5 QUESTIONS FOR: Velocio apparel
- Dec 22, 2020
- 3 min read
5 QUESTIONS FOR is an interview series with cycling brands that are trying to step up their game when it comes to reducing environmental impact.The series does not set out to present perfect examples, nor does the series intend to favour specific brands. What we do hope to offer is an informative and honest account of the possible challenges, gains and pitfalls of their journey. And to inspire more cycling companies to become part of this shared responsibility.
#008: Brad Sheehan, CEO / Designer Velocio
When did your company start addressing its environmental impact, and why?
"A sustainable ethic has been with us since the beginning: we’ve focused on making better, more durable products and by all accounts we have, but there are elements of our impact that we haven’t addressed, that are impossible to address given the current sourcing and transportation options available. That said, we’re proud of the products we produce now and know that they are on the forefront of what’s available in terms of sustainability."
What particular impact within the lifespan of your products do you focus on, and why?
"Our primary impact focus is durability. We know that it takes roughly the same amount of energy to create a cheap/disposable garment and a quality/durable one. So while the quality may have a higher dollar cost, its impact over the life of the product is far lower. This quality and durability also adds a lot of value to the customer and, throughout the lifespan, provides a better experience - the driver behind every product we make.
In addition, we’ve continued to advance recycled and biodegradable fabrics and packaging within our collection as another aspect of how we can reduce impact. Every jersey in our collection is either made primarily from recycled polyester (ocean trash from EU - turned into new yarn in EU) or natural fibers.
Each of our suppliers meets BlueSign and/or Oeko-tex certifications as well, and the materials come from European mills close to our manufacturers which cut down on the shipping carbon footprint required to make these pieces. We’ve done this since the beginning and currently these materials are the majority of what we use throughout the line."
What are the biggest challenges you have faced so far?
"There are three big ones:
1. Materials: suppliers have been increasing innovation over the last couple of years, but this requires a lot of effort and we’re working with them regularly on how we can reimagine what’s possible, from fabrics, trims & components to packaging.
2. Transportation is a huge challenge from an impact perspective. Freight from our manufacturing to our distribution, and shipping to our customers - this process can be incredibly complex developing efficiencies that can maintain high customer service and reduce impact is a big focus of ours.
3. Perception - this is twofold. The perception that high performance and sustainable are mutually exclusive is a misconception often pushed by luxury brands. It’s simply not true. The second is price/value; that all apparel is created in the same way using the same materials and the difference in price is the brand selling it. There’s a cost to how we produce our apparel: from the fabrics we select, to the manufacturing partners we work with, and the way that product arrives to the customer."
What are your ambitions for both short and long term?
"We aim to continue to be innovative in how we develop and produce our products. Our goal is to create a completely circular garment lifecycle, with a deeper commitment to repair, recovery and recycling programs for end-of-life garments. And we want to develop a carbon impact score for every product we make to inform our design process as well as our customers."
What do you expect of the cycling community on this journey?
"We need our customers to look closely at their apparel as investments and select items based on quality and durability. We need them to consider the underlying cost to environmental impact as well as labor force. We need them to learn more and demand more of brands when it comes to recycled and biodegradable materials, to push brands to do more around the end-of-life and to become part of this process in shifting apparel from disposable fast fashion to investment in quality & durability."
When learning how to write an argumentative essay, you can use Velocio’s interview to build a powerful thesis defending sustainable manufacturing. Their commitment to recycled materials and localized European sourcing serves as concrete evidence to support your body paragraphs. Additionally, the CEO's refusal to accept that high performance and eco-friendly design are mutually exclusive provides the perfect real-world rebuttal to counter opposing industry viewpoints.
It is great to see brands like Velocio treating high-performance cycling gear as a long-term investment rather than disposable fast fashion. Understanding the true cost of materials, ethical labor, and supply chain logistics takes a lot of research. Honestly, trying to wrap my head around the economics of sustainable manufacturing, carbon impact scores, and circular lifecycles feels as complex as a university course—makes me just want to pay someone to Take My Online Finance Class so I can focus on learning about environmental sustainability instead!
Kudos to Velocio for pushing the industry forward and being transparent about the challenges of transportation and material sourcing.
Great insights from Velocio on building a more sustainable future for cycling apparel. The focus on durability, responsible materials, and reducing environmental impact throughout the product lifecycle is especially impressive. The point about investing in quality rather than disposable options resonates across many industries, including areas where people seek Help with online class to achieve better long-term outcomes. Thanks for the thoughtful interview.
Reading this interview with Velocio is like doing a bank statement translation on the true cost of fast fashion — once you break down where the money actually goes (materials, ethical manufacturing, sustainable transport), you start seeing the real value behind the price tag. Brad makes an excellent point that cheap, disposable garments and quality ones cost roughly the same energy to produce, yet the long-term environmental "bill" couldn't be more different. More brands and consumers need to learn how to read that ledger honestly.
Reading this interview really puts things into perspective! It reminds me of concepts I explored when I decided to take my online economics class — specifically around true cost pricing and how market perception often distorts the real value of goods. Brad's point about consumers misunderstanding why sustainable apparel costs more is a classic example of information asymmetry in action. When people understand that durability reduces long-term cost and environmental impact, they start making smarter purchasing decisions. Velocio's commitment to transparency and circular product lifecycles is exactly the kind of business model that economics professors wish more companies would adopt. More brands should follow this lead!