Following Ye, formerly known as Kanye West's fallout with Adidas, it seemed that the rapper decided to shake the dust off his feet and bid farewell to sneakers altogether. Last year, Ye was frequently seen either barefoot or wearing his signature sock shoes. Despite facing mockery for his out-of-the-box footwear choices, with the introduction of YZY pods, now everyone is hopping onto the sock shoes trend. Ye released his YZY Pods collection in mid-December last year, and it has since become a sensation among fans. But where are these Pods being manufactured?

The YZY Pods are not a creation of American ingenuity. Rather, these are being brewed up on a continent thousands of miles afar. 

The Yeezy Pods by Ye are a slip-on sock-like shoe featuring rubber pods on the outsole, aiming to mimic the look of wearable socks. While they have been a sensation in the United States, it might come as a shock to learn that these Pods are actually being currently manufactured in China. This revelation left fans intrigued, particularly because everyone knew that the Pods were being produced in Italy, as per multiple reports. Initially, these sock shoes were available for $200 exclusively on Yeezy.com.

On February 14th, 2024, however, as part of Ye's new financial approach to making his products more accessible, the prices of the pods plummeted dramatically from $200 to a mere $20. This move was likely Ye's attempt to innovate in response to his brainchild's acquisition by the German footwear giant, Adidas. Interestingly, the rapper's decision to manufacture YZY Pods in China appears to have drawn inspiration from Adidas itself, the same company whom Ye accused of trying to "destroy" him.

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Beyond just their design choices, it seems Ye and Adidas also have a mutual inclination toward sourcing their products from the same manufacturing hubs.

The ongoing feud between Adidas and Ye has been extensively chronicled. Even long after their fallout, Ye appears to remain fixated on the partnership discord with the sportswear powerhouse. However, despite the animosity, it appears that Ye is still drawing some inspiration from Adidas. According to NSB BOT, much like Ye's YZY Pods, Adidas primarily produces Yeezys in China. Nevertheless, there are a few exceptions to this trend.

Take the Yeezy 450, for instance; it is a product of Germany. It is no secret why major corporations primarily manufacture in China. The production costs and labor expenses in countries like China are significantly lower compared to Europe and elsewhere. Additionally, the availability and affordability of raw materials are advantageous too. Whether Ye is taking cues from Adidas or not, given past trends, manufacturing in China could be exceedingly profitable for the rapper cum designer.

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What do you think about YZY Pods being manufactured in China? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!