They don’t make shoes out of leather anymore

[Mosschopz]

Or rather...not as the norm. Needed a new pair of work shoes, tried M&S, very reasonably priced but mostly manmade materials, same in Clark’s, same online on a couple of websites. Leather shoes were available, but much more expensive and lots of fuss and labelling as though a luxury product.

Annoyed...manmade fibre doesn’t ‘give’, you can’t break in a pair of plastic shoes, can you?

I think leather should be seen as a luxury really - animals have to be killed to create it, and I think it's right that there is a reasonable price to pay for that. Leather also lasts longer so even though you're paying more you'll get more wear out of them if you choose them.

I've just got some leather (Jesus) sandles from Pavers and they are so soft.

I agree Leather 'gives' and shapes to your feet, where as man made rub like fuck.

Try outlet places where they sell them cheaper if you don't mind last year's style or whatever

Deichmann do some well made and fairly inexpensive leather shoes if you have a branch near you. I agree, leather is better all around - much better on the environment than man made materials and will last a lot, lot longer.

I'm allergic so it's good for me if comfy non leather shoes become the norm!

Galway I agree with you, and am happy to pay for it, it just seemed less commonplace in shops when I looked. Manmade S hoes were much cheaper, too cheap really, and I wonder whether it’s a symptom of current economics.

I don't Buy leather because of the cruelty involved in the industry and the dreadful exposure of leather workers to toxins. I have nice shoes and boots and no problem with rubbing etc and fabric shoes are better for the environment than leather

I don't have any trouble finding leather shoes. Which is lucky, really, as I find synthetic shoes really uncomfortable.

There are only 2 shoe shops where I live, Clarks and an independent, and both have loads of leather shoes. As do Seasalt.

I got leather in Primark the other week cheaper then I could have gotten plastic in Next....

I also swear that man made materials make my feet even colder than they usually are!

I think it depends on your budget. All my shoes are leather or suede, some are Clarks, Dune and Boden. Always wait for a 20% discount on all of these. I expect to pay around £60 for shoes minimum. If you are spending £25 then yes, you won't get leather.

I think a lot of people (of the population who can afford it) would rather buy several cheaper pairs of shoes than one or two less cheap pairs, and synthetics are usually cheaper than leather. Thus the shops are responding to the market. They look at what people mostly bought last year and produce more of that.

I like proper leather shoes but don't have a big budget for them, so I buy very selectively from Clarks and the Clarks outlet site, usually.

I prefer non-leather shoes and I can assure you there are plenty of leather ones everywhere.

I've had the opposite experience, DS doesn't want to wear leather because of animal cruelty, but I really struggle to find non-leather school shoes for him. I didn't see any in M&S when I looked, might try again.

Unfortunately the non-leather ones we have bought for him last about five minutes so we end up buying them more often. It probably doesn't cost us much more as they're cheaper, but as PP said it's not environmentally friendly and feels so wasteful.

I hate plastic shoes, they really can’t be good for the enviroment either. It’s the same with the hideous polyester clothes that are everywhere, trying to buy a patterned blouse/shirt that isn’t crappy, horrible feeling and synthetic is nigh on impossible in ‘ordinary’ shops. Everywhere looks like a 1970’s jumble sale atm.

I think that given the number of cows killed for meat, it would be more wasteful not to use the byproducts.
Also the ethos of buying a more expensive, longer-lasting item rather than throw-away cheap fashion is a far more environmentally friendly one.

I get my shoes from clarks mainly and they are always leather. I just looked online at their ankle boots and they are predominantly leather, suede or nubuck.

I do agree they are, quite rightly, more expensive. Which is why I buy a few pairs at a time in the sales there are some 50% discounts online.

I cannot stand this either op.

All of my shoes and boots used to be made from leather, regardless of the season, and they were widely available in the shoe shops. It was just the ‘norm’ to be able to buy leather footwear.

I can’t wear plastic on my feet. It does not give, and is therefore always incredibly uncomfortable, and it makes me sweat constantly. In fact I remember buying a faux leather biker jacket and the sweat dripped off of me, it was absolutely disgusting. I wore that monstrosity 3 times, each for only an hour or two before I removed it.

I love a bargain, but I think the problem came when every single high street clothing shop started selling plastic footwear at a cheaper price than the shoe shops. Suddenly, the shoe shops selling leather goods, disappeared. My old local shopping centre used to have a Dolcis, Clark’s, and Barratts - they all disappeared. Aldo came and went quickly after too. The leather products they sold were obviously more expensive than plastic, but not vastly inflated like they are now.

I’m also shocked at the price of a lot of plastic footwear. In my quest for leather, I’m always looking at the prices and making an assumption they’re leather, then being mortified when I discover otherwise.

I notice that the vast majority of men’s footwear is still made from leather, and are widely available. They also do not seem to have such inflated prices as women’s.

Leather are no guarantee of comfort. Have lost count of the leather shoes I've never managed to break in or make comfortable, inc lots of Clarks ones, which were not cheap.

Good.

@maxthemartian a lot of leather isn’t byproduct, the leather is the more expensive commodity so cows are bred for the leather first, meat second in many parts of the world. They also breed certain cows for leather over meat in the same way differ chickens are bred for eggs and meat. It’s almost impossible to track where leather has come from it goes through so many hands before it gets to you.

Different*

My issue is decent non synthetic school shoes for teenage girls. Who don't want strappy Clarks, or black Van's. Synthetic shoes do not last. They just don't for active girls in high school. Cheap ballet flats are all very well, but needing to buy two pairs a month for two girls, is beyond me.

So, a pair of black Clarks funny dreams (£60, got 5% cashback), and a pair of 3 hole DM's (£80 after a long search). Three months in and they still look like new.

I wear Fly London. I expect to pay almost £100/pair. Knowing they will last upwards of 3 years (my oldest, still going).

I hate plastic shoes. I appreciate that they are cheaper and some people choose them because they arent as obviously harmful to animals. But it is still really annoying to have to check every site to see whether it is wearable. But I don't think that the use of fake materials had gone up at all. Have you perhaps moved? I live in a fairly deprived area and most shops only stock cheap shoes and you have to go online for the good stuff.

I can get leather shoes but I have trouble finding ones with comfortable soles. Even the Clarks I bought last winter were like cardboard.

A good pair of leather shoes lasts forever - easily 5 years (if you re-heel and re-sole in time). How can that be less environmentally friendly than plastic that lasts one season if you are lucky and will never degrade? You would need 5-10 paid of plastic shoes in that time (I walk a lot).