Vessi

Three Vancouverites launched Vessi in 2018 with a Kickstarter campaign after developing a waterproof knit sneaker suited to the rainy Pacific Northwest. Founder Andy Wang and a team of scientists created the patented Dyma-tex technology that makes the footwear fully waterproof while maintaining the look and feel of everyday sneakers. The brand sold its millionth pair in 2022 and opened its first retail location in Burnaby the same year.

All products are vegan and PFAS-free, and the company partners only with factories that respect their workers. Vessi has donated over 220 million liters of clean water through partnerships with charity:water and Water First, a Canadian organization supporting Indigenous communities with water access and education.