VEJA shoes are stylish and eco-friendly. However, it’s common that their prices might give you pause—on average, their sneakers cost around $120 to $150? Seems a bit much, doesn’t it?.
I was curious about this too. So, I did some research on why they’re a bit on the pricier side and it turns out, it’s not just because of their name or fame. It’s all about their dedication to sustainability, the choice of top-notch materials, fair trade practices, their brand positioning, and investing in innovation.
Each reason influences the prices. Want to know how? And should you buy them? Read on to find the answer.
Why Are VEJA Shoes So Expensive?
VEJA is a French footwear brand that is known for its higher price point compared to some other athletic and casual footwear brands. There are several factors that contribute to its relatively higher cost.
Let’s check a few:
Wonderful Dedication to Sustainability
VEJA Shoes is taking sustainable fashion a bit more seriously. Their practices are both strange and interesting.
You know, I have seen and researched many brands, but the sustainability of VEJA shoes is really different. Unlike other brands that invest heavily in advertising and billboards, VEJA prioritizes spending on organic and recycled materials to make their shoe production more eco-friendly. In simple words, they don’t advertise, just to improve shoe production.
Not only are VEJA’s shoes sustainable, but all of their shoeboxes are Forest Stewardship Council (FSC™) certified as well. This certification ensures that the materials used are sourced from responsibly managed forests, providing environmental, social, and economic benefits.
The main goal behind such practices and regulations is to minimize the social and environmental impacts of shoe production. VEJA Shoes wants to make sneakers in conditions where everyone is treated with the respect they deserve.
In the end, these practices add to the overall cost of production.
Usage of Finest Materials
VEJA Shoes is renowned for using the finest materials for their shoe production. They prioritize top-quality raw materials, which could bring sustainability, durability, and comfort to their shoes. Their main raw materials include organic cotton, Amazonian rubber, leather and much more.
They source organic cotton from Brazil and Peru. Cotton is used to make shoe fabric. VEJA uses only certified cotton. The cotton from Peru is organic and holds certifications from both European and American standards, as well as GOTS certification.
Amazonian rubber is used for soles, and with that, they integrate innovative materials such as recycled plastic bottles. They use natural cork in the soles as well.
When it comes to leather, VEJA shoes consider ChromeFree leather, suede, and nubuck. These are sourced from top-class tanneries, all certified by the Leather Working Group. These materials go into making shoes at high-standard Brazilian factories.
So, using such top-notch materials takes a lot of effort and costs, which show up in the overall pricing of VEJA shoes.
Also Read: Why Are Clarks Shoes So Expensive? Explained With Facts!
Fair Trade Practices
VEJA supports fair trade principles and ethical labor practices. They work directly with small producers and cooperatives in Brazil and Peru. They have no middleman in the deal.
At the start of the year, Vega Shoes and cotton farmers make a deal on the price of cotton. They sign a contract that lasts for two years. This helps the farmers because they know how much money they will get for their cotton even before they start planting it. The price they decide on doesn’t change with the market, making sure farmers can earn a good living and invest in their farms.
According to VEJA Shoes, their sneakers cost five times more because they’re dedicated to using raw materials that uphold fair-trade principles, protect the environment, and ensure workers’ rights.
From this, it’s confirmed that workers receive fair wages and good working conditions. This commitment to ethical production can add to the overall cost of manufacturing.
Production Process
VEJA Shoes cares about everyone when it comes to production processes. In their production process, they give care not only to their shoes but also to the environment, workers and their wages.
VEJA produces its sneakers in factories and workshops that adhere to International Labour Organization (ILO) rules. In addition to complying with these standards, certain criteria must be met to ensure work aligns with VEJA’s requirements.
These include proximity and quality of housing, the freedom for workers to form groups advocating for their rights, maintaining a standard of living and purchasing power parity, and providing employee benefits along with the freedom of expression.
To make sure a better environment and working conditions raises the cost of our sneakers a bit. But it’s a small price for maintaining high ethical standards.
Transparent Supply Chain
VEJA Shoes is transparent about its production processes, material sourcing, and supply chain. They trace and disclose the origins of their materials and the production process, which may require additional resources and effort. This contributes to the cost.
On their official website, they have provided all the details about their suppliers and the environmental and social impact of their products. Nowadays, it’s quite hard to find a brand that discloses all of its supply chain.
This transparency aligns with the growing consumer demand for ethically produced and sustainable fashion.
Limited Edition Models and Celebrity Endorsement
For mutual popularity, brands often team up with famous celebrities, designers, or other brands. This approach benefits both parties in terms of sales, recognition and marketing. Nowadays, almost every brand is doing it.
VEJA Shoes has partnered with numerous well-known brands as well. Some of them are Marni, Mansur Gavriel, Amélie Pichard, and Lemaire. These partnerships make VEJA shoes more well-known.
Other than fashion brands, they also collaborate with famous designers and artists like Rick Owens and Thibaut Désiront. Together, they have created limited edition models that make people really excited to buy them.
Besides these collaborations, many celebrities like Emma Watson, Meghan Markle, Emily Ratajkowski, and Chloe Grace Moretz are frequently spotted wearing VEJA shoes.
Now, the core purpose of such collaborations is to set trends. When something becomes trendy, more customers want to buy it, which can drive up demand. This high demand leads to higher costs.
Investment in Innovation
VEJA shoes are dedicated to innovation. They are always trying out new ideas for designing and shoe manufacturing. The goal behind this is to improve shoe performance in every aspect.
By this time, they had integrated different technologies for comfort. Some of them include L-foam and EVA organic. For extra elasticity, they also use V-Kni, a technique that provides elasticity and adaptability to the feet.
Also, the dedication to the planet is amazing. VEJA made history as the first sneaker brand to use fabric made entirely from recycled plastic bottles and recycled polyester. I mean, it’s absolutely fantastic to see something that is made entirely of recycled material.
All of this was possible with the help of research and development. VEJA shoes, with the help of different technologies, incorporate recycled plastic bottles into their shoes and experiment with alternative materials. This not only makes the shoes lightweight and comfortable but also contributes to reducing the carbon footprint associated with conventional manufacturing processes.
These investments in research and development can contribute to higher production costs.
Also Read: Why Are Geox Shoes So Expensive? | Top Reasons you want to know!
Brand Positioning
VEJA positions itself as a premium and sustainable brand. They are a relatively newer brand and they have done great so far. In a few years, they have managed to create a strong reputation in the market and in people’s hearts.
So, you can say, higher pricing can be a deliberate move to reflect the brand’s values and attract consumers who are willing to pay a premium for environmentally conscious and ethically produced products.
In other words, due to their good reputation, they can command higher prices compared to cheaper brands. This helps them maintain their position in the market.
FAQ
Are VEJA Shoes Comfortable?
VEJA shoes are comfortable and it’s because of several different reasons.
The first reason is the materials that are used in manufacturing. Most VEJA shoes use raw materials like cotton, wild rubber, and leather. Shoes made with these raw materials definitely provide a good level of comfort and flexibility.
The next thing is that they use recycled polyester in the shoe-making. This feature gives the shoe a nice, light-weight and breathable design.
Moving up to the last reason, it’s the special attention to supporting the arch and heel in shoe designs. It is a practical feature that prevents you from growing weary of wearing shoes.
Are VEJA Shoes Waterproof?
VEJA shoes are not explicitly marketed as waterproof but they do have some models that feature waterproofing.
To check which model has it, you have to check whether the shoe features B-Mesh. B-Mesh is a fabric that is not just waterproof but also lightweight and breathable. It’s 100% made out of recycled polyester.
If the shoe features B-Mesh then there’s no doubt that the shoe has waterproofing around the entire perimeter of the sole.
Do VEJA Shoes Stretch?
Yes, VEJA shoes have this stretching feature. It’s not particularly common but most VEJA shoes do stretch. When you wear them, they feel a bit small, but as you wear them, they get stretched and comfortable.
But if you’ve been wearing it for quite some time and still feel like you need more space, there’s a short remedy that you can try. Take my word and don’t lace up the top two holes of your shoes. This’ll have more room and an easy on-foot experience.
Final Thought: Are VEJA Shoes Worth It?
Yes! They do. I have their VEJA V-12 sneakers and I really love them. They’re totally worth it. I don’t actually use them for running like I do with the New Balance 574, but they’re good for casual wear.
After checking out the design, I wouldn’t say they’re too expensive. They’re well-priced for what they offer. The combination of their design and commitment to being eco-friendly makes them stand out for me. And the French flair they bring adds a unique vibe to my collection.
So, that’s all my views on why VEJA shoes are so expensive. I hope you like it.
