Why Nisolo Cut Prices on Its Best-Selling Leather Shoes

Please note: If you buy through the links in this article, we may earn a small share of the profits.

Direct-to-consumer is sort of a misleading phrase if you think about it. These companies purport to “cut out the middleman” when they are in fact the middleman — between the factory and you, that is. But there is at least one company that’s taking it a step further in terms of real D2C practices and transparency: Nisolo.

You may know Nisolo for being a go-to leather shoemaker we champion regularly in footwear roundups, as well as for its sustainable practices like the Shoe Reclamation Program. This month, it unveiled the Essentials Collection, nine of the brand’s best-selling men’s and women’s styles that are now permanently discounted down to $150 a pair.

SHOP THE COLLECTION HERE

For men, the best deal to be had is the timeless Emilio Chukka Boot, which is now $48 cheaper than before. But there’s also the Calano Oxford and Chamberlain Penny Loafer both now $38 off, and the Chavito Chukka Boot that is $8 off. It’s the same handcrafted leather construction as before, but at a more accessible price. So what gives?

The simple answer is that Nisolo owns its own factory. While said factory is located in Trujillo, Peru and the company headquarters are in Nashville, Tennessee, they still have a say in every aspect of production, unlike other D2C brands. Thanks to growing business, Nisolo is now working at a larger scale where proportional costs are coming down. And instead of the middleman company taking all those profits and running, Nisolo is passing off some of the savings in the form of this new collection.

Not all the shoes Nisolo makes are $150, mind you. (And not all their goods are made in their factory.) But if you’re in need of a new pair of chukkas and have never given them a shot before, now’s the time.

Subscribe here for our daily deals and products newsletter, The Goods.