Shoe companies may alter shoe uppers with materials like mesh to create a feeling of more room, rather than widening the toe box.

“what the the companies will do is they'll change the upper of the shoe so they'll put like mesh so when you go to put your foot in there it feels like you're you have all this room and it's not because the shoe was wider it's just because they put a material on there where your foot can actually expand in it”