The next trend for spring will be the velcro sneaker. Away with the laces, and strap on your shoes. White and platform may be here to stay, but laces are a trend of the past.
Velcro Sneakers to Watch:
Photo by: Veja-store.com
When shopping for a sustainable shoe, VEJA stands out. Maybe this is due to their overwhelming commitment to -TRANSPARENCY- or their ability to remain appealing in aesthetic without compromising environmental accountability.
Take a look at the image below, sourced from the VEJA Website, a map of all the steps of VEJA shoe production. They remain an outlier in the fact that few to no other brands remain as transparent to the consumer about where, how, and why the design, production, and distribution of the product occurred in such a way. The VEJA production model is Brazil. They devote the entire harvest, production, and crucial design to the country of Brazil and Peru.
To support local farmers, VEJA has pre-negotiated a contract for cotton in Peru and Brazil which reduces volitality in the market that farmers typically are subject to. Since the price of cotton can fluctuate, farmer livelihood is often subject to these fluxes. However, VEJA consistently sources and supports these suppliers which protects their working conditions and earnings. This leads to VEJA paying higher than market price for cotton, but this is the price of acting sustainably. Acting ethically can sometimes be more expensive, but how much a company values humanity is what really should matter.
In addition to being a certified B Corp, VEJA makes it clear that producing the shoes in China would be much more inexpensive, but they keep their transparency and operations in Brazil to promote ethical working conditions and support real livelihoods that are not driven by market prices. It is commendable how VEJA has continued to stay committed1to market-decorrelation. This action really is the silver lining that connects their shoe production to high human standard and further promotes sustainability in its entirety.
Photo by: AcneStudios.com
According to Acne Studios, they focus their sustainable efforts in three main areas. Acne Studios has termed this focus on: 'Our products', 'Our suppliers' and 'Our operations'.
Each of the phases utilizes different techniques to implement sustainable practices while crafting iconic fashion pieces along the way.
The products are designed with a long life cycle in mind. The hope is that the product will be used by the end consumer without losing quality over time.
The suppliers are responsible in sourcing and Acne Studios seeks to keep their supply chain transparent. Acne Studios retains responsibility for the origin and working conditions of operations along the supply chain. Ultimately, this attention to detail makes them stand out as a high fashion-forward mogul. Lastly, Acne Studios operations consciously takes account of operational activities including processes of distribution and retail efforts.
One unique sustainable pledge that Acne Studios has made is to the organization called Fair Wear Foundation(FWF). FWF will assists Acne Studios in making its production factories uphold humane labor conditions and actively monitors the conditions in these factories. The FWF holds Acne Studios accountable by performing 'Brand Performance Checks' and outputting a grade for the operations. This evaluation is reported in summary each year by FWF.
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