DEJA SHOE (A)

This case study describes the founding and early operational challenges of Deja, Inc., an environmental footwear company established by Julie Lewis. The company aimed to create a sustainable business model by producing shoes from recycled materials, such as pre-consumer disposable diaper waste and plastic bottles, while targeting environmentally conscious consumers in the casual footwear market.

• Deja, Inc. was founded by Julie Lewis with a mission to create markets for recycled materials, specifically by recycling tires and other waste into shoe soles and fabrics.
• Deja faced significant manufacturing hurdles, including a failed production run of 5,000 pairs of shoes made from a prototype polypropylene fabric derived from pre-consumer diaper waste, which suffered from poor fit and stitching issues.
• Due to the lack of recycling infrastructure in Asia and the specialized nature of the materials, Deja had to manage its own material procurement in the U.S., U.K., Canada, and Japan before shipping components to Asia for assembly.
• The company targeted the casual footwear market, specifically women aged 30-45 and 'Generation X' (ages 18-29), based on research suggesting these groups were the most environmentally conscious.
• Despite market research indicating that many 'conveniently green' consumers would not pay a premium, Deja adopted a premium pricing strategy for its Envirolite shoe, with a wholesale price of $30 and a retail price of $60.
• Deja achieved significant early retail success and brand visibility through free press and the enthusiasm of retailers like L.L. Bean, REI, and Nordstrom, rather than through a large advertising budget.

APA

Hardy, P. W. (1996). DEJA SHOE (A). World Resources Institute. https://pdf.wri.org/bell/case_1-56973-137-3_full_version_a_english.pdf

Chicago

Hardy, Paul W. DEJA SHOE (A). World Resources Institute, 1996. https://pdf.wri.org/bell/case_1-56973-137-3_full_version_a_english.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Hardy |first1=Paul W. |title=DEJA SHOE (A) |publisher=World Resources Institute |date=1996 |url=https://pdf.wri.org/bell/case_1-56973-137-3_full_version_a_english.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{hardy1996deja, author = {Hardy, Paul W.}, title = {{DEJA SHOE (A)}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, year = {1996}, url = {https://pdf.wri.org/bell/case_1-56973-137-3_full_version_a_english.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }