Why does a shoehorn cost €80?
€80 for a shoehorn? Let’s be honest: at first glance, that is a lot of money. You could buy several ordinary shoehorns for that price. And every one of them would help you put on your shoes. So why would someone pay almost €80 for a piece of wood?
At our Suova workshop in Pohorje, Slovenia, we make exactly this kind of shoehorn. By hand, from locally sourced oak and in small batches. Our STYLE H model costs €79.90. That price reflects the selection of the wood, hours of work, careful finishing and inspection of every piece. It also accounts for the material left on the workshop floor during production.
Why is a piece of wood not yet a shoehorn?
When we look at a finished wooden shoehorn, we see its shape, colour and smooth surface. What we do not see is all the work it took to turn a piece of oak into that object.
It all starts with choosing the wood. Colour is only part of the picture: the structure, grain direction and any imperfections matter too. Every piece is slightly different, so each needs its own approach.
Next come shaping, detailed finishing, sanding and a protective finish. The shoehorn must feel pleasant to hold, be smooth enough not to damage footwear and have a shape that makes it easy to use. There is far more work behind that seemingly simple form than you might expect.
Not all the wood becomes part of the finished product. Some material is removed during shaping, and some pieces are unsuitable because of their natural characteristics. Offcuts, shavings and unused material also have a cost. We pay for all the wood we need, not just the wood that ends up in the shoehorn.
We finish and inspect every shoehorn by hand in our workshop. If we spot an imperfection, it can mean extra work or even starting again. With this kind of craft, there are no shortcuts that save time without affecting the result.
Of course, we could make a shoehorn more cheaply. With different materials, faster production or less handwork. But then it would no longer be the same product.
An €80 shoehorn does not help you put on your shoes twenty times better than a €4 one. The difference lies in how it is made and what we expect from it over the years.
Less than a cent a day. Is that really possible?
€80 is a lot of money for an object we use for just a few seconds a day. But let’s look at the price from another angle. If we used a €79.90 shoehorn for 25 years, it would cost us less than one cent a day.
€79.90 ÷ 25 years ÷ 365 days = approximately €0.0088 a day.
This is merely a pessimistic estimate. With careful use, a handcrafted wooden shoehorn can be passed down to future generations.
A shoehorn is one of those objects we tend to notice only when we need it. In the morning, before leaving home. Or in the evening, when we are going out. A good everyday object does not need much attention. It simply needs to do its job.
A lifetime warranty. We stand behind our work after the sale, too.
It is easy to put a high price on a product. Taking responsibility for it is a little harder. That is why our shoehorns come with a lifetime warranty covering defects in materials and workmanship under normal use. It does not cover damage caused by misuse, deliberate breakage or normal wear and tear. For us, this is an important part of how we approach our work. We do not simply want to sell a product. We want to remain responsible for its quality after the sale.
With a product like this, you are buying more than an object. You are also placing your trust in the person who made it.
Is an €80 shoehorn really worth the price?
It depends on what you are looking for. If you simply want something to help you put on your shoes, there are plenty of cheaper options. They will do the basic job just as well. But we do not choose every object solely for what it does. What it is made from, how it is made and who stands behind its quality matter too.
At Suova, we are not trying to make the cheapest shoehorn. We make one we would happily use ourselves every day. From locally sourced oak. By hand, in our workshop in Pohorje. With years of use in mind, rather than just a few months. That is why our shoehorn costs €79.90. Not because putting on shoes should be a luxury, but because quality materials, handwork and responsibility for a product have value.
Ultimately, the question is not just how much something costs, but why we are willing to pay for it.
Discover the Suova STYLE H shoehorn
Handcrafted from oak in Pohorje, with a lifetime warranty covering defects in materials and workmanship under normal use.
For more information, get in touch using our contact form.