From humble beginnings as functional footwear for housewives in post-WW2 Germany to quite possibly the most iconic British repped by punks and artists, and now by numerous other youth subcultures worldwide.
Dr. Martens, largely known as Docs indeed had a remarkable style journey since its outset in the late 40s. However, is this footwear brand ticking all the boxes for people, animals, and environs? Or how ethical are Dr. Martens anyway?
First, we have to admit that Dr, Marten Company uses real leather in the manufacturing and production of their shoes, boots, and other footwear. It is mostly bovine leather that is sourced and utilized. For some styles, Doc Martens offers vegan leather options, which is derived from synthetic materials, usually plastic.
Nonetheless, mostly the leather utilized is real leather, which presents the classic Doc Martens look, feel comfort and value for money. One would even say, Dr. Marten does not employ fur, down, angora, or exotic animal skin or hair- they, however, use leather and wool without being explicit as to where this fabric comes from. This makes it hard to gauge the treatment of animals along their supply chain.
Thus far, What Leather are Doc Martens Made From?
The Carpathian leather is Dr. Martens Premium full-grain leather. This fabric has an oily natural tumble texture. Employing only the best quality animal hides, this material is highly durable, yet soft to the skin.
Similarly, what about Dr. Marten’s Smooth Leather? Well, the OG of the Dr. Marten smooth fabric is the classic smooth. It might feel stiff at first, but after a few weeks of breaking in, it adapts to your feet for a comfortable, customizable fit that lasts for a considerable period. The Dr. Marten Smooth Leather is truly a wardrobe investment and has been featured in most iconic styles.
How to tell if Dr. Martens are leather?
Real Dr. Martens boots would always spot the iconic yellow stitching on the outsoles- it is the trademark feature of the brand. You might also want to check the stitching around the sole whether it’s properly finished. The boots also need to be of high quality, neat, straight, and tight.
Are Doc Martens High Quality?
As earlier mentioned, Docs are some of the comfiest, coolest, and snuggest boots on the planet. They are designed to cherish your feet. They are packed with excellent cushioning and comfy outsoles that are tough enough to hike to the moon and back. The overall constriction is a virtually immortal ad that will outlive your expectations. And in case you’re having a really bad day, nothing will stimulate you faster than a good stomp around the hood in a pair of these offerings.
Doc Marten’s shoes and boots are generally durable and incredibly comfortable hen broken in. They also feature excellent craftsmanship that makes them an excellent type of footwear that can last for years subject to proper care.
Coming down to build quality, Docs are some of the most well-made boots in the world. These shoes come with bouncy soles that are resistant to oil, fat, petrol, and acid. Not to mention that other of the shoes are made from the sturdiest leather around.
Based on numerous previous user reviews, we can confidently say that you’ll hardly go wrong with the overall built quality of Docs marten shoes. It is excellent footwear that’s meant to protect your feet and help get through different conditions safely and comfortably.
They are purposely designed for such jobs. They boast a thick and comfy outsole and sturdy and accommodative leather and a superb lacing system to keep everything secure.
Durability
Boots will always wear out with time and repeated use. It’s a fact of life that we all know deep down. No matter how much you love those kicks, no matter how sturdy and well made they seem to be, the leather will one day split, the sole will crack and the lining on the interior will run obsolete through the rotting seams and spoil everything.
Fortunately,
not so Dr. Martens. These shoes will keep you going long, even after you have shrugged off this human loop. Docs are strong. Unless you set them on fire- something many people have tried in an attempt to break them in, you’re going to have your Docs for the foreseeable future.
Even when you’re done with them, some lucky kids will pick them up, probably from a charity shop, and feel extremely grateful. In fact, up to this point, Docs could be considered for a lifetime guarantee. That shows how confident the company is in its products.
When it comes to maintenance, and if you’re a bit wary of using baby oil on your new leather boots, go for the official Dr. Martens Wonder Balsam instead. This leather softener is highly recommended and is likely to work better and faster than other comparable ways of doing this.
The Bottom Line
Based on information from our research, Dr. Martens has received an overall rating of “not good enough”. Despite the fact that the brand is making a start in animal welfare, it’s got much work to do to improve its impact, particularly when it comes to work and the environment.
On the bright side, one thing to recommend Dr. Martens for, of course from animal welfare point of view is the introduction of a vegan line, crafted from 100% non-animal origin fabric.
However, it advertises the material as “non-leather synthetic material” without getting into details. This could be produced from PVC plastic, which atop the list of some of the most environmentally damaging materials.
We’d prefer to see more transparency about the choice of materials employed in the making of the Docs. Otherwise, there are so many and amazing eco-friendly leather alternatives out there and we would love to see other brands embracing them.