Materials & Origin
The entire VIA VAI collection is made from high-quality materials that are certified and/or recycled. These materials must be in line with current trends and feel good, because comfort is our top priority. Quality and sustainability therefore go hand in hand in our sourcing and selection process. We'll tell you all about it; discover the journey of your favorite VIA VAI items.
Sourcing with style & confidence
We source all our materials ourselves, which allows us to guarantee their quality. Every supplier signs a material specification and traceability contract. For leather, suede, and nubuck, we know:
- the origin of the material (animal & region),
- the tanning method,
- the size and thickness of the hide,
- and the LWG (Leather Working Group) rating.
Our fabric suppliers work with similar material specifications. These specify:
- the raw material,
- the size and thickness of the fabric,
- whether the fabric is recycled,
- and whether it can be recycled.
Transparent, controlled, and fashion-worthy.
Origin of our materials
Origin story
Italy
Italy
90% of our materials come from Italy. Every year, we attend a special materials fair to select the best materials for the new collection.
Portugal
Portugal
8% of our materials come from Portugal.
Spain
Spain
8% of our materials come from Spain.
more about materials
Leather
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 exclusively with tanneries that are affiliated with the Leather Working Group. Leather is also very durable and resistant to wear and tear, which contributes to the long life of your VIA VAI items.
Suede
Unlike smooth leather, suede is not made from the top layer of the hide, but from the underside. The underside of the hide is much softer than the top layer. For all our suede colors, we work with our suede supplier, which has achieved a silver rating within the Leather Working Group.
Mesh
Sneakers have become an essential element of street fashion. They are extremely popular because they are a real fashion item that is also super comfortable to wear. As a result, mesh types have come to play a greater role in our collection..
Part of our wide sneaker collection has a mesh lining. Only recycled mesh is used for this.
Leather working group
The golden standard
What is the leather working group?
What is the leather working group?
The Leather Working Group (LWG) was created with the aim of reducing the environmental impact of the leather industry. LWG informs, inspires, and challenges the leather industry to produce leather in a responsible manner. As such, standards have been established that leather producers must meet in order to become certified, including:
- Water and energy consumption
- Environmental management
- Chemical management
- Waste management and wastewater treatment
- Health and safety
You can find more information on the website of the Leather Working Group.
Our contribution
Our contribution
We have been a member of the Leather Working Group since 2023. In this way, we support the continuous development and improvement of standards and environmental impact surrounding leather production.
Our suppliers
Our suppliers
To guarantee the quality of materials, all our leather suppliers are affiliated with the Leather Working Group.
- 56% of our suppliers have a Gold rating.
- 38% of our suppliers have a Silver rating.
- 2% of our suppliers have a Bronze rating.
- 4% of our suppliers are affiliated with LWG and have audited status, but do not (yet) have a rating.
You can read exactly what this rating means on the website of the Leather Working Group.
Our suppliers must be reassessed every 24 months to maintain their rating. This ensures that quality remains guaranteed.
A love that lasts
Finally, your new VIA VAI items have arrived! They are exactly as you imagined them, love at first sight. Of course, you want them to always look like new, so you can enjoy them time and time again. And with the right care, you can also extend their lifespan. Win-win! In our blog, we tell you everything you need to know about the proper care and cleaning of leather, suede, and mesh.
