Limits
VEJA's limits
VEJA is in a state of constant transformation, and, although many improvements have been made over the past 20 years, we're aware of the limits inherent to the project itself. Transparency is truly important for us, that is why we decided to share our limitations.
Manufacturing
The sneakers eyelets don't contain nickel, but are made of metal we didn't source ourselves.
Tax Havens
Since VEJA started, we have always tried to stick to banks that don't have branches in tax havens. Therefore, NEF has always been our partner of choice to finance our operations, and we also work with Crédit Coopératif.
On the other hand, our e-commerce website still relies on banking partners with branches in tax havens. In essence, VEJA sells all over the world, and our usual partners don't offer that level of service.
Dyes
The pigments used to dye leather, rubber and cotton aren't natural products.
We used natural dyes made from plants and minerals in 2012 and 2013 on 40% of our production, but the quality of colors wasn't up to our standards.
In order to get stable color, without fading, for now, VEJA needs to use conventional dyes that comply with safety regulations and does not use dangerous or prohibited chemicals.
Tanned leather
2011
© Cédric Amiot
Leather
Porto Alegre, 2011
© Cédric Amiot
Leather
From 2008 to 2015, VEJA leather was 100% vegetable-tanned leather.
However, since 2015, given that the costs were prohibitive and the quality not up to par, we turned back.
We then decided that all leather used by VEJA would be 100% traceable, sourced only from non-deforested areas and mainly from organic farms, and we achieved it. But we wanted to go further.
Since then, finding an ecological alternative to leather has been a primary objective for the VEJA sourcing team.
In 2019, VEJA launched its first model made with C.W.L., a vegan and bio-based laminated material, at that time produced in Italy. While it was an alternative to leather, it also raised transparency issues: the cotton used for this canvas-based material was neither traceable or organic.
We therefore decided to reinvent C.W.L. in 2020 and improve its traceability. Months of research allowed us to achieve a better composition, made with cotton sourced from Brazil and Peru by producers VEJA has worked with since the beginning of the project, in 2004.
This new C.W.L., which is 54% bio-based, offers the same texture, softness, and water resistance as leather. It is made from 100% organic cotton canvas backing, purchased directly by VEJA and coated with P.U., castor oil, and corn starch finishing.
C.W.L. is made in Brazil, in a factory that monitors its water and chemical usage.
Nevertheless, this alternative is a synthetic laminate and therefore 45% of its composition remains petroleum-based. We know it is not the ideal solution yet, but we are getting closer.
In the meantime, VEJA team keeps working to find 100% bio-based alternatives.
Overconsumption
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 always own the latest style?
If the most ecological sneaker is the one you already have, how can we make it last longer?
VEJA x Darwin
Bordeaux, 2021
© Antoine Huot
Darwin
In June 2020, VEJA chose DARWIN to open its first repairing and recycling project store.
DARWIN is an urban eco-system based in Bordeaux integrating ecological and social innovation for companies and associations.
It is where VEJA envisioned a space thought as a laboratory to restore and recycle worn-out VEJA pairs.
VEJA x DARWIN gathers never-launched VEJA prototypes, sneakers with minimal defects, and a few pairs from old collections at a reduced price.
We set up three in-store cobblers to repair all VEJA sneakers and other brands to help reduce waste.
VEJA x Darwin
Bordeaux, 2021
© Antoine Huot
Repair Stations
Having seen the success of our repair services, we realized we wanted to continue working on this project. In July 2021 we launched a second VEJA cobbler shop in Galeries Lafayette, Paris.
Then we expanded to different cities. At the end of 2025 we had 11 repair stations across Paris, Marseille, London, Berlin, Madrid, Brooklyn, Los Angeles and São Paulo.
Cobbler shop in Galeries Lafayette
Paris, 2021
© Studio VEJA
For the pairs that cannot be repaired, we installed recycling boxes to collect them and give them a second life.
We still can't recycle sneakers from other brands, since their composition is difficult to trace and they might contain hazardous chemicals. But we reuse them for other projects (donations, art, etc.).
Durability
Working with natural materials can sometimes compromise durability. Our goal is for a pair of VEJA to last even longer.
Is a sole made of wild rubber more resistant than a traditional plastic sneaker sole? Is using leather more environmentally friendly than using 98% oil-based plastic? Is organic cotton canvas more resistant than cotton canvas grown with pesticides? If we manage to answer yes to all these questions, the gamble will have paid off.
Governance
VEJA is an LLC; the 2 founders are the sole shareholders.
In terms of governance, we have chosen to remain organized in a way that may seem old-fashioned for a growing company, since we believe democracy can become diluted under the pressures of capitalism: thus, bringing outside investors into VEJA's capital could risk undermining the project's integrity.
Transportation
At VEJA, we mainly use maritime transport to send our sneakers from Brazil to our logistic warehouses. Occasionally, we turn to air shipping.
In 2024, only 0.2% of the pairs produced in Brazil were sent by airplane. Avoiding air shipping is key to not increase the brand's CO2 emissions.
Usine VEJA
2023
