Shoe repair, also known as cobbling, is the practice of mending or restoring footwear. It encompasses various tasks such as replacing worn soles of shoes, fixing damaged heels, tightening loose stitches, replacing broken zips, and even improving shoe comfort with padding or orthopaedic corrections.

The aim is to extend the life of a pair of shoes or boots, thereby saving you money and reducing your landfill contributions. With expert skills and tools, a cobbler can restore shoes to their near-original condition, making them look and feel like they’re fresh out the box again.

• Resoling
• Heel repairs
• Leather repairs
• Zip replacements

Still not sure if we can help you? Give us a call and one of our colleagues will be happy to advise you!

Our cobbler is usually very efficient and can have your shoes ready to go again in 2-3 working days.

Need your footwear repairing last minute for an upcoming event? Let us know your repair is urgent and we will endeavour to meet your time frame!

There are several benefits to repairing your shoes instead of replacing them:

• Cost effectiveness - the price of repairs can be significantly lower than the price of a new pair of shoes, and by increasing the life span of your footwear you reduce the cost-per-wear, making shoe restoration a budget-friendly option
• Reducing your environmental impact - the mend and make-do mentality at the core of shoe repairs reduces your landfill contribution, and carbon footprint compared to buying a new pair of shoes
• Maintaining comfort - by restoring your shoes, you get to skip the wearing-in stage of new shoes, but you can still reap the orthopaedic benefits of having a well-balanced, stable sole

Luckily, the parts of shoes which experience the most wear and tear: soles and heels, can often easily be repaired or replaced. Broken zips on shoes and boots, and loose stitching can also be mended so you can keep sporting your favourite pairs!

You may be surprised how many types of shoes work well for repairs - they include high heels, loafers, flats, dress boots, work boots, and sandals. Most shoes made of leather (or some vegan leather alternatives) are also good candidates for restoration.

If you’re not sure if we can help repair your shoes, feel free to give us a call or visit us in store for more help.

It’s good practice to regularly take a look at the following areas of your shoes to check for damage that may need repairing:

• The toe area – you’ll want to avoid wearing the front of your shoe down all the way to the stitching, as this will be more complex to mend
• The sole of the shoe or the ball of the foot area – if your soles are leather, gently push on this area and if it feels spongy, it’s time to take your shoes to the cobbler. For rubber soled shoes, when the sole has become smooth and slick and the grip has disappeared, it’s a sign to get your footwear resoled
• The heel area – any signs of obvious wear on your heels are an indicator that it’s time to get the heel pad replaced. You’ll want to avoid wearing down the heal block so much that the heal block needs replacing as well, as this will make the repair more expensive

General wear and tear can more often than not be restored to a near-perfect condition by an expert cobbler. However, extensive damage to the upper part of your shoe which cannot be stitched or glued effectively, or cracks in the insole of the shoe through to the sole, will mean it’s time to consider buying a new pair of shoes.

How frequently you need to repair or replace a shoe’s heel or sole depends on your gait and how often you use the shoes. Typically, it can be anything from six months to a number of years before you need to replace a shoe’s sole.

Leather shoes are made to last, but you can still greatly improve their lifespan by caring for them correctly. Here are some tips on how to care for your leather shoes:

• After each wear, give your shoes a gentle clean with a microfibre cloth or shoe brush to remove any dirt from the day and ensure it doesn’t settle into the leather
• After every 6 wears, buff a leather polish into your shoes to restore any moisture lost to the elements
• When not being worn, minimise shoes’ exposure to heat and humidity by storing your shoes in a cool, dry place, out of direct sunlight
• When not in use, store your leather shoes in a dust bag to further protect them from the elements