Sustainability at VIA VAI
The entire VIA VAI collection is made from high-quality materials that are certified and/or recycled. These materials must match contemporary trends and feel good to the touch, because comfort is our top priority. Therefore, quality and sustainability go hand in hand in our sourcing and selection process. We tell you all about it; discover the journey of your favorite VIA VAI items.
Sketch
Designing a new collection begins at the drawing board in Waalwijk, the Netherlands. This is still done the traditional way: with pencil and paper. Up to eight hand-drawn sketches are made per model. We strive for perfection in every detail. Whether it's a lace eyelet, zipper or tongue label, every feature is thought out in detail to achieve a unique result. And so, the shoe-love story begins....
Materials
Materials are crucial to the quality and longevity of your new shoes. We only select the highest quality and most durable materials for our collections, 84% of which come from Italy. At an international leather fair in Milan, our styling and production team makes a critical selection and let the senses do the work: look, smell, feel. We work exclusively with leather suppliers affiliated with the Leather Working Group, a non-profit organization dedicated to environmental certification in the leather industry worldwide. Since 2023, we have also been a member of the Leather Working Group ourselves and are part of a positive change.
Last
A hand-drawn sketch is the starting point of a technical, digital drawing. The basis of our shoes is still made in Italy. Our Italian modeler determines the technical dimensions of the shoe, with an optimal fitting as a starting point. Here we design the shoe mold, also called the “last” in technical terms. The last forms the basis for the fit of every shoe.
Soles
Our entire sneaker collection consists of soles that we have designed and developed ourselves. From extremely lightweight EVA soles to recyclable thermoplastic rubber soles with foam, ultimate comfort and optimal cushioning are guaranteed. The sole production of sneakers takes place exclusively in Portugal where we use only recyclable materials for each sneaker sole.
Protoypes
Lasts and soles designed, materials selected and colors chosen? Check! This is the moment the first prototypes arrive at our headquarters in Waalwijk. This is the very first version of a new shoe, which is fine-tuned until it is absolutely perfect, both in terms of fit and design. Did you know that we have a real fitting panel within VIA VAI? A shoe is tested by as many as 5 different feet before it goes into production.
Production
Once all prototypes are approved, production can begin. From this moment on, our manufacturers get the green light. From the soles to the leather and from zippers to lace eyelets: from our suppliers everything goes directly to Portugal, Spain and Turkey to make a beautiful end product from all the individual parts. From the western stitching on cowboy boots to the laces in your sneakers, everything is carefully and precisely done by hand to ensure the best finish.
Packaging
After strict quality control in both the factory and at our headquarters, your new fashion favorites are ready to be packaged. All of our packaging is made from FSC-certified paper. This paper originates from sustainably managed forests.
Shipping
When shipping packages, transportation comes into play. Our dedicated transport partners have an active carbon emission policy. Additionally, we are constantly looking for other alternatives. For example, we encourage consumers to use a pickup point, we work paperless as much as possible, and we try to limit returns as much as possible.
Handcrafted in Europe
We work exclusively with European, certified manufacturers, tanneries and fabric suppliers. We consider the relationship with our suppliers very important and invest in long-term partnerships. In fact, we know all our partners personally and with some of them we have been working together for more than 20 years. Shoe love is true love!
Our manufacturers have signed a code of conduct, in which they confirm that they work according to agreed conditions. A code of conduct is a commitment to ensure that a company's suppliers comply with standards on working conditions, environment, laws and regulations as well as a safe and responsible working environment. We regularly visit manufacturers to verify these standards.
Material
Italy (84%), Spain (9%), Portugal (4%), Turkey (3%)
Production
Portugal (95%), Spain (3%), Turkey (2%)
Our materials explained
Traceability and transparency are hugely important in VIA VAI's production process. They form the basis for our sustainability goals. The more we know about the entire production process, the more we can do to improve our impact on the environment and society. For this reason, the entire sourcing and selection process is done in-house.
In addition, we believe it is important that the origin of our materials is transparent. Therefore, the country of production and origin of the animal (in the case of leather) is traceable for 100% of our materials as well as the method of tanning and finishing.
Leather comes from processed and tanned animal hides. All the leather we use is a by-product of existing food production. As a brand, we choose to work only with tanneries affiliated with the Leather Working Group. In addition, leather is very durable and resistant to wear, which contributes to the longevity of your VIA VAI items.
Suede, unlike smooth leather, is not made from the top of the hide, but from the underside. The underside of the hide is much softer than the epidermis. We work with our suede supplier for all of our suede colors, which has achieved a silver rating within the Leather Working Group.
Sneakers are an essential part of street style. They are so popular because they are a real fashion item that is also super comfortable to wear. Because of this, mesh varieties started to play a bigger role in our collection.
Part of our broad sneaker collection has a mesh lining. For this, only recycled mesh is used.
Love & care
Finally, your new VIA VAI items are in! They are exactly as you imagined them, love at first sight. Of course you want them to always stay looking like new, so you can enjoy them over and over again. And with proper care, you also extend the lifespan. Win win! In this article we tell you all about the proper care and cleaning of leather, suede and mesh.
Corporate Social Responsibility
While our journey towards sustainable improvement never ends, we take responsibility through the 3 pillars; People, Planet and Prosperity. We strive to balance these three as much as possible.
Our people make the difference. We strive daily to drive sustainable employability by providing our people with an inspiring and enjoyable work environment every day.
- We have set up healthy workplaces with adjustable office chairs, sit-stand desks and desk bikes. This way, we motivate each other to stand at our desks a few times a day or hold races on the desk bike.
- For daily vitamins, fresh fruit is offered weekly and we enjoy a communal lunch every day.
- We enable all our employees to go through education and training programs, so that personal development is always on the move.
- A good work-life balance is essential. We offer the possibility of working from home, and daily hours are also flexible - as far as possible.
- Our people have access to OpenUp, a platform for mental help with tips and tricks about your health and vitality.
In our processes, we look critically at the conditions under which our products are produced, the materials used, the amount of waste, and the accommodation of our premises.
- Our consumer shipping boxes are made of 100% recycled paper. In addition, we have different packaging formats for our web shop to reduce the use of cardboard. Moreover, customized boxes can be transported more efficiently, reducing our carbon emissions from transportation.
- Your VIA VAI order is sent climate-neutral by DHL. DHL emits as little CO₂ as possible by using electric delivery trucks. In addition, the CO₂ that is emitted is compensated by investing in nature restoration. From 2023, all packages to consumers will be sent not only climate-neutral, but also fossil-free.
- Our building is equipped with 142 solar panels, making us completely self-sufficient. In addition, we use LED lighting and electric charging stations are available for our all-electric vehicle fleet.
At VIA VAI, we look beyond our business. For example, we support various social causes. VIA VAI has an established partnership with Nova Zembla, Les Cajoutiers Senegal and Villa Pardoes. Not only do we support these partners in a material and/or financial way, but we also like to roll up our sleeves and participate in volunteer activities.
- Nova Zembla is a foundation whose mission is to support the less fortunate in Bulgaria through clothing and shoes. This is because a significant portion of the population in Bulgaria lives below the poverty line. We donate certain remaining stocks and discarded products that are otherwise satisfactory to this foundation.
- Les Cajoutiers Senegal is a foundation that gives Senegalese children from poor families, deaf or with Down syndrome, a chance for a better future through education, food and care. We donate certain leftover supplies to this foundation.
- Villa Pardoes offers truly unforgettable free vacations for families with a seriously, possibly life-threateningly ill child aged 4 to 12 who would love to spend some time thinking about something other than their illness. For brothers, sisters, parents, grandparents who dream of a carefree week together. Forgetting everything for a while. We make an annual financial contribution to this foundation and several times a year all our employees take part in volunteer activities at Villa Pardoes.