‘Maximising profit at the expense of everything else is harmful’
With their distinctive cut-out ‘V’, VEJA sneakers stand out not only for their design but also for the values they represent. As the brand’s popularity continues to grow, founder François-Ghislain Morillion reflects on VEJA’s journey, its guiding philosophy, and the role that collaboration with organisations like GIZ plays in making sustainable production possible.
How did the name ‘VEJA’ come about, and what does it stand for?
It is Portuguese and means ‘see’ or ‘look’. We chose this name because we want our customers to take a closer look at our products. In this case, it’s obviously a shoe. But what is the shoe made of? Who made the shoe? Where does the material come from? We invite people to ask these kinds of questions and to become more aware of what they are actually buying.
You often describe VEJA as a project rather than just a company. Why is that?
My co-founder, Sébastien Kopp, and I used to be investment bankers. After a while, we realised that money alone was not fulfilling. We quit our jobs and went travelling. While in Brazil, we came up with the idea of founding a sneaker brand rooted in sustainability and fair pay. Our search for sustainable materials led us to small producers of wild rubber and organic cotton in Brazil and Peru. From the outset, VEJA was conceived as an ongoing project – constantly evolving, with continuous improvement at its core.
Is this approach also intended to prevent complacency?
Exactly. We also want to show other companies that it is possible to produce something nice sustainably, and that they can do it too. We want to show that the private sector can be part of the solution, not just part of the problem.
What exactly makes your products sustainable?
We use organic materials, paying fair prices to the farmers who supply them. We pay our employees in Brazil a fair wage. We do not exploit anyone. Furthermore, we use only recycled plastic and polyester. For us, sustainability has economic, social and environmental aspects.
You are working with GIZ in Brazil. What does this cooperation involve in practice?
We currently run two projects with GIZ: one focuses on organic cotton production and the other on wild rubber. The cotton project is carried out with our local NGO partner, Diaconia. It supports farmers’ cooperatives in north-east Brazil in transitioning to agro-ecological cultivation. This is particularly important in this semi-arid region that is becoming increasingly vulnerable due to climate change. To secure yields, cotton is grown alongside other crops, using water more efficiently. Diaconia supports farmers and cooperatives in implementing these practices, with GIZ providing institutional backing by financing processing units for the organic food crops and training for the local farming cooperatives in how to use them. We at VEJA support this transition by purchasing guaranteed amounts of cotton every year, encouraging higher production to accelerate the shift.
‘When it comes to sustainable transition, we want to show that the private sector can be part of the solution.’
Would you describe this cooperation as a partnership that benefits all the parties involved?
Definitely! The farmers benefit from secure incomes and are better prepared for the impact of climate change. According to its mandate, Diaconia is helping an increasing number of farmers to make these changes, with GIZ providing institutional support. In turn, we benefit from an increasing amount of sustainably grown cotton for our sneakers. It’s a win-win situation for all those involved.
How does the rubber project work, and what role does GIZ play in it?
For the past 20 years, VEJA has bought rubber from the Amazon rainforest, working directly with seringueiro (rubber tapper) cooperatives. Beyond purchasing the rubber, we aim to protect the forest by compensating the rubber tappers not only for their rubber but also for preserving the forest they live in, in line with legal requirements. Recently, we wanted to take it a step further than just protecting the forest – we wanted to support the regeneration of degraded forest areas, a project that we designed in partnership with GIZ. Over a three-year period, the rubber tapper families are additionally paid for regenerating deforested areas by allowing the forest to regrow, whilst also planting key native tree species that will, when grown, produce sellable forest products such as fruit, nuts and oils. This enables the regeneration of the Amazonian forest while creating new economic opportunities for the producer families.
Why is GIZ’s involvement particularly important for this project?
This is a pilot project involving 66 families over a three-year period. If it proves successful, we will incorporate this approach into our entire rubber supply chain. However, financing an innovative pilot project is challenging for a private firm that has to make a profit. GIZ’s financial support is allowing us to monitor the project’s long-term impacts on land regeneration, biodiversity and household income. This data is essential when evaluating the success of the pilot project and further possible collaborations.
VEJA is a French sneaker brand founded in 2004 by former bankers Sébastien Kopp and François-Ghislain Morillion. The company spends very little on advertising, instead investing in fair-trade and eco-friendly materials. VEJA works directly with small farmers and cooperatives. Most VEJA shoes are manufactured in Brazil, where the company is cooperating with GIZ on two projects: one focusing on wild rubber and the other on promoting the growth of organic cotton. VEJA demonstrates that modern design can coexist with economic success, social responsibility and environmental sustainability. In 2024, the company achieved a turnover of EUR 250 million and now employs more than 600 people in Europe and Latin America.
From your perspective, are public-private partnerships essential for driving sustainable innovation?
In my view, they are essential as we are dealing with paradigm shifts that the private sector alone cannot handle. Transitions towards more sustainable economic practices also require public funding to incentivise change.
How challenging is it to remain committed to sustainability at a time when interest in it seems to be declining?
We are indeed witnessing some sustainability fatigue. One reason is that the term has been widely adopted by companies that were never truly sustainable. Another reason is political, with conservatism on the rise. None of this affects our approach. We are not changing our practices because they are or aren’t trendy. We act this way because we believe it is the right thing to do.
Why is profit important for VEJA, but not an end in itself?
We are not against making a profit. We believe that maximising profit at the expense of everything else is harmful. When you prioritise profit, you consider only figures, not people or the planet. That’s not how we started VEJA, and it’s not where we’re heading. It’s great when this pays off.