In Madison, Wisconsin, a single shoe store named Neil’s Factory Shoe Outlet (formerly known as “Neil’s Shoes”) opened in 1960, marking the beginning of Famous Footwear.
In 1964, when Moldenhauer built a new location in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, the moniker “Famous Footwear” was first used.
Eight Famous Footwear and Neil’s Factory Shoe Outlet stores were open by the end of the 1960s, and their total yearly sales were close to $1 million.
However, now the question arises: Is Famous footwear legit?
Each year, roughly 25 billion pairs of shoes are produced. If there are currently seven billion people on the planet, each of us purchases around three pairs of shoes annually.
95% of these shoes, according to some estimates, will be discarded in landfills.
Manufacturers of footwear are becoming increasingly conscious of the advantages of collaborating on environmentally friendly production techniques.
Attempting to exploit the sustainable footwear business has advantages for consumers, the environment, and good brand image.
Sustainability in the footwear industry is defined by the Footwear Distributors & Retailers of America (FDRA) as follows:
Shoe style, progression, manufacturing, distribution, and selling methods to reduce harm to the ecosystem, preserve energy and natural resources, are secure for labourers, communities, and consumers, and are fiscally sound.
It is obvious from the concept of sustainable footwear given above that sustainability does not occur at a single stage of the process.
It involves the methods used to obtain raw materials, the means through which they are supplied, and the manufacturing procedure.
Additionally, it considers what happens to the shoes after they are no longer usable.
Consumers, manufacturers, and the environment all benefit from sustainability in the shoe sector.
In large part, thinking about footwear sustainability prompts us to consider how we may continue to wear our leather shoes with confidence.
The cost of acquiring sustainable raw materials is higher.
However, they ultimately save resources for manufacturers because they are made to cut waste and safeguard the environment.
For instance, eco-friendly inventions like the waterless dye utilised by Nike are said to assist the business in energy conservation and do away with the need for additional chemicals during the fabric dying process.
The mistreatment of the animals used to produce the raw materials is another issue that is brought to light by sustainable footwear.
Fewer animals are killed for our fashion needs since sustainable leather is manufactured from recycled materials and plant sources, aiding in the preservation of the ecological balance.
Eco-friendly goods encourage leading healthier lives. They contain less ill-effecting compounds that are dangerous.
Such goods generate significantly less toxic waste, which, if improperly disposed of, can be devastating to human health if it enters the air and water supply.
The consumer rating for Famous Footwear is 2.05 stars out of 145 reviews, which shows that most customers are typically unsatisfied with their purchases. Among shoe websites, Famous Footwear is ranked 232.
Currently, Famouse footwear scores a 1.5/5 in service and in returns, a 2/5 in value and in shipping, and 2.5/5 in quality. They only had 6.3% positive reviews in the last 12 months.
There have been a plethora of negative reviews about Famous footwear’s customer dealings and improper customer service.
Multiple people reviewed that the company lost their orders, and when they contacted customer service, the reply was less than satisfactory.
Customers have the customer service representatives rude, unsympathetic, and unhelpful. People also reported that their returns were not being processed, and their money had not been returned.
Customers also reported messed up orders, such as a different size from the one ordered showing up. One customer reported to have received two left feet shoes in different sizes instead of a proper pair.
You can read the reviews here: Famous footwear Reviews
While Famous footwear stocks brands such as Nike, ADIDAS, Puma, Fila etc., they do not necessarily stock original versions of these brands and do carry fakes, which is why the shoes are much cheaper.
Famous footwear is also considered a discount shoe store, so the versions of shoes they sell are made accordingly by the companies specifically for them.
This means that the shoes may be made for a discount. They may use cheaper material, and go through a cheaper and less ingenuine production process.
Famous footwear do not mention their own sustainable policies.
The only ethical products they offer are the ones ethically made by the original companies, which shows no participation on their behalf except retailing.
They sell eco-conscious versions of shoes from various brands which you can shop here: Eco-conscious shoes – Famous Footwear
They do not mention anywhere ways in which the stores aim to reduce their carbon footprint, and any other environmentally friendly steps they take.
All in all, Famous footwear may be easy on the pocket, but their lack of proper customer service, as shown by multiple reviews, signifies that they do not take their customers seriously.
