We go to the temples of know-how to meet the guardians of age-old traditional techniques. They meticulously preserve these techniques to safeguard a cultural heritage that is losing ground.

Today, competition from low-cost manufactured goods is still very strong locally and internationally. Although many West African countries are producers of quality raw materials, they unfortunately do not have (or no longer have) an industry capable of processing them locally. This is why we entrust the production of our sneakers to Portuguese craftsmen from the Porto region.

Portugal is currently positioned as an expert in artisanal know-how in the footwear sector. Passed down from generation to generation, traditional techniques have kept pace with the times.

Footwear is a complex product that requires the introduction of several materials to arrive at a finished product. Thus, our approach cannot be dependent on a single geographical area. In order to remain consistent with our values and to guarantee good quality products, we work in direct circuits. We thus combine African and European know-how.

We are convinced that artisanal know-how should be valued 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. To do this, we experiment on a daily basis, to get closer and closer to our ideal of consumption.

As the production of our sneakers is dependent on the handmade production of the textile they are made of, we can only produce a reasonable amount. And that is our goal! To offer you unique, transparent items, rich in history and expertise.

Since the beginning, Umoja's objective has been to promote ancestral and artisanal textile know-how. Our fear is that they will be forgotten over time. However, our research and development work has shown us that, combined with our contemporary way of life, these ancestral skills offer more ecological and responsible solutions to one of the most polluting industries in the world.

Observe, listen, collaborate, learn from our elders to perpetuate virtuous practices, respectful of our environment. To create with Nature, to produce at its own pace and that of the artisanal gesture. This is the vision of Umoja, these are the values of MMEA.

MMEA, which means "Nature" in Swahili, is a collaboration of partners who come together around shared values between Burkina Faso, France and Portugal. All of them work to borrow from Nature while leaving the smallest possible footprint. Our raw materials are sourced in Africa, Asia and Europe. For a product as complex as footwear, we have chosen to extend the perimeter of the locality to ensure the traceability of our raw materials. Today, we work with companies that have been in business for decades and master their production circuit.