Leather vs synthetic shoes: A comparison guide by LeatherBlues
Shoes are an important part of our lives no matter what we do, but they are even more important for the working class, especially for those who work in fields such as doctors, nurses, policemen, and many more. Having a good pair of shoes can make a huge difference between a good day and a long day that leaves you with sore feet. However, there are so many types of shoes made from different materials to choose from, and unfortunately, not many people seem to consider the material of the shoes while buying them. Two widely used materials for making shoes are real leather and synthetic material. Synthetic material can look like real leather, but there is a huge difference between the two. Synthetic leather shoes are much cheaper than real leather shoes, and that is one of the major reasons some people consider them. But the question remains: are they better than real leather shoes? Well, the straight answer is no! Synthetic material can never make a better shoe material than leather.
In this article, we are going to discuss leather vs. synthetic shoes in-depth, and after reading this article, you will get a clear idea of what you should opt for before swiping your credit card at the local shoe store.
Table of Contents
Leather vs synthetic shoes
| Parameter | Leather shoes | Synthetic shoes |
| Durability | High | Low |
| Breathability | High | Low for faux leather |
| Comfort | High | Low |
| Cost | High | Low |
| Maintenance | High | Low |
| Weather Sensitivity | Moderate | Low |
Real leather shoe
Real animal leather has been one of the best materials known to humans for making shoes, and this is why it has been used for thousands of years. Leather has its roots all the way back to ancient Roman, Greek, and Persian civilizations. The oldest known leather item, the Areni-1 shoe, is a 5,500-year-old leather shoe found in 2008 in excellent condition in the Areni-1 cave located in the Vayots Dzor province of Armenia. We at LeatherBlues are sure that leather is much older than that.
Real leather has many unique properties that no other material can provide. However, two of its most useful properties, which make it the perfect material for footwear, are durability and breathability.
A leather shoe can easily last for five years or even more if properly taken care of, which makes it a reliable material. It is my personal experience with leather shoes that the upper material of the shoes never goes bad; we only have to discard them because of the worn-out sole. Sometimes I get the sole changed at our leather workshop and boom! The shoe is ready for another five years of service.
Another factor that makes leather suitable for footwear is breathability. Real leather has a porous surface that allows easy air circulation through it, and that’s why leather shoes will not feel uncomfortable even after hours of standing and working. Breathability is a major factor when choosing leather for shoes and clothing. Suede leather is even more breathable than top grain leather.
In addition, leather also tends to take the shape of the foot over time and usage. For instance, when you get a new leather shoe, it can feel a bit stiff, but as you use it for a few days, it will mold to the shape of your foot and feel like it was designed just for you. This unique quality of real leather cannot be mimicked by anything.
The only disadvantage real leather shoes have over faux leather shoes is the price, as real leather is a natural material and tends to command a higher price than its synthetic counterparts.
Synthetic leather shoe
Synthetic leather shoes, also known as imitation leather shoes, are made from synthetic upper material that mimics the look of real leather. However, there are other types of synthetic shoes, like sports shoes or hiking shoes, that are made from materials such as rubber, TPR, nylon, acetate, acrylic, spandex, Kevlar, polyester, and Orlon. Each of these materials has different qualities compared to leather and is mostly used to make performance-oriented shoes, as they have some advantages over leather. For example, they weigh much less than leather and can provide exceptional water resistance along with being highly breathable. While synthetic leather shoes that mimic the look of real leather are much cheaper than real leather shoes, other types of shoes, such as sports shoes, can command similar prices to leather shoes due to the technology used in making them.
Conclusion
Well, if you ask me, I would always suggest real leather shoes when it comes to work shoes. However, if you are looking for something for sports and performance, then you can go for synthetic shoes. But stay away from those leather-like formal work shoes that only look like leather for a short time. Yes, they will only look new for a short time before they start developing cracks and creases. There is no other material better than real leather.
Real leather holds a special charm that cannot be replicated by any artificial material. Leather’s natural essence and the uniqueness of each skin give it an irreplaceable character. While some cheaper options like bonded leather and faux leather are available, can they replace real leather? In my view, nothing can replace the authenticity of natural leather. A good leather item can last for multiple years or even higher if taken care of properly. I reason I am sharing this in conclusion is because a lot of people get fooled by the advertisers of faux leather and they end up buying cheaper material faux leather shoes.
I hope my article is helpful to you and explains leather vs synthetic shoes well. If you have any doubts, feel free to ask in the comment section, and for more information on leather products, you can check our other articles or you can contact us. LeatherBlues is known as one of the best stores for real leather products. Explore our amazing collection of leather garments and services.
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