TLDR: A very good looking shoe that functions better than expected. Highly recommend.
I don't usually write reviews but I felt due to the lack of information online about how the quality of cork as a material for shoes I'd break my silence.
I have had these shoes for 5 months and for that period they have been my primary dry weather shoes. I have a daily step goal of 8000 which I have hit every day for the last 10 months so I think I've worn these enough to have a good idea of their quality.
Firstly the cork. I think if you're living in a dry climate then cork is a brilliant, great looking material that holds up well to daily wear. It looks as good today as it did when I got them and is tough, doesn't show the marks of bumps and scrapes that leather tends to, and doesn't crack on the seems as you'd see from leather shoes at the same price point. It also seems to hold up pretty well to wet weather conditions though I've tried to make sure that I'm not using them in the rain but when I have been caught out they have been waterproof, for longer periods though I can't say. One design flaw I've found is with the eyelets, I once accidently stood on one of my laces while walking up the stairs which caused the top outer eyelet to tear. It hasn't been too much of an issue I've just began to tie my laces one hole down but be careful. I think this issue could be resolved if metal eyelets were added or this part of the shoe was backed by another material.
The shoes are quite comfy but it seems the insole can't be removed, I think there should be room if you want to add your own.
The inside liner seems to be felt or a felt-esque material and whilst I originally thought this may be an issue as historically my shoes have failed first on the heel, at time of writing there's no sign of wear and tear on the inside of either shoe except for the sole liner which has peeled away but this doesn't effect comfort or utility in any was so it doesn't matter to me.
All in all I think for the price point these sneakers hold up very well or even outperform real leather alternatives. I also think that they outperform the majority of the Vegan leather shoes on the market (especially plastic based ones) but I haven't tried any plant based leather shoes so I can't compare to these.
To conclude I have decided to give 4 stars because despite the fact that they have exceeded my expectations and I would recommend them if you're looking for an environmentally conscious, great looking shoe, I feel there are a number of small improvements which would really take them to the next level. The introduction of metal eyelets and/or the backing of this section with a more durable material and the introduction of a higher quality/removable insole (perhaps using cork) would be my main two recommendations.
