Rio Branco Mesh And Leather Trainers

Veja is rewriting the path of our favourite footwear by looking beyond mass manufacture to more sustainable, eco-friendly methods. The Rio Branco trainers are a product of this process; they see a hexamesh upper (that’s a mix of organic cotton and recycled polyester, by the way) with panels of suede and leather and set on a wild rubber sole (sourced from the Amazonian forest, no less). They’re topped off with the label’s signature V patched to the side, so there’s no question about where they're from.

• Upper: Mesh, leather
• Lining: Fabric
• Sole: Rubber

A cult destination for trainers, VEJA is a sustainability success story. Sourcing natural rubber directly from farmers in the Amazon rainforest, VEJA prides itself on transparency, fair trade practices and ecologically-minded agriculture, ‘infusing each stage of production with a positive impact’. Proof that style and a social conscience can co-exist.