I have never worn out a pair of shoes that way. Not against what you suggest but if they takes say 20 percent more energy but only 5 percent of people will take any advantage of it, that is a fifteen percent hit to the environment.

I just took those numbers out of my ass but there is a good chance that if you force companies to build say a product like this more durable, it could end up costing the consumer and the environment more than less. It is near impossible to legislate.