Melissa, iconic Brazilian-based footwear brand founded in 1979, reflects on its 40-plus years in business crafting stylish, 100% vegan shoes through mindful production to ensure the jelly-experts continue to stay ahead of the market. Grendene, Melissa’s parent company and the largest sandal exporter in Brazil, monitors key production factors in order to adopt actions that combat waste and reduce the impacts that are associated with Melissa’s overall manufacturing. Today, Melissa shares the progress in reducing the environmental impact of its hero style, the Possession, and unveils plans to further invest in its sustainable practices across its product offering and beyond.
Melissa was born out of disruption. Originally inspired by the footwear worn by French Riviera fishermen, Melissa launched with the Aranha sandal which led to the introduction of the iconic Possession sandal. The Possession, Melissa’s best-selling sandal style to date, reached a pop culture high in the 1990s, and continues to embody the brand’s investment in sustainable production. The Melissa hero style is made with a proprietary hypoallergenic material, Melflex, a long-lasting PVC that’s made from 25% renewably sourced and plant-based raw material; certified by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). 100% recyclable and water-resistant, Melflex’s durability and increased elasticity has become synonymous with the Possession, a single strap sandal with adjustable side buckle available in various colors in adult and kids sizing. Melissa achieved an impressive 30% reduction in CO2eq emissions for the legendary sandal in 2022, officially making the Possession carbon neutral. Also in 2022, the Possession sandal was certified Climate Pledge Friendly by Amazon.
“We are constantly researching innovations to increase the amount of recycled and biobased content in our products,” said Carlos Andre Carvalho, Sustainability Manager for Grendene. “We aspire to this for the future of the brand, which also means a future with a lower carbon footprint.”
All of Melissa’s production is carried out in Grendene’s 11 factories, generating more than 16,000 jobs locally in Brazil. Melissa’s production relies on Grendene’s certified 100% clean and renewable electrical energy.
Sustainability is more than a concept for Grendene: it is a continuous process of evolution in search of solutions that preserve the environment. Melissa shoes are vegan and cruelty-free, registered by the Vegan Society, with no animal components or animal testing. In 2021, Melissa introduced new product packaging that is developed with 100% recyclable materials.
In the last decade alone, Melissa has manufactured more than 32 million pairs of shoes.