Dear Shopping Savage,
I want a pair of UGG boots but I can't justify the price. A lot of companies now make their own version of "UGG's" and sometime's they're half the price! Is the quality of the "knock-offs" that bad that I shouldn't bother with them or are they worth looking into?
Signed,
Carbon Copy Boot Print
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Dear C.C.B.P.,
Every year its said that UGG boots are on the decline as more and more competitors try to recreate their signature "classic short" style. These boots have slowly become a staple for many a man and woman's winter wardrobe and just like any good pair of boots, they're going to cost you.
What sets UGG apart from their competitors is the same thing that separates designers from their imitation doppelgangers - the workmanship and materials. As their website boasts:
UGG® Australia uses only the highest-grade sheepskin available. Twin-face sheepskin is used in many of our core products. A piece of twin-face sheepskin has been treated on both the fleece side, and the skin side, providing the soft comfort UGG® Australia is famous for. Grade-A sheepskin is extremely dense and soft, which provides for a more comfortable and durable material. Lesser quality material and synthetics can be coarse, scratchy, and non-breathable. Grade-A sheepskin breathes naturally, wicking away moisture, and allowing air to circulate freely. Fleece breathes, wicks moisture away, and allows air to circulate, keeping feet dry. Sheepskin is naturally thermostatic thus keeping bare feet close to your natural body temperature regardless of the temperature outside.
Only when you can find a brand of sheepskin boots that can promise you the same for a fraction of UGG's cost will you have found a deal. If you can't justify the price now then revisit the idea next fall/winter after you've: had time to search for a comparable brand; sought out department stores that may include UGG's in their post-season markdowns; and/or created a 'boots or barefoot' fund to help you save. Bottom line: don't be sheepish about paying for quality footwear.
Check out UGG counterfeit education to learn more about why buying counterfeit items is baaa'd, what they as a company are doing about it, how to protect yourself and how you can help.
