Rule number 1 :
Use Shoe Trees
Considered as some sort of coat-hanger for shoes, the shoe tree must be used systematically for each of your pair of shoes.
It dries the leather by absorbing any moisture inside the shoe, minimises inelegant-looking creases and preserves the shoe's shape by stretching out the leather which becomes slightly misshapen over the day.
In order to be fully effective, the shoe tree must :
- Be made from wood! Its very first job is to absorb humidity, therefore, it cannot be made from plastic.
- Be inserted in the shoes from the moment you take them off. Each pair should have its own shoe tree.
- Fit perfectly the shoe. A good tree shoe shouldn't be a UK 6 - 7 size but should rather be a UK6 or a UK7.
- Be adapted to the shape of the shoe. The shoe tree could cause the shoe to become misshapen if it is not adapted to fit the shoe.
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Rule number 2 :
Alternate your shoes
It is not only a question of making the shoes look nice but it is also an essential element to ensure that they age well and last much longer: a pair of shoes should never be worn two days in a row!
Leather is a natural material that needs to be given time to rest! Ideally we recommand to have 4 or 5 pairs of shoes and change them everyday so you do not wear the same shoes more than twice a week. In that way, the wear and tear of each shoe will be virtually insignificant. Therefore, since the shoes age much better and last longer, you will quickly see the benefit of saving money (and could even allow you to wider your shoe range).
Naturally, when you are not wearing your shoes, put them on a shoe tree!
Rule number 3 :
Polish them regularly
Leather is a living material and so it is vitally important that it is hydrated regularly in order to optimise its flexibility but also to make it more waterproof and last longer.
It is recommended to polish your shoes every 4 or 5 times they are worn. Taking into account the alternation (Rule number 2), it means you should polish your shoes about 2 to 3 times a month, or every week if you only alternate with 2 or 3 paires of shoes.
It is important to use beeswax polish in a metal tin. You should not use liquid products or apply polish using a sponge or a tube. You should not apply waterproofing spray on leather! These are exclusively made for velvet calfskin leather.
We encourage you to clean your shoes with a delicat cream before polishing to remove dirt. Applying too much polish will cause white stains on the leather and you will have to use some milk cream to remove them.
To apply polish, use a soft cloth or a horsehair brush. Carefully apply a low quantity of polish in small circular moves, so the polish can penetrate the leather. Leave the wax to be absorbed for 15 minutes and make your shoes shine with a horsehair brush (we recommand to polish your shoes at night and make them shine the next morning).
You should also apply cream onto your shoes every 2 to 3 weeks in order to nourish the leather.
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