
As for the designs, VEJA offer sneakers to suit everyone no matter what your age, sex or style.“We love classics, well designed.. sneakers that you can wear your whole life that are beyond fashion”Made from organic cotton canvas, the Nova is a classic tennis shoe great for casual summer style. We love the Nova High Top for making a statement, perfect for festivals! [pswp_products ids="31603,31604"] The V-10 Sneaker was introduced for VEJA's 10th Anniversary and has a retro look with chunky sole and perforated toe perfect when worn with cropped jeans. Made from Corn Waste Laminate and organic cotton, these shoes are just wearing as regular leather Jackets! [pswp_products ids="27116,31601"] Launched in 2020 the URCA is the limited vegan edition of the classic V-12 silhouette. Made from Corn Waste Laminate there is a great selection of colour combinations to ensure you will stand out from the crowd. [pswp_products ids="31612,31613"] The SDU is made from recycled plastic bottles and has a sporty silhouette, perfect for exploring the great outdoors. [pswp_products ids="31609,31608"] Shop our full range of VEJA's with free shipping here >
