Umoja Shoes

Founded in 2018, Umòja, which means "unity" in Swahili, is a sneaker brand that combines tradition, modernity and innovation while valuing West African textile craftsmanship in respect of its environment.

MMEA, THE FIRST SNEAKERS 100% PLANT BASED. MMEA [méa], meaning 'plant' in Swahili, is a 100% plant-based,transparent and fully traceable sneaker. In 2019, the Umòja team launched its first collection. Upon its release, it became aware of the ubiquity of plastic in footwear design. This makes it difficult to recycle shoes, and at the end of their life,shoes are thrown away or incinerated. The team chose not to launch a new collection, prioritising research and development to find plant-based alternatives to produce a plastic-free shoe. MMEA is the result of these two years of development. It is a shoe designed without plastic. Produced from four noble materials sourced from Burkina Faso, France and Portugal: cotton, linen,hemp and rubber milk. It is a sneaker whose end-of-life materials are valued and controlled. Thus, MMEA is a story of connection between the textile know-how of sub-Saharan Africa and European innovation. PRODUCE AND CONSUME DIFFERENTLY. Our sneakers are designed in an artisanal way, 100% plant-based, from the dye to the glue and the sewing threads. The team works directly with farmers and craftsmen in a fair trade approach. We insist on total traceability of the production chain, which is not the case for all brands in the footwear sector. MMEA is proof that we can create a virtuous, authentic, sensible product by playing by different rules than those dictated by the industry. It is the testimony of our team members, our partner producers, artisans and farmers, our consumers and contributors that we can collaborate on a semi industrial scale and offer a noble, healthy and beautiful product. It conveys the idea of a change, of a dynamic that we wish to take as far as possible, in the most beautiful way. A WORD FROM THE FOUNDERS "Umòja, which means "unity" in Swahili, is a brand of sneakers that combines tradition, modernity and innovation while promoting West African textile craftsmanship with respect for the environment. We are convinced that artisanal know-how should be promoted in the context of changes in our consumption patterns. Our convictions lead us to believe that international trade can be organised around human and ecological values, without losing product quality. For this reason, we experiment on a daily basis, in order to get closer and closer to our ideal lifestyle. As the production of our sneakers is dependent on the artisanal production of the textile of which they are made, we can only produce a reasonable quantity. And that is our goal! To offer you unique, transparent sneakers, rich in history and expertise." Wholesale: E: umoja@umoja-shoes.com Photo credit: umoja@umoja-shoes.com