compromising with quality

When I buy a pair of shoes (which I try to do only when it's absolutely necessary) the first thing that I look for is a tag inside the shoe that tells me that both the upper part and the sole are made of "totally man-made materials". Only after finding such a tag do I ask myself if I want to wear the shoes I've found. Experience has taught me that not only is my selection of shoes limited - the quality and comfort also leave quite a bit to be desired. Synthetic shoes just don't feel, nor wear, like real leather shoes do.

This pair, like just about every other synthetic pair, lasted about a year. Perhaps more to the point, it lasted a year looking like a pair of shoes that wouldn't cause people to talk when they saw me wearing them. They lasted an additional year as a source of embarrassment, but still functional as a cover for my feet. Synthetic materials (on shoes, at least) wear out differently than leather does, and when they wear out, the whole shoe seems to fall apart.

Even if wearing them can be embarrassing, worn out synthetic shoes still cover our feet. But shoes of this sort are made differently than leather shoes. Instead of being stitched to the sole, the upper part is glued to it. When the glue wears out the upper part separates from the sole, leaving a gap which makes the shoe dysfunctional. At this point any normal person would throw the shoes in the trash.