FAQ

Our first collection of Cheelettos is available in pre-sale from July 18 to August 31. Each pair will be meticulously handcrafted upon order, with delivery expected in October or November, depending on your location.

We assure you, the wait will be well worth it.

Even though there are over 50 names to describe different kinds of high heeled shoes, we found that none of them does justice to our beautiful vegan high heels.

Inspired by the soft cushions of a cheetah paw, our high heels combine comfort with beauty and elegance.

This is why we call them Cheelettos.

Vegan leather refers to leather alternatives that do not contain any animal-derived products.

Vegan leather can be made from synthetic and/or bio-based materials, such as apples, olives, pineapples, mushrooms (mycelium), corn, and cactus.

Currently, we work with bio-based vegan leather made from corn and mycelium.

Our vegan corn leather is meticulously crafted using bio-polyols derived from non-food, GMO-free corn crops and recycled PES from plastic bottles. These materials are USDA certified, with an impressive organic content ranging between 48% and 75%—an achievement we are particularly proud of.

Our vegan mycelium leather is made from the underground network of the thread-like root structure of mushrooms, which sequesters up to 30% of CO2, benefiting plants and trees. These threads thrive on sugary molasses, producing citric acid and mycelium as by-products. It is supported by FSC and GRS-certified materials.

This mycelium innovation is a game-changer in fashion, perfectly aligning with Cheetah Stories’ commitment to eco-friendly processes.

By wearing Cheelettos, you’ll experience the lightness and beauty of 100% cruelty-free fashion. Let the magic sweep you off your feet!

We use bio-based vegan leather that shares the benefits of animal leather in terms of durability, respiration and adaptability to the foot without causing the negative environmental impact of animal leather.

We found that our leather alternatives are softer than animal leather and contribute to even more comfort.

Over the past years, there has been a lot of innovation around bio-based vegan leather, and different materials are emerging. Vegan leather can be made from olives, mango, pineapple, banana leaves, cacti, corn, mycelium etc.  

We have assessed different materials, particularly pineapple, apple, cactus, corn and mycelium, and settled on the latter two for several reasons: 

For sustainability reasons, we try to source our raw materials in Europe (to the extent possible). Italy has extensive corn production for food, which is why it made sense to choose this raw material. Mycelium can be cultivated indoors in a small space on sugar molasses and has the lowest environmental impact of all bio-based vegan leathers we tested so far.  

Making high heels is much more difficult than, let’s say, sneakers when it comes to working the leather; we need leather with very specific qualities to make sure it doesn’t wrinkle when it is pulled over last, so we chose our leather accordingly.  

However, we are constantly evaluating different products coming on the market and also work with an innovation lab to further improve the quality of the vegan leather we use, both in terms of quality and sustainability. Our objective is to work with leather with a biomass content above 75% for all our collections in the future and hopefully reach 100% eventually.  

Animal leather is derived from the tanned hides of slaughtered animals.

There are numerous problems linked to the leather industry.

The main ones are:

Untraceable supply chains. This means that a product with an “Italian Leather”-label, for instance, is not necessarily made with the hides of Italian cows but that the final product was manufactured in Italy. The hides are very likely imported from abroad.

1. The biggest leather exporters worldwide are China, India and Brazil, all countries with questionable environmental-, animal- and social welfare laws.

2. Leather is much more a co-product than a bi-product of the meat industry, thus subsidising meat prices and, as a consequence, increasing meat consumption.

3. Leather needs to be tanned to prevent it from rotting. 90% or all leather is tanned with a highly toxic heavy metal called chromium and about 120 other toxic chemicals and metals, severely impacting the health of tannery workers, drinking water sources and surrounding communities.

4. As much as 300 – 400 million tons of heavy metals, solvents, toxic sludges and other waste in the form of discharged tannery wastes are dumped into water bodies yearly.

5. The animals slaughtered for meat and hides are often exploited and severely ill-treated on factory farms, during transport and in the slaughtering process.

6. Slaughterhouse workers often suffer severe mental health issues and trauma from their work.

7. It is estimated that 12,370 litres of water are needed to produce one pair of leather boots. This equals the drinking water for one person for 16 years.

8. Approximately 110 kg of CO2 is emissioned for one square metre of leather (that does not consider the emissions from cattle farming).

For all these reasons, we have decided to make bio-based vegan high heels that protect animals, humans and the environment.

High heels are no magic wand that makes you feel instantly more confident.

However, many women say that wearing high heels gives them a positive body image and boosts their confidence.

There are different theories about why wearing high heels gives women confidence.

1. One reason may be the elevated height, which is often associated with power and confidence.

2. Also, high heels change the posture. In heels, the chest is pushed forward, which can be perceived as a “power stance”.

3. Another reason may be that high heels extend the legs, giving the illusion of a slimmer, more slender silhouette, which can lead to a more positive self-image for the wearer.

4. High heels are also often associated with glamour which may be another reason why they give us confidence.

Furthermore, there are (controversial) studies, one of them by Nicolas Gueguen, 2015, suggesting that men behave very differently toward women in high heels than women wearing flats. His study concludes, for instance, that if a woman in high heels drops a glove, men are 50% more likely to pick it up than when she wears flats.

Having said that, everyone should wear whatever footwear makes them most comfortable and confident, be it high heels or sneakers.

Wearing high heels regularly can have a negative impact on your health.

When you walk in heels, your weight is shifted forward. Rather than evenly distributed across your entire foot, it’s concentrated on the balls of your feet and toes, which are not meant for carrying weight. This can cause pain, hammer toes and calluses, especially when wearing pointed high heels that squeeze the toes.

Also, when wearing high heels, the lower back leans forward for balance, causing the upper back to lean backwards to compensate. This posture places stress on the knees, hip flexors, and lower back.

Finally, the calve muscles and Achilles tendon may shorten or contract when high heels are worn over long periods of time.

For this reason, we have invested in a lot of research to make our Cheelettos as comfortable as possible and reduce the negative impact on your health.

1. All our Cheelettos have round almond-shaped toe caps to avoid long-term deformation of the callus and toes.

2. We designed a footbed with arch support that helps distribute the weight across the foot rather than focusing it on the balls of the foot.

3. We developed a sophisticated shock-absorbing insole to protect the balls and heel of the foot.

When wearing high heels, taking care of your feet and strengthening your body is essential.

1. Make sure you wear round instead of pointed pumps.

2. Keep your toenails short and cute to avoid injuries to the roots of the nails.

3. Ensure you alternate between high heels and flats and regularly work out in comfortable sneakers. Ideally, your sneakers are a full size larger than your high heels, allowing your toes to stretch completely.

4. Stretch your ankles and calves regularly to avoid contracting your muscles and tendons.

5. Engage in exercises to strengthen your lower back, such as Yoga or Pilates.

6. After a long day in high heels, allow your feet to relax in a camomile footbath and treat them to a 30-minute massage.

7. Wear toe spreaders overnight to bring your toes back into their natural position.

Many people use the words pump and stiletto interchangeably, yet they refer to two fundamentally different concepts.

Stilettos are high-heeled shoes with slim heels of at least 9cm. They can be closed in the front (pump), open toes, peep toes, etc.

Pumps are high-heeled shoes that cover the toes. They can have different heels, such as stiletto, chunky, or kitten heels.

We are deeply committed to craft the most sustainable high heels with the materials that are currently available.

At Cheetah Stories, we work on sustainability from a holistic perspective:

1. the materials we use

2. shortening transport ways

3. reducing waste in the fashion industry

4. longevity of the products

5. Giving back

You can read more about our committement to sustainability here.

We try our very best to establish a traceable supply chain and meet our suppliers personally.

To the extent possible, we source our materials in Europe, in countries with solid labour law regulations. For materials that cannot be sourced locally, such as cotton and latex, we rely on global certification standards such as GOLS and GOTS.

You also have the option to tip your shoe maker when you purchase a pair of Cheelettos.

Item descriptionCheetah Stories was founded by Fiorella Erni, a multilingual negotiation expert and former humanitarian worker, and Martin Markovic, who has a strong background in finance in different industries.  

We chose the Cheetah as our namesake because they represent beauty, elegance, confidence, agility as well as the fragility of animals and nature that we try to protect.  

We are creating shoes with a unique story and are convinced that more stories will be told, each fabulous step at a time.  

“Stand tall” means to behave bravely, proudly, or unyieldingly without retreating from confrontation, danger, or adversity. 

High heels are so much more than just footwear. They are our treasures, companions, and friends.

Our Cheelettos are no magic wand, but we guarantee they will boost your confidence, make you look glamorous and slightly dangerous, just like a Cheetah.  

We produce in a family-owned manufacturer in Vigevano, near Milan, Italy, which has been producing luxury shoes for generations.  

Choosing vegan high heels means supporting cruelty-free fashion and contributing to the protection of animals and the environment. Our products are designed to empower individuals to feel confident and stylish without compromising on ethics. 

Yes, of course, you can return your Cheelettos if they don't fit or if you're not satisfied. However, we would like to ask you to order mindfully to avoid unnecessary shipping and protect the planet.

Please note that we offer cash refunds for in-stock items, while made-to-order items are eligible for store credit.

Please refer to our shipping, warranty and return policy for more information.

Our high heels are crafted using sustainable, fairly produced, and traded materials primarily sourced in Europe. These high-quality materials come at a premium. Additionally, our high heels are handmade in Italy by skilled artisans who dedicate several hours to crafting each perfect pair for you.

This combination of ethical sourcing and meticulous craftsmanship contributes to the higher cost, ensuring you receive a product of exceptional quality and sustainability.

We don’t believe in fast fashion.

Cheelettos are a luxury product that is handmade from high-quality materials.

We pay our suppliers fair prices so that they can pay fair wages and protect the environment.

Sales would hurt our brand, product, suppliers, people and the environment.