Over the recent years, the fashion industry has undergone few changes. It’s become normal for mid to low level clothing brands to use cheaper materials and lower manufacturing costs to produce items that are priced low but they are inspired by high fashion. This allows people to wear trendy clothes at a lower price, and brings in a lot of profit for the manufacturers and brands. However, it seems that even though footwear follows suit – athletic footwear is not.
The Difference Between High and Low Quality Footwear
Athletic footwear (or any type, actually) is well designed to serve its function and purpose. Whenever someone asks me “Are no bulls worth it?” My answer is always an emphatic yes. Athletic footwear is meant to protect your feet from the various injuries that different sporting activities are prone to cause, such as ankle injuries. They also provide some form of cushioning to the sole of your foot. But, there is a balance that needs to be achieved, too much cushioning can cause your legs to overcompensate and get stiff, too little and you risk injury from repeated impact. High quality shoes tend to get the functional design aspect just right, while low quality shoes are just mimicking the models of what’s trendy. In other words, low quality shoes weren’t made with function in mind – they were designed to reduce manufacturing and production costs.
Fast Fashion Is Not Durable
The point of fast fashion is to make it so cheap that consumers won’t mind changing their entire wardrobes every season or even sooner. Fast fashions means that the items are not manufactured for durability. With shoes, especially sport shoes of any kind – there is little need for fluctuations in fashion. Soccer shoes will still look like soccer shoes despite the different “models” that are available. So, it’s actually more cost effective (in the long run) to buy shoes that are high quality and durable.
Low cost brands tend to use cheaper materials in their manufacturing process, and might even opt for cost-cutting manufacturing solutions in lieu of methods that have been proven to increase durability. For example, you could buy one pair of sneakers that last two or three years, or opt for a cheaper version and need to replace them twice a year. In the end, buying the more expensive (high quality) product is better for the consumer. On the other hand, buying the cheaper products only serves to profit the manufacturer and brand selling them.
The Bottom Line
When it comes to athletic footwear, it is best to invest in a high quality product. This is especially important for anyone that intends to take part in any intense athletic activity for a long period of time, such as training for a marathon or any other type of sports training. So, skip the fast fashion when you are shopping for sports shoes. As a matter of fact, it’s better if you forgo fast fashion altogether because it is bad for the environment and your wallet.