Veja’s ‘Clean, Repair, and Collect’ program aims to extend the life of sneakers and promote eco-friendly practices, with growing popularity among New Yorkers.
New Yorkers, known for their fast-paced lifestyle, have increasingly turned to local cobblers for shoe repairs, but a recent trend is expanding the horizons of sneaker maintenance. The Paris-based sneaker brand Veja has launched an initiative to revitalize worn sneakers, encouraging a more sustainable approach to footwear.
Initiated in June 2020, Veja’s “Clean, Repair, and Collect” program aims to deter consumers from discarding sneakers that have lost their aesthetic appeal. The program began with the establishment of a cobbler station in Bordeaux, allowing customers the option to refurbish any sneaker brand. The initiative expanded to include a dedicated shoe and sneaker repair space at Galeries Lafayette in Paris in July 2021. Following this, a store in Berlin became the first location to offer in-store repair services, with Madrid joining soon after. As of now, five in-store repair shops are in operation globally, including one in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, which opened in 2022. Additionally, Veja has General Stores in Paris and Marseille that offer shoe care products along with literature and tools for maintenance.
Since the launch of the repair program, Veja has successfully mended approximately 40,000 pairs of shoes globally, with a notable 700 pairs being revitalized in Brooklyn alone. Lyle Kokiko, who has been the cobbler at Veja’s Brooklyn store since November 2024, highlights the program’s accessibility. “We’ve done as much as we can to make the barrier to entry as low as possible because we want every possible sneaker to stay on the road and out of a landfill,” he stated while discussing the pace of his work, which ranges from thirteen to twenty-one pairs a week.
Common repair requests include resoling shoes, which costs around $50, and heel lining repairs priced at approximately $10. The average wait time for repairs typically spans four to five weeks, although this timeframe can fluctuate based on demand and the type of service required. A full makeover, which encompasses cleaning along with repairs, can reach up to $90.
Unlike many shoe brands that prioritize sales over sustainability, Veja’s core philosophy integrates the use of organic and recycled materials while prolonging the lifespan of their sneakers. Founders Sébastien Kopp and François-Ghislain Morillion emphasize the importance of keeping footwear in use as a method of sustainable practice. They assert, “The most sustainable thing you can do is wear the sneakers you already own.”
Source: Noah Wire Services
