Ecco has decided to move down market, using cheaper materials and construction. The welt (where the shoe is joined to the sole)on two pair I bought recently was glued rather than sewn (as they were in the past), which looks cheap. The quality of the soles has declined; they're thinner and more uneven. There's no comparison between the old Helsinkis I had and the new ones I bought to replace them. I sent them back. I've been buying Eccos for years, but no more. What a pity.

Update 4/2/16: I found that Ecco's more expensive Seattle shoe was still made the old way and bought a pair. They were good shoes that held up well but stretched out too much due to heavy wear. I recently replaced with another pair of the same.