In the world of athletic and casual shoes, two brands stand out as top contenders in the market which are Ecco and New Balance.
Both of these brands have a long history of success in the footwear industry and offer a wide collection of fashionable yet practical shoes. In many ways, these brands have a lot in common, specifically considering that they target the same age group of customers. Still, some features set them apart from each other, so let’s dive in and explore the differences.
Comparison Table Between Ecco And New Balance:
| Ecco | New Balance |
|---|---|
| Founded in 1963 | Founded in 1906 |
| Best known for its leather production and technologies | Best for different kinds of activities on any trail |
| Mostly runs big | Runs true to size |
| Athletic, Boots, Casual Sandals, Dress Shoes, Oxfords, Boat Shoes, Casual Pumps, Flats, Wedges, and Golf shoes | Variety of Casual, Performance, sportswear, and athletic shoes |
| Expensive | Relatively less pricey |
| Formal and dress shoe options | No dress shoe option |
| Aesthetically Beautiful | Fashionably Unfashionable trend |
| Highly Sustainable | Sustainable |
Overview of New Balance:
New Balance is an American brand of sports shoes and clothes that has been around since 1906.
The New Balance Arch Support Company was the first company to incorporate the brand. Today, the brand is linked to New Balance Athletics, an American multinational company, and its parent, New Balance, Inc.
The headquarters for both companies is in Boston, Massachusetts and it is one of the biggest companies in the world that makes sports shoes and apparel.
It makes some of its most popular and best-seller models like the 990 in both the United States and the United Kingdom for the European market.
Many of its competitors, on the other hand, only make their products outside of the United States and Europe.
The company claims that its shoes are different because they have technical features like blended gel inserts, heel counters, and a wider range of sizes, especially for people with very narrow or very wide feet.
Since 1992, the company has made about $69 billion in profits as a whole. And From 2021 to 2022, New Balance’s sales grew by 200 percent, making it the sixth-fastest-growing sneaker brand on the platform.
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.
Major Differences between the Brands:
Now we will compare these two market leaders in different aspects to see which one best suits your requirements and standards.
1) Comfort:
New Balance shoes are well-liked for their “squishy comfort” and superior manufacturing. Depending on the type of shoe, New Balance introduces Fresh Foam, Fuel Cell Foam, Abzorb, or C-Cap midsole and a mesh top to keep your feet comfortable and cool. Also, the rubber bottoms are soft and feel light, so you can wear them anywhere.
Another thing about these shoes that contributes to the overall comfort is that they have a “wide toe box” and a “well-padded heel.” Moreover, the brand manufactures some specific sneaker styles that provide additional support and comfort for various foot shapes, including those with high arches or flat feet.
Alternatively, Ecco is the world’s premier provider of comfortable shoes for men and women and most of their shoes are even recommended by health professionals.
When you buy a pair of Ecco shoes, you can rest assured that they are sufficiently comfortable for use in different conditions, this is because all of these shoes are manufactured with incredibly soft leather and integrated with an innovative Comfort Fiber System.
The ECCO Comfort Fiber System is based on modern research of the brand which allows the leather to breathe so it remains soft and fresh in hot weather and when you walk, the air is actively circulated on the foot.
Also, Ecco’s “hand stitch” technique and a special machine that can shape leather in any direction contribute to the company’s efforts to make shoes that are lightweight yet comfy.
Lastly, their direct comfort technology adapts to the contours of your foot to enhance every step.
2) Popularity:
Ecco shoes are well-liked by those who have an active lifestyle such as walking enthusiasts, travelers, and runners. “Thomas Bjorn, Henrik Stenson, Fred Couples, Erik van Rooyen, and Lydia Ko” are just a few of the golfers who have become famous ambassadors for the company.
In addition to receiving “The Green Imprint Award at the 8th edition of the ELLE Style Awards”, some of Ecco’s models have been featured and rewarded with prestigious awards.
New Balance, on the other hand, has gained a reputation as the preferred brand for athletes, sneakerheads, and dads everywhere due to its commitment to crafting high-end footwear that puts a great focus on comfort and performance. Besides that, nearly every new Balance shoe style has won awards over the years.
Additionally, the American Apparel & Footwear Association will reward New Balance Athletics Inc. as “Company of the Year” at the American Image Award Ceremony in April 2023.
3) Target Market:
The target market of New Balance and Ecco is almost the same both targeting beginner and professional athletes and casual wearers. It intends its collections to men, women, and children from the upper middle class aged between 16 to more than 30. Also, Ecco claims that its products are more successful in the Chinese market.
4) Price:
The price of each brand’s footwear might go up or down depending on the model you select, with the higher-tech options costing more.
New Balance sneakers will cost you around $49 to $200, while Ecco shoe’s price range starts from $75, and their golf shoe styles or boots go for as much as $300.
5) Design:
Ecco designed its products in a way to give a trendy and modern appearance. Their shoe designs are continuously evolving to stay up-to-date with fashion and are constructed using anatomical lasts and distinctive 3D molds, which contribute to their unique level of comfort.
Also, the lightweight fluid materials are injected directly into the sole, upper, and outsole of the shoe which are joined together in a way that is strong and flexible, however, this type of shoe can handle a lot of wear and tear.
Furthermore, the brand incorporated “BIOM Natural Motion” in most of its footwear including golf, outdoor, and even “athleisure” shoes to promote a natural stride for increased strength. Also, the brand’s innovative “ECCO TRI-FI-GRIPTM” outsole has three different zones: one for stability, another for durability, and a third for rotational support. All of these zones work together to help you with high performance in every way.
Conversely, New Balance has been around for almost a century and is known for designing “dad sneakers.” These shoes are still favorites for elderly people who like comfort, but now they are getting a lot of attention from fashionistas because of their bright and sporty appearance.
In addition to skateboarding sneakers and walking shoes, they offer “neutral trainers, trail running shoes, and minimalist running shoes”.
You’ll also be able to get motion-control running shoes for those who require additional pronation control and racing flats for higher speed.
Also, the material used in these shoes is best for absorbing the high impact of footsteps, which is ideal for use on concrete, highways, tracks, courts, and fields.
Conclusion: Which Is Better For You?
When it all comes right down to choosing one I would say both of these brands provide something unique so it totally depends on your needs.
When compared to other shoe brands, Ecco made its name in the crowd hands down for its signature unique technologies and durability. However, they generally cost a lot more than the New Balance, so they may be out of your price range if you’re trying to save some money.
On the other hand, New Balance is the best choice for fitness walkers and runners who have different foot shapes and issues.
It’s undoubtedly true that either brand is worthy of your money since both provide buyers with fairly reliable options.