The shoe trees are lasts built on different types of materials, used regularly helps keeping the original shape of the shoe longer, being able to offer your shoes that special care that will make them last longer.
The shoe trees can be manufactured in many different ways (Made out of two or three wood pieces), adjustable size to cover a wider range of sizes, made out of different types of wood or plastic, the shoe trees are a must-have for anyone who wants to maintain and keep for a longer time, the shape and quality of the shoes.
Why do we need shoe trees?
If your shoes are not made out of natural leather, investing in a pair of shoe trees is not necessary. Of course you can purchase some for keeping the original shape of the shoes, but not knowing the exact proprieties of the materials used for your shoes or the reaction while stretching, there isn’t a safe way to find out if the shoe trees will be or not useful.
On the other hand, if your shoes are mare out of natural leather, and you want to keep that nice clean and original shape, it is compulsory to purchase a pair of shoe trees.
During the day, out feet sweats, the leather and the inside fabric of the shoes absorbs all the moist and unpleasant smell. Besides the bad smell that the shoe can get, the moist can cause the decomposition of the inside materials and even the cracking of the leather, destroying this way the shoes.
The wooden shoe trees proprieties can intervene (Especially if they’re manufactured out of cedar wood), which will maintain the shoes in a suitable shape, absorbing the moist and bad smells. The absorbent wood will help at the proper dry of the shoes so the inside of the shoes will not be deteriorated, keeping them in a excellent shape for years.
Except the sport shoes and the ones made out of any other material than leather, it is ideal to have a pair of shoe trees for each of your stored shoes. To absorb the moist the best and helping them return to their original shape, it is essential the use of the shoe trees in next hour after wearing them. After positioning the shoe trees in the shoes, the shoes should be left to dry for at least 24 hours and it is recommended to keep them inside the shoes.
Wooden shoe trees or plastic shoe trees?
If you want all the proprieties listed above, it is essential that the shoe trees are manufactured out of wood, preferably out of cedar wood.
The shoe trees are made out of different types of wood such as: Cedar, Beech, and Linden. All these three types of wood are helping the return and the maintenance of the shoe at its original shape as well as the total absorption of the moist. You also have to be careful at the varnished wood, this alternative is not optimal because the wood looses the natural proprieties and the varnish will prevent the absorption of smell and moist.
The plastic shoe trees are acceptable and useful only while travelling. These kind of shoe trees have the optimal weight and will protect your shoes, preventing them from the shape changing factors while carrying them in your luggage. The plastic shoe trees don’t have any of the essential proprieties so you should avoid using them in any other occasions than travelling.