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Ready to ShipCedar shoe trees come in various types designed for different shoe types and purposes. Each variety serves a unique role in maintaining the shape and longevity of footwear.
An adjustable men's shoe tree is a common type, made from cedar, designed to stretch the shoe gently to its original or desired shape. Unlike fixed shoe trees, adjustable ones allow custom fitting to the exact shoe size.
A split shoe tree combines the benefits of fixed and adjustable trees. It has a stationary heel piece with a separable toe piece, which is then adjusted to fit the shoe size. This design ensures uniform stretching without the difficulty of full-length adjustable trees.
Full shoe trees are manufactured from a single piece and are used primarily in situations where the shoe does not need stretching or molding. This type is best for shoes in widely-used sizes like 42, 43, or 44.
Spring shoe trees are made of two connected metal spring-shaped segments and two wooden parts: the toe and heel pieces. When the springs are compressed, it reduces the distance between the two wooden pieces. Once inserted into the shoes, the compression is released to push the wooden pieces against the internal side of the shoes, providing a tight fit.
Lasts are another useful option for shoe manufacturers and cobblers because the mold represents the shape of the shoe. Various lasts can be stored in different sizes for easy use in every shoe size.
Operation wedges offer another way to protect the footwear by storing only the left and right parts of the footwear shape. The wedges fit between shoes and feature adjustable elements that can be tightened or loosened to stretch the shoe when necessary.
Standard and automatic varieties ensure that the shoes are appropriately carried with minimal effort. Standard shoe trees require manual placement, but automatic shoe trees can be placed in the shoes with a simple push of the button.
Choosing the cedar shoe tree type depends on a business's specific needs - whether for storage, stretching, or displaying the shoes attractively.
The simple yet elegant design of cedar shoe trees stems from their function. These trees are generally made up of two main parts - the toe and the heel. These two components work together to maintain the footwear's shape.
Cedar is the primary material used because of its natural resistance to moisture, lifespan, and unique aroma that repels insects and keeps the shoes fresh. In addition, cedar is softer than many other types of wood, meaning it will not damage the internal structure of shoes.
Cedar shoe trees come in various shapes, but the most common are the men's and women's versions. While both are made out of the same material and have similar configurations, they differ in shape and size. While men's winter shoes trees are larger, women's shoe trees are smaller due to the differences in shoe size and contours.
The adjustable types are designed with a knob or a rotary mechanism to stretch the shoe from inside. This feature allows for a customized fit, which is important for maintaining the original shape of the shoe, especially for premium or tailored-made collections. The split design allows the tweezer to separate at the heel, simplifying its extraction from the shoe after use.
Full design shoe trees offer a basic solution to keeping shoes upright. Fixed trees fit into specific sizes and styles, which are useful for mass collections or particular brands whose shoes have standard dimensions.
Moreover, some shoe trees also have a glossy or oil-based finish that enhances their beauty and increases that of the shoe display. However, in the case of shoe trees, oil or glossy finishes are not recommended.
Operation wedges and pairs of shoe tree holders are also made of cedar, but they do not take the form of a shoe. Instead, they offer support between the left and right sides of the footwear. Adjustable operation wedges can be modified to control the amount of tension applied, achieving optimal stretch or balance.
The simple design of these trees, combined with the impressive aroma of cedar, ensures that the shoes remain in good shape even after a long period of storage. This aroma also refreshes the shoes when they are worn.
Cedar shoe trees are particularly useful in several circumstances. Their flexibility and moisture-absorbent properties make them vital for helping shoes remain in good condition in various settings.
Shoe collections made of expensive leather require much more care during storage because leather is a highly sensitive material that easily changes shape. Cedar shoe trees are used to maintain the shape of these shoes, prevent cracks, and minimize the amount of moisture absorbed into the leather during storage. The odor of cedar also helps keep the shoes dry and fresh.
This means shoe trees are indispensable in maintaining men's dress and leather shoes and sports, hiking, and ankle boots, which are mostly sold in male footwear.
In retail stores, wholesale shoe trees are simply fitted into shoes to display the shoes in their natural shape even during the sale, giving buyers a good outlook of how the shoes will look on their feet.
Moreover, shoe trees also assist in evenly distributing polish or wax applied to shoes during maintenance. When polish is applied, it gets absorbed into the shoe evenly, improving the quality of the shoe and increasing its aesthetic appeal.
Footwear manufacturers and cobblers involve shoe trees in their work to assist in their production process and during repair. Cedar shoe trees are placed in newly made shoes to keep them in the intended shape until the shoe structure is set. They can also be used on shoes that have distorted due to wear and tear to help restore the original size.
In other scenarios, operations wedges are added to the mix, which are ideal for stretching shoes. They are placed between the two footwear parts and diluted proportionally: the more operations wedges are inserted, the more the shoe stretches and, hence, the larger size achieved in a matter of minutes.
Therefore, cedar shoe trees have so many functions, including form preservation, moisture control, surface polishing, shape display, and stretching that they can be used in almost any situation involving footwear.
Ensuring that cedar shoe trees serve their purpose for many years involves understanding their specifications and maintenance requirements. Key specifications, such as size and wood quality, play a crucial role in ensuring effective shoe care.
It is important to select shoe trees that perfectly fit the shoes, as buying the wrong size will detract from the purpose of the shoe. Adjusting shoe trees are available to stretch them to the desired size, but they too take measurements of the shoe first before adjusting.
Apart from that, cedar wood quality is also important. While cedar tree wood is a soft and pleasant-smelling wood that helps absorb moisture and keep shoes pest-free, some cedars are stronger than others. For example, the aroma of red cedar is stronger and more effective than that of white cedar. Compression resistance, grain density, and moisture content affect the quality and aroma of the cedar wood used in making shoe trees.
Also, even shoe stretchers are available in fixed sizes. They come in standard shoe sizes like 42 and may also have a holder to accommodate shoes of smaller sizes. These specifications are important for ensuring that the shoes are adequately stretched without going for the same size and having the same shoe tree quite often.
Maintenance of cedar shoe trees is not difficult. The shoe trees should be cleaned regularly with a mixture of water and mild detergent. After some time, the towel should be used to wipe the moisture and put the shoes in a dry area until the cedar is completely dry. Shoe trees can be polished with natural wax occasionally.
If the smell of cedar fades, users can also lightly sand the surface of each shoe tree to expose new wood and replace its fragrant aroma. Exposure to water and moisture disturbs the wood and creates dry cracks on the surface. Oil-based solvents should be avoided, as they also have a similar effect on the wood of the shoe tree.
To maintain the quality of the shoe over time, the shoe trees should be inserted into the shoes after every use and removed while the shoes are kept in storage.
In this way, cedar shoe trees' correct specifications and their proper maintenance can effectively enhance their life span and usefulness.
A1: Cedar shoe trees are highly absorbent, so they keep shoes dry during dry conditions. They also improve the shoe's natural fragrance, eliminate moisture, and keep pests out of the shoes.
A2: Some varieties of cedar shoe trees have an adjustable function to help stretch the shoes to some degree. Still, stretching should only be done mildly; when stretching beyond the limits, it will damage the shoes.
A3: Despite its good moisture absorption properties, excessive humidity is not suitable for cedar shoe trees since it may lower the absorption power and allow mold to grow.
A4: A cedar shoe tree must fit perfectly into the shoe, and only a fixed shoe tree should be used for a certain shoe size. If adjustments are required, an adjustable tree is the choice for stretching or compressing to find the right size.
A5: Flushing of fragrance is a natural phenomenon. Thus, the fragrance of cedar tree wood also fades after some time due to continuous absorption of moisture within the wood. With sanding of the wood surface, the same fragrance can be revived once again.
