Vans shoes are made of either suede or canvas. You can also find Vans shoes with suede and canvas combined. With the combination of suede and canvas, you get the strengths of both fabrics. Vans started as shoes for skateboarding enthusiasts. They were designed with skateboarders in mind, but many people have discovered how hip and comfortable it is and how it can go with almost any outfit. Vans shoes date back to 1966 when brothers Paul and Jim Van Doren, with their friends Gordy and Serge, established the Van Doren Rubber Company in Anaheim, California. Paul’s 20-year experience at a shoe factory in Boston paved the way for the creation of Vans, the shoes that have gone phenomenal globally. Vans shoes undergo vulcanizing during the shoemaking process. Vulcanizing is the process of heating raw rubber to cure it. The process turns the gummy, stretchable, and easy-to-tear rubber into a tough and ready-to-wear material for the soles and reinforcements for the toes and heels. The vulcanizing process is the main reason why only suede and canvas are the fabrics used to make this particular brand of shoes. Synthetic materials like nylon and EVA foam tend to melt during the vulcanizing process; that is why only fabrics that can withstand high temperatures like suede and canvas are used. If you are looking for Vans shoes for men and women, check them out on this Amazon link.