Founded as recently as 2018, Åpoint is a budding and ambitious ethical footwear brand based in Barcelona, Spain. Working with pedigree regional artisans, Åpoint offers an authentic Spanish experience at an accessible price point.
In this brand review guide, you will learn about Åpoint, their history, and shoe construction processes. Use the menu below to jump ahead:
- Åpoint Collection Mini Reviews
- Åpoint Brand History
- Where Are Åpoint Shoes Made?
- Manufacturing Process & Construction
Alternatively, scroll down to read it all!
Åpoint’s Shoe Collection Mini Reviews
Before you learn about the brand in greater detail, we’ll break down a selection of their footwear to provide you with a broad overview. For this, we’ve provided you with a selection of our favourites from Åpoint:
Use the links above to jump down to each shoe or scroll down to see them all.
- Style: Espadrilles
- Country Of Origin: Spain
- Pricing: $65 [Buy Now From Åpoint]
Overview
Thanks to its supple calfskin leather uppers and traditionally-made rope soles, Åpoint have produced luxury espadrilles that stand out from the crowd.
You can learn more about these unique summer shoes with our dedicated espadrilles review that goes much into detail about how their benefits, how they’re made, and their value for money.
- Style: Chukka Boot
- Country Of Origin: Spain
- Pricing: $220 [Buy Now From Åpoint]
Style & Construction
Although closer in appearance to a Chukka boot than a desert boot, Åpoint’s Casablanca is no less attractive by any means. Available in either dark moca or whisky, we opted for the lighter colour for its casual aesthetic.
The refined suede leather is supple with a rich, oily sheen. Meanwhile, the interior is lined with calfskin and the Goodyear welted leather sole is equipped with rubber inserts for improved traction.
An overall classic Chukka boot, it exudes a characteristically Spanish zeal thanks to a slightly tapered form.
Fit & Comfort
Being more accustomed to Beckett Simonon’s Blake-stitched chukkas, we were expecting a bulky and heavy boot due to the Goodyear welt. However, we were pleasantly surprised by the result! As mentioned before, the Spanish design has a refined profile and the same can be said of the soles.
Indeed, the break-in period was surprisingly short-lived and the boots were quite comfortable after only a few hours of wear. Additionally, the suede upper is supple enough to gently brace the legs when wrapped around the ankles.
Despite being a supple material, there was still support in the ankle, especially lower down. In fact, the balls of the feet were cupped quite nicely into place.
Value For Money
The closest frame of reference that we have would be the aforementioned Beckett Simonon boots, which cost $176 after using our exclusive “BU20” discount code. While Åpoint’s Casablanca boots are almost $45 more expensive, you mustn’t forget that they’re crafted with a Goodyear welt.
Furthermore, they’re made in Spain, if this is something that they value. Also, they’re not part of a Group Made-to-Order model, which means that they will be dispatched immediately after placing an order.
Finally, the US-made Allen Edmonds Nomad chukka boot also features a Goodyear welt but it retails at $375, which is over $150 more!
- Style: Chelsea Boot
- Country Of Origin: Spain
- Pricing: $65 [Buy Now From Åpoint]
Style & Construction
Unlike the chukka boots above, the NYC Chelsea boot is also available in black calfskin. However, we this time opted for darker moka suede rather than the lighter whisky colour.
Another Goodyear-welted boot made in one of Spain’s most respected factories, Åpoint’s Chelsea boot has a less pronounced Spanish profile. Instead, the designers opt for a slightly rounded toe that is more in keeping with British aesthetics.
An excellent casual to business-casual option, the dark moka suede is deep with a rich, vivid finish. Meanwhile, the black Goodyear-welted sole is crafted from leather with the same leather inserts to improve your overall grip.
Fit & Comfort
In our experience, Chelsea boots can have somewhat temperamental sizing. Since they’re slip-on boots that depend on elasticated side panels, they can easily run large and the feet may be loose inside.
However, we were relieved to find that the Åpoint NYC was true-to-size and quite comfortable too. Again, the boots feature a calfskin leather lining with sleek Goodyear-welted soles that break in after only a few hours of wear.
Value For Money
As explained in the Casablanca’s overview, these are going to be more expensive than your typical Blake-stitched Chelsea boot. However, it’s only by a surprisingly small margin.
Meanwhile, if you were to compare their pricing with the cost of traditional Goodyear-welted boots, they’re remarkably affordable and offer excellent value for money.
Åpoint Shoe’s History
Åpoint is the brainchild of Alejandro Porras, a Spanish shoemaker and entrepreneur who had previously founded the successful Hawaiian shoe brand, Alohas. The brand was originally launched via a Kickstarter campaign in 2018, which raised nearly $18,000.
By designing in-house and selling only online without any intermediaries, Alejandro was able to launch his brand alone and without any investors.
Rather than build his own factory, he instead turned to established and well-respected Spanish factories. The brand was therefore strategically headquartered in Barcelona so it could work from a single warehouse while personally overseeing the design and production processes.
Additionally, Åpoint also produce their own dress shirts through a selected partner whose operation was founded in the 1920s. A family-owned and operated business, the Barcelona-based shirt factory consists of no more than 10 expert artisans who also manufacture shirts for luxury French and American brands.
By being based in Barcelona, Åpoint was also able to connect with the traditional Catalan espadrille industry. A time-honoured shoe-making craft that originated in Catalonia and France’s Occitan region, the espadrille plays an important role in each country’s culture.
Alejandro sought to revitalise the market by putting a masculine spin on the traditional espadrille in a similar way that he had achieved with his women’s sandal brand, Alohas.
Åpoint’s Vision
As a brand, Åpoint seeks to be offer “time-afficient, fair price-quality solution” within their area of expertise. In short, Åpoint focuses on three main pillars, which are:
- Designing timeless footwear essentials of high quality with a reliable fit.
- Offering cost-efficient logistics.
- Honest & transparent pricing policy.
Indeed, Åpoint seeks to cater to the “be smart, wear smart, buy smart” philosophy by offering a well-considered balance between quality and value-for-money.
Like many young brands, they believe that the traditional retail chain is broken. With growing resentment for the unsustainable trend for fast fashion, shoppers are increasingly turning to online solutions, which allow them to buy footwear online at a greatly reduced price.
As such, Åpoint has opted for a strong direct-to-consumer business model. Similarly, the Åpoint team work directly in sourcing the leathers, which they supply to their select partner factories in Spain.
Thanks to their strategic warehouse location, international shipping is swift. Through DHL, Åpoint are very proud to claim that they support two-day worldwide shopping as well as free returns in Europe, Australia, the USA, and Canada.
Where Are Åpoint’s Shoes Made?
14 in-house team members work from Åpoint’s Barcelona headquarters where the shoes are logistically managed. Meanwhile, the brand has partnered with three different ethical factories that are specialised in their core products.
As a healthy work environment isn’t a bonus but a necessity, Åpoint sought only factories that offered fair wages and working hours.
Their Goodyear-welted footwear is assembled only by master craftsmen based in Albacete, which is in Castilla–La Mancha. As for the espadrilles, they are produced in by 10 expert artisans located down the coast from Barcelona in Alicante.
Finally, the shirts are made in Barcelona as described above.
Åpoint Manufacturing Processes
As explained earlier, Åpoint focus on two distinctive types of footwear as well as shoes. Needless to say, the production process between all three is particularly different.
Åpoint Shoes
The brands takes special care when sourcing the Spanish and French box calf, cordovan, and cowhide used in crafting their footwear.
Each material has its own natural characteristics, which benefit the wearer in terms of comfort and durability.
Furthermore, all the shoes are crafted using a Goodyear welt. Indeed, their partner factory is currently one of the few that fully specialise in producing Goodyear-welted shoes.
If you want to learn about this technique, head to our full shoe construction guide.
Espadrilles
Åpoint are proud to have recently become partners with a third generation expert who has been producing espadrilles since 1900. These craftsmen represent one of the last traditional rope makers of the region and reputed for their traditional quality.
Espadrilles soles require a high level of skill and dexterity to produce by hand. They’re handcrafted on a turntable, which is then sewn onto the upper transversely to provide the necessary structural resistance.
Åpoint Shirts
As mentioned earlier, Åpoint’s shirtmaker is based just outside of Barcelona and has been in operations since the early 1920s. Selecting a variety of luxury Italian fabrics as well as Egyptian cotton, they strive to produce high-quality shirts using traditional construction (such as unfused collars) and refined patterns.
Both quality and fit are a priority for Åpoint. Therefore, they seek perfection from the reputed manufacturer who prides itself in handmade details and a unique feel.
What Next?
Åpoint strive to provide customers with the best possible shopping experience by allowing them to avoid decision fatigue and helping them focus on what matters the most.
By providing an affordable product that is ethical, durable, and of a highly sought-after quality, Åpoint embrace the direct-to-consumer business model to support their customers. An ambitious brand indeed, Åpoint is nevertheless growing to become a leader in the Spanish shoe industry.
If you want to see more of what Åpoin offer, head to their website. Otherwise, consider checking out some of related guides below:
- Bespoke Unit Shoe Homepage
- Best Men’s Dress Shoes Under $200
- Shoe Construction Methods
- Best Men’s Dress Shoe Brands
"An intriguing brand that I'm delighted has caught my attention. Spain's answer to the fast-fashion dilemma, Åpoint is another reliable direct-to-consumer brand that offer quality at a fair price."Rating: 5.0 ★★★★★
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