veja - fair trade shoes story
Veja is interested in not just a stylish shoe, but ensuring that their entire chain of production is thoughtful and ensures the dignity of not only the production facility but down to the ecological raw materials. Here is just part of their incredible story, please visit their website to find out more at: www.veja.fr.
Cotton is grown by small producers of Northeast Brazil and Paraná. Veja buys cotton respecting fair trade rules and has long term commitments to the cooperatives.
A fair price
Veja offers twice the market price to the Brazilian producers to buy their organic cotton. This price has been negotiated with the producers and does not depend on the world market price, which is strongly lowered by European and North American subsidies.
For each industrial step, veja works with cooperatives or firms that guarantee workers dignity.
The shoes manufacture respects OIT rules :
- - no children working
- - good conditions of work
- - decent wages
- - respect of time work and overtime
- - good living conditions for the workers
The latters are able to buy their own house.
Cotton spinning is done in a cooperative in São Paulo. For each step of production veja deals directly with its partners from the cotton fields to the doors of the retailers.
In France, Veja created a partnership with the association Ateliers Sans Frontières for the storage and the delivery of the ecologic sneakers.
The Veja Project Mission
The origin of the Veja project might be summed up in one question : is another world possible?
Veja has been built on 3 main principles:
- 1. Using ecological inputs
- 2. Using fair trade cotton and latex
- 3. Respecting workers’ dignity
Veja has created a global chain that emphasizes solidarity and environment from the small producers in Brazil to the public.
toddler and kids shoes coming in spring 08!!