When shopping for my first semester of college this summer, there were many different factors I took into consideration. One of the most prevalent factors, however, was versatility. I wasn’t completely sure what I would want to wear to class or to go hang out with my friends, but if I could find a few items that would cover both categories, I would be both excited and relieved. That’s how I discovered the Veja brand.
The Veja shoe is relatively simple in appearance. It’s typically a white shoe with a V on the inner and outer side, with the V and the shoe itself coming in a range of colors and designs. I started to see this shoe in a range of different settings: it caught my eye both at the grocery store and at my graduation. This struck me as the perfect item to add to my collection of versatile college shoe options. I decided to look into the brand, and I was pleasantly surprised by what I found.
The brand Veja is remarkably transparent on their sustainability efforts. By simply browsing their website, they promise to answer questions that I admittedly had not even thought to ask of a shoe manufacturer before I purchased from them. Veja publishes information on how Vejas are made, how much laborers are paid, how much an organic cotton producer earns, what chemicals are used in a pair, and much more. The production chain is mapped so that you can follow the process of how and where your shoes would be ethically produced. Ultimately, Veja estimates that their sneakers cost five times more to produce than big brand sneakers due to their use of fair trade and organic raw materials, promise of economic equity for all parties involved in the production chain and investment in research and new technologies.
I was incredibly impressed with the transparency of Veja and also disappointed with how frequently I previously overlooked the importance of evaluating which brands to support. It would be possible for a consumer like myself to decide that they could find shoes similar to the Vejas at a lower price, and spend their money elsewhere. Fast and unethical fashion is especially tempting for college students to buy into because they are likely living on a tight budget and developing money management skills for the first time. One of the biggest issues with adopting a more sustainable lifestyle is committing to sometimes paying a little more for the sustainable and ethically produced products. Still, I consider sustainable fashion worth the price when you consider where your money is going. For example, by purchasing a pair of Vejas, I know I am making a positive impact by contributing to the production of environmentally conscious products and the social and financial stability of workers around the world.
The Veja brand and their sustainability efforts represent the impact that an ethical brand can have when consumers decide to support them. While it was the look of the shoes that initially caught my eye and led me to their website, it was the noble mission of the company that inspired me to make the purchase and further reevaluate how I shop and use my spending power. Since school started, I can confidently say that my Vejas have become a staple piece in my wardrobe. They are just as versatile as I had hoped. I can also confidently say that by buying my Vejas, I am supporting a company with values and ethics that I would like to see promoted globally.
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