Spring is in the air and the streets of Manhattan seem to be packed as everyone rushes to outdoor brunches and rooftop happy hours. As we head to the trendy vegan restaurant ‘by Chloe’ we notice sneakers are definitely having a moment. We can’t look five feet in front of us without spotting another pair of white Adidas or grey wool All Birds (on our feet of course). As we sit down to eat we start to talk about how big the trend is and how cute a pair of stylish sneakers would look with our summer dresses. We realize that wool will be a little heavy in the 90-degree city summer weather. It’s time to start thinking about what pair of summer sneakers we should sport. We can’t just jump on the band wagon and wear whatever shoe everyone else is rocking – we have to make sure our match our style and our values!
Lucky for you, we have done some research and found the perfect Eco-brand to get behind, Veja!
Yes, these shoes have a similar vibe to those classic three stripped Adidas. However, this company does things a little differently. Let’s take a look at this company whose name literally means “look” in Portuguese. At Veja, the French founders look at EVERYTHING in their supply chain. They look into the rain forest where the raw material comes from to ensure it is not coming from an ancient or endangered forest. They look into the Brazilian factory worker’s union rights to ensure employees are being treated fairly. Veja looks at what kind of energy their offices run on and use energy efficient processes where they can. When Veja looks they are able to see where there is room for improvement and that is the most important part of progress.
What do they do when they are done looking? They share. They share their entire supply chain process so that the customer can look too. When the customer can look, they are empowered to make a choice. We admire Veja’s high value on transparency and are grateful they share it with us.
QUICK TIP AND RECAP:
Here are the top 5 reasons why Veja will be our #1 sneaker this summer: 1.Everything is sourced sustainable and ethical. 2. The materials used are raw materials from Brazil. There are no pesticides or fertilizers used in the process, which causes no harm to the soil. 3. All of the leather is tanned in a vegetable process. 4. The rubber sole is sourced from rubber trees. 5. And unlike big box companies where 70% of funds goes to advertisement. Veja puts their 70% back into improving their supply chain.
Now that you know about Veja you might want a pair and do not know where to find them. Even though the founders are French you do not have to fly to Europe to get a pair of Veja sneakers. We did the research for you. All you have to do is click on Veja anywhere in this blog post Veja is mentioned. You will than be redirected to a collection and wide range of their shoes.
P.S. - If you are building your sustainable collection or just buying new clothes for fun, please consider going through the links in this blog post. It helps keep the website going, community supported, and the information free! Plus, it doesn't cost any extra. Win-win!