Questions and answers

Sustainable shoe care

Posted on by Theresa Habermann
21
Feb

Sustainable shoe care is the key to extending the life of your shoes.

Frequently asked questions about sustainable shoe care

Why is sustainable shoe care important?

Our shoes are exposed to a wide variety of stresses every day. Dirt, moisture and wear and tear are particularly them. For this reason, it is particularly important to clean and care for them regularly in order to enjoy them for a long time and to be able to use them for a long time. This raises the question: which shoe care products can I use to achieve good, but also sustainable results easily and quickly?

Especially in today’s world, which is characterized by the consequences of climate change and increasingly frequent extreme weather conditions, it is of enormous importance to consider what you can do yourself for a more sustainable way of life.

Sustainable shoe care is a possible step that is quite easy to implement but has enormous advantages. On the one hand, it extends the life of your shoes, reduces waste and minimizes the need for new purchases. All this serves to conserve resources and avoid the environmental impact of disposable products and cheap shoes.

Tapir offers a first-class sustainable range for cleaning shoes with its products – natural shoe care is not only suitable for leather, but also for other materials, such as vegan leather, fabrics and functional fabrics.

What is sustainable shoe care?

Sustainable shoe care means cleaning, caring for and protecting the shoes in such a way that on the one hand their lifespan is extended and on the other hand the environment is protected. The focus is on the conscious use of resources, the use of environmentally friendly products and the promotion of long-lasting use.

The products that are suitable for sustainable shoe care consist of natural, biodegradable ingredients such as natural waxes, oils and plant extracts. These not only protect the environment, but also the material of your shoes. Chemical substances such as silicones or artificial fragrances, as well as any kind of PFAS, are absolutely out of place in products for sustainable shoe care.

Through regular cleaning, care and impregnation , you also contribute to sustainability, as your shoes are protected from material wear, external influences such as moisture or dirt and ensure that the shoes look good for longer, remain functional and can therefore be used longer.

Are you curious now? Then simply try our natural sustainable shoe care products from Tapir. You will certainly not be disappointed!

Which products are suitable for sustainable shoe care?

If you are looking for eco-friendly products for a
If you are looking for sustainable shoe care, you should look for products with natural ingredients such as beeswax, vegetable oils or fats.

In our shoe care products at Tapir, for example, you will find over 20 different natural raw materials from all over the world. Where possible, we even use regional fabrics such as beeswax, linseed oil and rapeseed oil. For our other waxes and oils, we pay attention to organic cultivation and resource-saving processing.

Furthermore, when it comes to products for sustainable shoe care , you should rely on either packaging-free or recyclable products. We also rely on environmentally friendly glass bottles that are not only aesthetically pleasing, but also impress with their excellent eco-balance. And that from the very beginning!

Finally, when looking for sustainable shoe care products, you can rely on brands that generally pay attention to environmentally friendly production and ingredients. So with us at Tapir you are on the safe side.

How do I know if a shoe care product is sustainable?

Recognizing whether a shoe care product is really sustainable is not so easy. Especially at a time when many care products advertise “sustainability and naturalness”, these promises unfortunately often remain superficial.

Unfortunately, it is often the case that most manufacturers do not have a full declaration of their ingredients. That’s why you don’t even know what’s in it. With Tapir it’s different, we say what’s in it and convince with transparency in the ingredients.

Conventional shoe care products often consist of only small amounts of natural ingredients, while questionable chemicals such as PFAS, benzisothiazolinone or pyrithione are still used, but they advertise naturalness.

The fatal thing about this is that many of these harmful substances do not even have to be declared on the packaging. However, these substances are absolutely out of place in sustainable products. Even supposedly sustainable packaging made of recycled or biological plastic belies the actual environmental impact.

When deciding whether a shoe care product is sustainable, you can also look for certificates such as organic, vegan or fair trade or certifications according to the NCP standard. All our products at Tapir have this last certificate, which certifies, among other things, naturally renewable raw materials, no petrochemicals, microplastics, genetic engineering and much more. We also have some vegan shoe shine products in our range.

Depending on whether your shoes are simply getting on in years or are absolutely no longer wearable, you have several options.

For shoes that you no longer wear yourself, but which are still wearable, it is a good idea to donate them to local collection points such as used clothing containers. Those in need will certainly be happy about it. Sometimes it is also decided to shred the textile components of shoes and use them as raw materials, e.g. for cleaning rags or nonwovens.

If the shoes are broken, they could be converted into decorative objects for the garden or flower pots as part of upcycling. So you can still enjoy them after the shoes have died.

What can be done sustainably against shoe odor?

I’m sure everyone knows it. After a hot summer’s day in closed shoes, you take off your shoes in the evening – and immediately an unpleasant smell rises to your nose. The reason for this lies in a mixture of sweat and bacteria. Here you can find out what you can do about the smell sustainably and measures to prevent it from occurring in the first place.

First things first:

Make sure to wear breathable shoes, especially in summer or during sports.

Wash your shoes, preferably of course with our cleaner from outside on the go!

Air Regularly take out the shoes and change them regularly so that they can dry well.

At best, wear breathable cotton socks and make sure to only put on your shoes with dry feet. This is because when the feet sweat and the sweat cannot evaporate sufficiently, it is broken down by bacteria. These microorganisms feel particularly comfortable in the warm, humid climate of the shoe interior. This then creates the unpleasant odors.

If these measures have not already helped, here are some tips to combat shoe odor sustainably and naturally.

Baking soda against odors

Since baking soda has the ability to absorb and neutralize odors, it is suitable as a home remedy for shoe odor. Simply sprinkle a small amount into the shoes and leave it on overnight. Simply pour it out again the next day or vacuum it off and you can wear your shoes again.

Baking soda as a neutralizer

Similar to baking soda, baking soda can absorb moisture with its absorbent effect, which is responsible for unpleasant odors. Again, a small amount simply has to be sprinkled into the shoe overnight and removed the next day.

The smell of coffee instead of the smell of sweat

Since coffee has a strong odor-binding effect and can quickly neutralize unpleasant odors, simply place dried, used coffee pods in the shoes and leave them on overnight. Simply remove the pads the next morning and let the shoes air out again.

Fresh lemon scent

Because the peels of citrus fruits contain essential oils that have an antibacterial effect and can neutralize unpleasant odors, they are ideal as a natural fresh scent for your shoes. Simply cut the shell into small pieces and place them in the shoes. Leave it on overnight, remove it the next morning and the shoes are ready for the day.

Freezer compartment against shoe odor

Since the bacteria responsible for the smell cannot survive great cold, you can also store your shoes in a sealable bag in the freezer for about 24 hours. After this time, the unpleasant shoe smell should be gone.

All of these are possible sustainable measures to combat shoe odor. This means that nothing stands in the way of your subsequent shoe care and your shoes should be almost as good as new.

What can I do to use shoes more sustainably in general?

To help you use shoes more sustainably in general, here are some options and tips you can look out for.

When buying shoes, make sure to buy high-quality, robust shoes made of environmentally friendly sustainable materials. It is also best to find out in advance about brands that comply with ecological and social standards, e.g. through certifications such as Fair Trade, GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard or OEKO-TEX). It also makes sense, if possible, to buy regionally instead of on the Internet from abroad, for example.

Environmentally friendly natural materials are, for example, leather from sustainable production (chrome-free tanned), cork or hemp. In addition, recycled materials such as shoes made from recycled plastic, old tires or textiles. As a vegan, environmentally friendly alternative, material such as Piñatex (pineapple leather) or bio-polymers is suitable.

Second-hand is of course also a very sustainable option when buying shoes.

Regular cleaning and care with shoe care products is very important for the sustainable use of shoes. Products made from natural raw materials are suitable for this, such as our leather care or our outdoor series for shoes made of other materials.

When impregnating your shoes, you should make sure to use sprays without harmful chemicals such as PFAS. Our impregnation is a natural alternative.
Instead of throwing away broken shoes, many things can also be repaired in order to use them more sustainably. For example, heels can be renewed, soles can be replaced or seams can be mended.

Sustainability in shoes means consciously choosing durable, repairable and environmentally friendly models, caring for them well and using them for as long as possible. The focus is on conserving resources, extending the life cycle of the shoes and ultimately ensuring environmentally friendly disposal or reuse.

How do I store shoes sustainably to make them durable?

To ensure that shoes last a long time and are not damaged due to incorrect storage conditions, even in longer storage periods, you should keep a few things in mind.

To avoid material damage caused by moisture or deposits, you should remove dirt and dust from your shoes before storing. Use natural shoe care products such as our Tapir products to avoid damaging the material of the shoes. The care keeps the material supple and is ready for the next use immediately after storage.

It is important to ensure that the shoes are completely dry before storage to prevent mold growth. The shoes should be dried at room temperature, not in direct sunlight or in front of heating sources, to avoid material deformation.

To keep the shoes in shape during storage, wooden shoe trees are suitable.

It is very important to choose a suitable storage location. This should be cool, dry and dark or out of direct sunlight, as UV rays can make materials such as leather, plastics or rubber brittle. Damp rooms such as basements should be avoided, as they promote mold growth. Shoe racks or cabinets allow for good air circulation. For longer storage, locked cabinets that protect against dust are suitable. During storage, care should be taken not to stack shoes on top of each other, as this could cause them to deform.

With these simple tips, you will enjoy your sustainably stored shoes for a long time.