Bespoke minimalist shoes are the future of shoes. They have many benefits ranging from increasing foot health and strength to flexibility, longevity and beyond.
If you have purchased minimalist shoes, it’s important that you meticulously maintain and care for them. Especially if you want them to last a long time. With the quality materials used in these types of shoes, special care and attention are almost compulsory. And because minimalist shoes are not massed produced, they should be treated as so. Are you cleaning your shoes properly? Are you storing them in the right environment? So many questions that need answers.
Here are 5 tips for maintaining and caring for your bespoke minimalist shoes.
#1 - Regularly Polish Your Bespoke Minimalist Shoes
Cleaning and polishing your shoes regularly is important for any shoes, but especially your bespoke minimalist shoes. High-quality products need high-quality care and attention. The easiest and most inexpensive way for maintaining your minimalist shoes is proper polishing techniques. We are not just talking about wiping them down with a cloth, although you should be doing that as well after wearing. Routine polishing will not only preserve the shine but will also help to preserve the texture.
We recommend that you use a basic shoe cleaner and conditioner to polish your shoes at least once per month. Ideally, you could polish them every two weeks for the ultimate protection. You might also want to add a layer of protective wax after polishing to seal the preservation.
#2 - Replacing Soles and Laces When Needed
If you wear your bespoke minimalist shoes daily, the soles can wear down eventually. However, replacing your worn soles will be a great way to increase the lifespan of your shoes. You can easily replace the soles of your shoes with the cobblers that made your shoes. This is also very true in regards to your laces. Replacing your laces when they start to wear will give your shoes a brand new look in the most inexpensive way. If you replace your soles and laces when needed, you can continue to wear the shoes for many years to come.
#3 - Don’t Wear Them Everyday
One simple way to ensure the maximum lifespan of your minimalist shoes is to not wear them every day. Some types of bespoke shoes are only meant to be worn on special occasions anyway. And if you do wear your minimalist shoes on a daily basis, give them a rest a few days here and there so the leather can retain its shape and the moisture trapped in the shoes can dry out. Damp is a curse for leather shoes. Don’t wear them every day, but if you do, make sure you rest them from time to time.
#4 - Using Shoe Trees is a Must!
It’s essential to understand the importance of maintaining the shape of your bespoke minimalist shoes. With leather shoes, this is even more important. The simplest and most cost-effective way to maintain shoe shape is by using ‘shoe trees’.
Shoe Trees are generally made from wood although there are also many plastic types available. You can pop them in your shoes when you are not wearing them and they will retain the shape of your shoes. Although plastic shoe trees are fine, we recommend that you buy ones made from cedar wood because they have moisture-absorbing properties. Using a wooden shoe tree to absorb moisture is also much better for your shoes than leaving them to dry in direct sunlight.
#5 - Storing Leather Bespoke Minimalist Shoes
We cannot downplay how important it is to store your bespoke minimalist shoes properly. And to be honest, this is generally in regards to storing leather shoes of any type. Leather shoes benefit the most when stored in temperature-controlled environments. Moisture and dampness are kryptonite for leather shoes, so storing them in cool and dry areas is a must. If your shoes get damp, they can begin to deteriorate, so the dryer the better. Store your shoes in a dry and cool room and do not forget to use a shoe tree or stuff them with acid-free tissue paper to maintain shape during storage.
Here is a brief conclusion of how you can maintain and protect your minimalist shoes to give them the longest life span possible:
- Polish and clean your shoes one or twice per month
- Replace worn laces and soles when needed
- Don’t wear them every day
- Retain shoe shape with shoe trees
- Store in a dry and cool area
Purchasing and wearing bespoke minimalist shoes can massively improve the health and strength of your feet. And the bespoke nature of such a product means they are more expensive than off-the-shelf mass-produced styles and designs. However, with the proper maintenance and attention, minimalist shoes will last a long time and will be less expensive in the long-term. Just make sure you adhere to these above tip to maximize the life-span of your shoes.