When advertising goes too far….

Veja + Christine Phung

Veja has invited the young French fashion designer Christine Phung to colaborate to the new Veja Tauá collection.



The electric colours and optical sets of stripes on the laces have been inspired by the Pop esthetic.




Ecological leather

The Veja + Christine Phung collection is made with ecological leather. Leather is usually tanned with heavy metals like chrome, which have a toxic effect on the environment and particularly on the rivers. Ecological leather is a chrome-free leather tanned with vegetal compounds. Veja has developped, in Brazil, a chrome-free leather flexible enough to make sneakers.

Veja Dance Class

Ethical Fashion Runway
Fair Trade Forum in Paris, May 2007.

Veja Tauá

Tauá is the small village where the organic cotton of the Veja sneakers is cultivated.



Tauá is located in Northeast Brazil, a dry area. 89 families associated in cooperative live there from organic cotton. Cotton and food crops are grown without chimical pesticide or manure.



The Veja Tauá collection is made with organic cotton from Tauá and natural latex from Amazonia.

Available from May 2007.

Ethical Market - Sunday, March 25

Ethical Market on Sunday, March 25th at Cabaret Sauvage in Paris.
50 creators of ethical fashion, accessories or design are invited to present and sell pieces of their collections.



Concert of Lola Cès at 7:30 pm.

Cabaret Sauvage
11 H - 22 H
59, bd Mac Donald 75019
M° Porte de la Villette
http://www.ethicalfashionshow.com/

Organic Hopes for 2007

To start 2007 on a good basis, Veja organized a 2-day seminar joining organic cotton producers from the two different regions of Brazil we are working with.

Ph D. Pedro Jorge Lima, the first Brazilian agronomist to introduce organic cotton in North East Brazil back in the 90’s, visited with us a new organic initiative we are supporting in the Parana State (Southern Brazil).

Together with a producer who has a 3-year experience of organic farming, they shared their knowledge, their doubts, and their hopes with new comers in the field.



There were many agronomy debates (that were getting too technical sometimes for us I have to admit ). Many problems were raised. Many solutions were shared (mainly to control plagues using natural products). Some good meet was eaten. Some new interstate friendships made.

And in the end, everyone was proud to be an actor of a future major trend in agriculture, to be the first small players in a country dominated by agro-giants. To be the future pain in the neck of global chemicals companies.

What to say?
Another way to think modernity. And the ground for a healthier, more durable world.

Novo Mundo(s) - Photography Exhibition

The photographer Florent Demarchez followed us to Brazil.
He has been to Amazonia and Ceará (North Brazil) to meet the "Seringueiros" (Rubber Trappers) and organic cotton producers we work with.

Novo Mundo(s) focuses on Brazilian producers who struggle for a different world, for a "new world".

www.novo-mundos.net

Lighter than Air

A picture taken in Surface 2 Air Sao Paulo, cheers to Karina, Sébastien and the whole team. This place rocks...

Oportunidade & Dignidade

Two years ago, Veja met Villaget, a Brazilian NGO working to promote social justice. The association helps young people of a poor neighbourhood in Porto Alegre, South Brazil, to get work opportunities.




Instead of spending idle time in the streets, the young people get a free professional training in shoes creation. They go at school in the morning and in the afternoon they learn how to make shoes. The olders teach the youngers basis of design, shoe modeling and confection.

Veja has been impressed by the energy of the local team and decided to develop a concrete project with them.



The young people of the association have designed baby sneakers in organic cotton for Veja. They are now in charge of the confection of the small baby shoes.

Veja BêBê sneakers are distributed in child stores in Europe.

Good luck to the Villaget "guris" (boys) !