French footwear brand Veja has made waves since its inception in 2005, owing to the ecological and fair trade sneakers they offer. Their sneakers have been seen on the feet of several celebrities, including Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex.
Anyone that is familiar with the Lisbon, Portugal-based brand knows that they have always been committed to making sure that each step in their production process has a positive impact on the planet. That is why all of their materials are sourced from organic farms, without chemicals or polluting processes. Each pair of sneakers is also guaranteed to have been produced in dignified conditions, in direct consultation with producer associations and manufacturers.
Given all of Veja’s eco-friendly and ethical efforts, it’s no surprise that they are making headlines once again, this time with the launch of their latest product, the Urca sneaker.
Identical in style to their best selling V-12 Trainer, the new Urca sneaker is 100% vegan and made entirely out of sustainable materials. Part of Veja’s Fall/Winter 2020 collection, what makes the Urca unique is that it is composed of vegan Corn Waste Leather.
Derived from 50% corn waste, Corn Waste Leather is a bio-sourced material. More specifically, the corn waste comes from the food industry and otherwise would have just been thrown into a landfill. Thus, by repurposing it into a material it has a chance at a second life.
Further, as far as textiles go, Corn Waste Leather has the feel of leather, however, it is 100% biodegradable. This makes it perfect for footwear, as well as handbags and other popular leather goods.
Like many of Veja’s sneakers, the Urca style has a primarily white silhouette, with a choice of six accent colours, including navy blue, grey, maroon and black, grey and neon green, and magenta and red. The colour appears on the ankle tab and the “V” logo, and there are both minimalist and bold options available.
Though no price has yet to be confirmed, most Veja footwear typically ranges between £80 and £120. Veja’s vegan, eco-friendly Urca shoe will be available for purchase on August 10, 2020.
All images in this article are coutesy of Veja.
