Melissa, the iconic Brazilian footwear brand founded in 1979, reflects on its more than 40 years in business creating stylish and 100% vegan shoes through conscious production to ensure that the jelly experts remain ahead of the market. Grendene, the parent company of Melissa and the largest exporter of sandals in Brazil, monitors key production factors to adopt actions that combat waste and reduce the impacts associated with the overall manufacturing of Melissa. Today, Melissa shares progress in reducing the environmental impact of its hero style, the Possession, and reveals plans to invest even more in its sustainable practices across its product offerings and beyond.
Melissa was born from disruption. Originally inspired by the footwear worn by fishermen on the French Riviera, 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, peaked in pop culture in the 1990s and continues to embody the brand’s investment in sustainable production. Melissa’s hero style is made with a proprietary hypoallergenic material, Melflex, a durable PVC made with 25% renewable and plant-based raw materials; certified by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). 100% recyclable and water-resistant, the durability and increased elasticity of Melflex have become synonymous with the Possession, a single strap sandal with an adjustable side buckle available in various colors for adults and children. 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 at 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 takes place in Grendene’s 11 factories, generating over 16,000 jobs locally in Brazil. Melissa’s production relies on 100% clean and renewable certified electricity from Grendene.
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 developed with 100% recyclable materials.
In just the last decade, Melissa has produced over 32 million pairs of shoes.