VEJA Documents Its Supply Chain

Why this is here: Jérémie Battaglia’s documentary features four individuals separated by thousands of kilometers—a factory worker in Rio Grande do Sul, an Amazonian rubber tapper, a farmer in Piauí, and a recycling collective leader in Minas Gerais.

The French footwear brand VEJA commissioned French audiovisual collective La Blogothèque to document its production process in Brazil. In 2023, the collective traveled to the Amazon, the semi-arid northeast, and southern Brazil to film the people and places integral to VEJA’s sneakers. The result is a series of short films directed by Christophe Abric and Jérémie Battaglia.

VEJA’s founders, François-Ghislain Morillion and Sébastien Kopp, established the brand in Brazil two decades ago with a focus on ecological materials and fair trade practices. They built direct relationships with family producers, fostering a collaborative supply chain. The new documentary, “Longe dos Holofotes” (“Away From the Spotlight”), features portraits of Richard Alexander, Irisnete de Castro, Osvaldo Mamédio, and Luênia Maria—workers across VEJA’s network.

The films debuted in Paris and São Paulo, with plans for festival circuits and online release on platforms like YouTube. While VEJA highlights its commitment to ethical production, the brand acknowledges many consumers remain unaware of the details behind their products. The team continues to develop new materials and technologies to refine its process.