French sneaker company Veja has always been different by design. Founded more than 20 years ago by two Frenchmen disillusioned by the gap between corporate “sustainability” rhetoric and reality, Veja has never had an advertising budget. It doesn’t gift products to celebrities in the hopes they become walking ads. Instead, it’s laser-focused on proving that style and sustainability—in terms of materials, supply chains and labor, and product longevity—can be found in the same pair of sneakers.

The organic cotton used in Veja products is purchased directly from farmer’s associations in Brazil and Peru. Veja soles are made of 50% wild Amazonian rubber, which the company buys from Brazilian cooperatives well above market price to improve the living conditions of rubber tappers and protect the rainforest. The company incorporates recycled plastics and a leather substitute made from corn waste into shoes. In 2019, it launched the first “post-petroleum” running shoe, noting that typical running shoes are 99% plastic.

Veja’s commitment to sustainability, which emphasizes transparency, fairness, and social and environmental responsibility, goes beyond design and manufacturing, and upcycled materials, though. In 2020, the company started its “Clean, Repair and Collect” project to make sneakers last longer. Noting that shoe repair shops are going extinct, it didn’t just encourage repair over replacement—it created in-store repair stations and began collecting old sneakers for repairs and cleaning. And for years Veja has refused to ship its sneakers by air, as it looks to minimize its carbon footprint.

True leadership gets noticed—even without advertisements. Annual sales keep climbing higher, as word gets around that Veja is walking the walk when it comes to purpose, sustainability and equity. But of course, you can’t connect with customers around purpose unless your product looks and feels great. Veja checks all the boxes.