“Clarks and Ecco” are big names in the world of shoes, so there’s no doubt that they are top competitors of each other.
Most of their style offerings are very similar in pattern, design, and colors that can help you put together a wardrobe that will take you from workdays to the weekend. Nevertheless, despite their commendable qualities, a few points truly make a difference between them.
So, keep reading to know about these companies, their offerings, and more so you can decide if they’re worth buying.
Comparison Table Between Ecco And Clarks:
| Ecco | Clarks |
|---|---|
| Founded in 1963 | Founded in 1825 |
| Athletic, Boots, Casual Sandals, Dress Shoes, Oxfords, Boat Shoes, Casual Pumps, Flats, Wedges, and Golf shoes | Dress Shoes, Casual Dress Shoes, Loafers & Slip-Ons Sandals & Flip Flops, Sneakers Desert Boots |
| Gore-Tex Waterproof technology | C-shell waterproof layer |
| Highly Durable | Less durable |
| More reliable Sports Shoes | More attractive boots styles |
| Pricey | Affordable options |
| Can be big | Mostly true to size |
| Almost 2000 outlets | More than 1150 stores |
Overview of Ecco:
Ecco is a Denmark-based company that is known for making comfortable footwear with high-quality materials and advanced technologies all over the world.
Birte and Karl Toosbuy two brothers came up with the idea for ECCO in April 1963. In 1996, ECCO opened a center in Denmark called “Futura” to do research and design work, then launched its first big store on Oxford Street in London, England, in 1998.
By the year 2000, Ecco was proud of being the only shoe manufacturer to operate its own production tanneries and retail locations. This enables the brand to maintain complete supervision over the manufacturing process and product standards.
The brand has been at the forefront of casual and outdoor shoe design for many years, and its long-term partnership with Gore-Tex has led to some of its all-time favorite shoes including a top-rated model Ecco Men’s Track 25 Moc GTX Shoe.
Furthermore, Ecco promises to provide a huge variety of high-end footwear and handcrafted leather items without sacrificing quality. If you’re seeking trendy everyday footwear or something special for a particular occasion, the brand claims to have it all.
Today, it manufactures and distributed its footwear in over 99 countries and can be purchased from more than 2000 different retail outlets.
Overview of Clarks:
Clarks is an almost 200 years old shoe brand that was founded in 1825, so it should come as no surprise that it’s one of the finest companies in the footwear industry.
Two famous brothers Cyrus and James Clark established the brand in Street, England, and they made the first slipper from scraps of sheepskin. Thereafter, they began manufacturing more styles of slippers and other footwear. As the years passed, James’ eldest son joined the shoemaking business, transforming it into a family business.
Over its nearly two-century existence, the brand claimed that it has offered more than 22,000 different varieties of shoes for men, women, and children, including desert boots, sandals, slip-ons, sneakers, dress shoes, work boots, walking shoes, and more.
Additionally, one of the Clarks’ iconic and most recognizable styles is their “Desert Boots” which are available in 12 remarkable colors, so you can choose one for every event as they look great with both casual and formal attire.
Furthermore, Clarks is committed to using only eco-friendly resources, they were an early member of the Leather Working Group (LWG) and are dedicated to promoting sustainable business practices in the leather industry.
The brand is also using a circular approach to better serve communities across the world. For instance, since 2008 they collaborated with UNICEF to establish the ShoeShare program. In this initiative, by collecting out-of-date or unwanted shoes, the brand has aimed to provide access to education for many children.
Major Differences between the Brands:
If you’re interested in learning the features of these brands this comparative review can be useful to you. So, without any delay let’s move on.
1) Comfort:
Clarks’ groundbreaking cushioning technologies are used in all of their shoes and boots styles, providing unmatched comfort and allowing you to wear them longer without experiencing foot pains.
With their well-known “Cushion Plus”, strategically placed, anatomically-targeted, dual-density foam takes the pressure off the ball of your foot and absorbs the shock with each step. This adaptive underfoot cushioning also allows your foot to return to its natural position, even on rough ground, so it will be better for your body’s fitness.
Moreover, the “Cushion Soft’s” high-rebound foam inlay is discreetly concealed in the interior of these shoes providing extreme softness and lasting comfort.
Lastly, due to the use of the “Ultimate Comfort Baseline”, these shoes offer a supportive footbed and additional heel padding so you can walk around all day with complete ease.
Conversely, Ecco has spent decades to provide a high level of motion comfort in its footwear.
The zonal FluidFormTM Direct Comfort Technology utilized in the majority of their designs is a “state change” technique that employs specialized fluid materials to form around an anatomical last, ensuring a precisely measured balance of cushioning and stretch while providing customized comfort and support where it is most needed.
In addition, Ecco uses the “hand stitch” method and innovative machinery that can bend leather in any direction which helps in the brand’s aim of producing sturdy yet supple footwear.
The brand also takes into consideration that feet should remain dry and comfy in high temperatures as well so they incorporate Comfort Fibre System in their shoes, in which the leather can breathe and actively circulates air on the foot during any activity.
2) Popularity:
Since its beginning, Clarks have been the favorite option of schoolchildren in the United Kingdom, then, they have become most popular among Jamaican males for nearly seven decades.
The brand is also notable in Vogue, PORT Magazine, & Proper Magazine and some of their designs have been adopted as cultural icons and featured in songs, films, and television shows.
On the other hand, Ecco is highly regarded among people who have an active lifestyle, like walkers, travelers, and sportsmen. The brand got “The Green Imprint Award” at the eighth annual ELLE Style Awards, and several Ecco models have been featured in well-known publications.
The brand also owns tanneries in different parts of the world and is one of the top leather producers for the fashion, sports, and car industries.
3) Target Market:
Clarks offer shoes for both men and women, as well as for kids, the majority of their customers are men. Now, the brand is aiming to appeal to a younger demographic, specifically the premium consumer segment that values superior-quality shoes.
Conversely, Ecco intends its products to a wide variety of people, from those who casually wear them to pro athletes. Its main audience is upper-middle-class men and women living in urban areas between the ages of 16 to around 30.
4) Price:
Clarks shoes are less expensive than Ecco but they are also not cheap roughly ranging from 45$ to 170$, also their boots styles are more than $200. However, Ecco shoes will set you back from $75 to almost $300.
5) Design:
Clarks designed its shoes to be completely modifiable, and options such as arch supports, orthotic insoles, and customized footbed designs cater to your particular requirements. Their design team put a lot of effort to come up with versatile styles that can be worn anywhere.
The brand claims that “every pair of Clarks shoes begins with a last carved by hand from a single block of hornbeam, technologies, advanced construction techniques, and up-to-date materials help them deliver perfection specially made for the modern world,” and it is evident from the quality of their products that they not only claim this but also accomplish this. All of these technologies can be found in almost all of their footwear, including sneakers, ankle boots, trainers, sandals, and even flip-flops.
Alternatively, Ecco is distinct from CIarks in a way that in addition to offering dress and casual shoes, they have a collection of top-tier professional sports footwear more specifically golf and tennis shoes. These kicks are known for their Biom technology, crafted from premium full-grain yak leather and including a unique pattern for more airflow.
Moreover, by injecting a resilient, shock-absorbing PU material directly into the shoe mold, they linked the sole to the upper to make the final product that is pleasant to wear and maintains its shock-absorbing properties.
Ultimately, their unique GORE-TEX layers surround the structure of their shoes that guarantee to waterproof and a midsole air channel, simultaneously offering 360-degree breathability.
Conclusion: Which Is Better For You?
Ecco and Clarks both have a good reputation for manufacturing high-quality leather shoes. Their shoes are a must-have for every closet as they can be worn with anything from a suit to jeans and a button-down shirt for a day at the office.
If comfort and technology are more important to you, both brands will be the better choice. However, you must be aware of which Clarks’ model is most suitable for your environment; for extra-comfortable fit, you should consider their “Cloud Steppers” line.
Moreover, with Ecco, you generally get a reliable shoe that will last longer even if you wear it every day but most of their shoes can cost up to twice as much as Clarks.
Now you are aware of their flaws, in my opinion, Ecco and Clarks provide their buyers with fairly dependable and valuable options.