Shoes, in general, are more or less costly. However, Timberlands can break that scale by numbers. But why are timberlands so expensive anyway?
After all, they are just boots. However, everything starting from the brand value to the material used in the making can make such a pair costly.
But does that mean people will stop going for this brand and opt for a cheaper alternative? Not always.
In fact, the brand value alone contributes to a high profit for Timberlands. Having been founded in 1928, the company seems to be heading stronger into the near future.
Before we get started with the reasons for such a high price tag, let us take a look at what Timberlands are really made of.
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What Are Timberland Boots Made of?
Like most famous brands now jumping onto the environment-friendly wagon, Timberland boots are also made from recycled materials. That alone makes the brand a beloved one among loyal customers.
Each piece of such a pair is constructed from recycled material, including the insoles and outsoles! Recycled plastic is a common component found in many Timberland boots. This is a very big reason why Timberlands can cost a fortune. A lot of processing and recycling can make the products expensive.
However, there is a catch here, though. Although being a heavy user of recycled components, Timberland is actually not too friendly to animals.
It is a fact that most of their boots are covered with real animal fur and hide. That is one reason why the brand tends to heat up so many controversial views among its supporters and those campaigning against its inhumane ways.
But that being said, the majority of votes are for the brand and its production system, so we can only hope the brand will take up cruelty-free methods soon.
Why Are the Boots So Famous?
Contrary to popular belief, Timberland does not only produce boots in its production line. There is, in fact, a massive variety of different shoe types made by the brand. However, its boots are the most well-known in the industry. Why is that so?
For starters, the reason why the boots in specific caught global attention are due to rappers and hip-hop culture. You heard that right.
Timberland boots were always in the vicinity. But people grew accustomed to their chunky appearance through rapculture and popular songs by famous celebs.
Starting from Jay-Z to 50 Cent, footwear almost became a staple part of their lyrics and music videos at one point. In fact, the boots are mainly targeted at celebs and the wealthy in society. As a result, the cost of production remains high, and the market price spikes up too.
But the boots slowly outwent hip-hop culture and made their way into everyday life as well. You will see most African-Americans in the ghetto area and specific communities wearing such a pair everywhere they go.
Before we knew it, Timberland boots had sealed a place in everyone’s hearts. From band trainees to the military, people of every walks of life started to adorn their feet with a pair.
However, the price never seemed to go down, since the brand had already secured a name for itself and its costliness. You can think of it as a diamond in the footwear industry – the pricier it is, the more valuable it becomes.
Items Produced by the Brand
As we mentioned before, Timberland products are not limited to only their globally famous boots. They do have other equally popular items as well. However, the prices for such items are not as sky-high as its sister footwear.
This is because the footwear is specifically targeted towards the wealthy. However, other miscellaneous items are manufactured to satisfy the general consumer needs.
Upon visiting their official website, you will find many different product categories to go through.
A few of the uncommon yet popular items that Timberland has on its website are –
- Hiking outfits
- Socks
- Summer sandals
- Sneakers
- Jackets and coats
- Backpacks and women’s handbags
- Chukkas
- Hats and gloves
- Scarves
- Product Care
- Shorts and wide-widths
- Sweatshirts
- T-shirts and vests, etc.
As you can see, the number of other products Timberland has is just as impressive as its famous line of footwear. Unlike its boots, which are usually made specifically for colder regions, the other items can be flexible following the weather.
They have different items catering to all genders. There is a “Kids” category that features incredible products but just cuter in appearance and size.
Similar to the boots, the other products are also made from recycled material, among which plastic is the highest in amount.
Note that the boots for the women do come with much higher heels than the ones for men. We think that is quite a nice touch to give in every product.
You can also purchase “Product Care” directly from their website as well. This section is dedicated to the maintenance and care of the shoes and other Timberland products.
You can even find footwear refreshers and travel kits in this category! How cool is that?
Features That Make Timberland Unique
Unlike most boots, Timberland is mainly associated and recognized for its chunky and tough appearance. Of all the features that make this brand unique, its most famous and well-known specification is its high heel.
The heels on Timberlands can sometimes go over 1.6 inches! On top of that, most products by this brand also come with nylon laces (Taslan), known to have quite the resistance.
However, the cherry on top is probably its Nubuck or full-grain leather construction. Although not being cruelty-free, the Nubuck leather material is still a huge favorite among many supporters.
That is mainly due to how the material is more or less waterproof and very stretchy. But the stretchy texture in no way means that the product will start to loosen up over time.
So, in a nutshell, the high-quality leather coupled with the water resistance makes the extensively time-consuming manufacturing a pain in the ass! And that ultimately builds up to a pricey pair in the market.
If anything, Timberlands are known to last for quite the time if taken care of properly. Just make sure not to go dousing your feet in mud or concrete.
Also, each and every lining on the footwear are known to be thoroughly insulated. The impressive insulation is a great feature of Timberlands. That is because the company targets its audience mainly in the colder regions of the world.
As a result, the shoes it produces also come heavily insulated and thermal to some extent.
Here’s a summary of the most common features Timberlands usually have –
- Nubuck/Full-grain leather
- Taslan nylon lace
- Waterproof
- High heels, 1.6 inches
- Rubber outsoles
- Insulated insoles and linings.
How Much Profit Do We Help the Brand Make?
Whether you like it or not, you are actually endorsing the animal-cruelty methods of the brand every time you make a new purchase. At the same time, you are also helping the brand double its profits.
We are not telling you to stop purchasing their products. However, their profit margin might just put things in perspective for you.
For example, Timberland boots generally have a high retailcost of approximately $100 to $300. To give you a clear idea of how expensive that is, most boots by Clarks fall well under $200 only.
In addition to that, the average cost of production for Timberlands is only $35, but you will be buying that for well over $145. To be exact, the company makes a profit of over 25% from every customer every time they make a new purchase!
That is more or less why they charge the customer’s so much, despite having such low rates of cost of production.
But you still will not see people backing out of purchasing Timberlands. Why? Simply due to its impressive brand value and the recognition it has created worldwide.
Slowly but surely, Timberlands has grown into more than a footwear company. Now, it has become a fashion trend in many pop-culture-influenced societies. And this is exactly what fuels demand for it – therefore increasing its price by numbers.
Should You Get Timberlands?
By all means, this brand is not here to wait around for doubts. Timberland is a growing and highly popular brand, and it has its own market to thrive in.
So waiting around to get your hands on a pair shouldn’t be a matter of concern at all.
However, things can take a whole new outlook if you see everything from an environmentalist point of view. As we mentioned before, the company is not exactly animal-friendly.
So, purchasing or endorsing their products in any way can make you indirectly associated with the cruelty on animals for fur and hide.
But other than that, if you can give the negatives of Timberlands a blind eye, we bet purchasing a pair won’t do you any harm.
Also, students, teachers, and military personnel can greatly benefit from the brand as well. There are discounts available, especially for the above-mentioned categories.
Are Timberland Shoes Good for the Feet?
At first glance, such footwear can come off as pretty chunky and tough-shelled. But does that mean the shoes are harmful to the feet? If anything, they are quite the opposite!
Timberlands tend to have a hard rubber outsole, but that is not the case for the insole and other linings on the footwear.
Doctors and many practitioners have claimed this brand to be pretty healthy for the feet. It is especially the case for patients with joint issues and ankle problems.
So, how are such incredibly chunky shoes suitable for the feet?
The answer lies in its impressive arch support. Unlike flimsy sneakers, Timberland boots come with ‘removable’ arch support. It allows users to replace the item with their own orthotics.
On top of that, the forefoot in the shoes usually comes with a lot of room on the front. It lets your toes lie straight and in the proper position, regardless of you having the pair on for hours at a stretch. Patients with bunions can benefit from the feature the most.
At the same time, the heels of most Timberland boots also have a slight height to them. It works better for those suffering from “plantar fasciitis.”
In short, with this brand, you get style, comfort, and convenience in one package! So, you can see that a product this well-rounded ought to cost a fortune.
Regions Ideal for Timberland Boots
Manufactured mainly for the New Hampshire atmosphere, Timberland boots are basically ideal for colder regions. It means the pair should be able to tackle harsh weather conditions.
This kind of footwear is generally perfect for cold winds, dense forestry, and even extreme trekking.
The traditional yellow boots are notable for such areas since they are primarily made to be water-resistant.
As a result, the footwear is ideal for canoeing and kayaking as well. However, err, the leg space might be hard to fit into, with such chunky boots on your feet.
Are Timberlands Worth the Splurge?
Honestly, the answer to this can be entirely subjective. If you had to take our word for it, then we would tell you to go ahead and indeed give the pair a try. However, the cost associated with it can be pretty heavy, especially if you are on a tight budget.
There are many different and cheaper alternatives to this brand. For example, brands like Grenson, Clarks, Belstaff, Dr.Martens, etc., are all pretty renowned globally.
On top of that, most of the shoes produced by the alternatives mentioned above tend to have a cheaper price tag attached to them. Quality is also not any less impressive.
To be frank, they might not have the exact charm as Timberlands to them, but opting for the alternatives will not be a total loss either.
Some of the brands mentioned are also very serious about protecting and giving back to the environment in their own ways.
Most of them have jumped onto this wagon by taking up animal-cruelty-free methods first. We can only hope Timberlands takes a similar route for production and manufacturing soon.
So, Why Are Timberlands So Expensive?
To put it bluntly, this footwear is highly sought after by celebs, and basically the high and mighty in society. Due to its brand value, materials used, and unique durability, the shoes have rightfully claimed a costly price tag to their name. It’s pretty much a statement piece to live by now!
However, the production cost and recycling process can also be time-consuming, and very trying. As a result, the company needs to profit to pay its employees and manufacture more impeccable batches.
At the same time, the outreach of the brand is now branching onto medical sectors as well (as you read above). Who knows what other niches they can slide into, right? In short, Timberlands are so expensive due to high demand in the market. And that’s not coming to a stop anytime soon!
Conclusion
In all fairness, Timberland is a great brand. It would not have taken the world by storm, even after 40 years of its launch, if it was anything less than incredible.
There are downsides to its manufacturing, but the comfort and user-friendliness make the brand a must-have for many footwear enthusiasts.
We bet after reading this article, questions like “Why are Timberlands so expensive?” will be answered for good! The fact that the pair is so extensively made should be an end to your confusion regarding its costliness.
So, did our write-up clear your doubts? We sure hope it did! Get your next pair of stylish and durable Timberlands right now if you’ve got that extra money to splurge!