Nike? Just don’t do it. Instead, pick Veja, in my opinion the world’s most stylish ethical and fair trade sneaker. This is one example when it pays to choose a trainer that’s Slow.
Veja is to Slow Fashion what sports shoe brands like Nike, Adidas, Asics et al are to winning Olympic medals. It’s a cultured brand with a range of deceptively modest shoes, the simplicity of which belies the degree of effort, passion and commitment that goes into making this sneaker one of the fairest, and Slowest, pieces of footwear on the planet.
Launched in 2005 in Paris and Tokyo, Veja trainers are made from ecological materials under the principles of fair trade. The company doesn’t advertise. Instead it uses that money to accommodate the eight times higher costs of producing trainers “with dignity”, they say. Pictured here is a sneak preview of the new Indígenos shoe, in three subtle shades of tan, inspired by the Brazilian rainforest.
Veja trainers are made with eco-tanned leather (no polluting chromium is used) or organic cotton canvas. The organic cotton is bought from 320 families who live from organic farming in Ceará, Northeast Brazil, respecting fair trade rules.
The rubber for the soles is tapped from the Amazonian forest by Amopreab, an official association of rubber tappers who live in the forest, who use no industrial processes and are paid fairly.
The Veja trainers are made in a factory located in the Vale dos Sinos, a well-developed region in South Brazil. Workers’ rights are respected and extra hours are paid.
Veja, which means “look” in Brazil, really is a no-brainer. It’s a great looking retro-esque sneaker, for both men and women, that you can wear with absolute certainty that neither planet nor people have paid a price for your purchase. It’s Slow design in its essence.
But if this isn’t enough to tempt you, the company also supports the arts and has just arrived instore at London style mecca Selfridges, endorsement that the range is every bit as cool as it is eco. Bingo.
