VEJA Esplar Sneaker Review | Company, Fit, Price & More
Lately, I haven’t worn any other sneaker but my VEJA Esplar Sneakers. The first time I saw these sneakers was at at a small, locally-owned, niche clothing store in Burlington, Vermont. After that, I started noticing the sneaker more often around town, in magazines, & on the internet. I had to get a pair.
|| In this look: Brandy Melville Zip-up (OS) | Vince Relaxed Short Sleeve (XS) | The Great Rider Jean (24) | VEJA Esplar Sneaker (38) ||
Company
The cool thing about VEJA is the company’s belief in the use of organic materials & fair trade sourcing. The company received a 4/5 (GOOD) on the sustainability scale.
Veja, a French sneaker brand, uses a high proportion of eco-friendly materials including organic cotton which is sourced in Brazil & pre-financed before the harvest season. Its use of eco-friendly materials reduces its climate impact and limits the amount of chemicals, water and wastewater used in production. Veja ensures all employees within its supply chain are paid a living wage. The company is constantly working to close the gender wage gap; 4 out of the company’s 5 top earners are women.
Sourcing
The cotton used in the Veja sneaker is sourced in Tauá Brazil & Chincha Valley Peru.
The Rubber is sourced from Amazonian Rubber trees
The shoes are fashioned in Porto Alegre, Brazil.
Weaving of the canvas takes place in Jundiai, Brazil.
Spinning of the cotton into yarn takes place in Americana, Brazil.
The owners of Veja asked a Chinese Factory to produce a cost estimation for the production of the Esplar Sneaker. Here is what they said: A VEJA Esplar sneaker would cost 3 times less to produce in the Chinese factory, but because it wouldn’t be produced socially or environmentally, VEJA continues to produce in their already-established Brazilian factories.
In the VEJA factories in Brazil, the company pays $21.68 to produce one sneaker.
In a Chinese factory the sneaker would cost $6.42, but they wouldn't be made with socially and environmentally responsible materials and processes.
This was eye opening to me & made me want to continue to support this amazing, environmentally & socially responsible company. Interested? You can read more about the brand here.
Fit/Sizing
I am generally a true 7.5, and I like my sneakers to fit comfortably but snug at first because most leather stretches. Since the VEJA uses both vegan and animal leather, the Esplar does tend to stretch a little. First, I tried on a EU 39, which is a US 8. It felt too big especially in the toe box. I had about 3/4 of an inch to the front of the shoe. I bought a EU 38, and it fits perfectly. At first, I felt the shoe was a little snug around the cute bunion bone I have developed over my years of retail, but after 30 minutes or so, the sneaker felt perfect. Really, only 30 minutes.
TIP: If a shoe is snug, I advise clients to put on a thick sock and use a blowdryer to form the shoe around their foot. Using a blow dryer for 3 minutes at a time will loosen leather or faux leather and release most (if not all) tension the sneaker is causing. This trick can also be used on patent leather.
Price, $$
I would give the VEJA Esplar two out of 5 dollar signs. The sneaker is by no means cheap, but at $120, the VEJA Esplar is well-made, comfortable and reasonably affordable. It also gives the same aesthetic as a designer sneaker like Common Projects Achilles, Gucci Pure Ace or Golden Goose PURESTAR which have a much steeper price tag.
Comfort
As I said in the beginning of my message - I haven’t taken them off! The VEJA Esplar (like most leather sneakers) take a short moment to break-in, but afterwards the sneakers are very comfortable and have actually seemed to mold to my foot after just a few times of wear. I have a neutral-to-high arch which sometimes gets uncomfortable in flat sneakers. Like I said, the sole has molded slightly so it becomes more comfortable with each wear. One piece of feedback I have read, but have not experienced, is the tongue may rub slightly on your ankle. If you feel rubbing, pull/tilt the tongue slightly to the outside of your foot. You won’t notice any change in aesthetic. I learned this trick a while back with another pair of sneakers I owned. Another tip: rub lotion on your ankle and foot before putting your sock and shoe on.
Overall
Overall, I will buy another pair in the future. Not only are the VEJA Esplar sneakers extremely comfortable, but I love the effort that the company is making to remain socially and environmentally responsible. VEJA is making large strides in global climate preservation while continuing to produce sustainably & taking care of their people. I have high hopes for this company & hope more people can support them and wear their shoes.
