If you’re someone who values well made, high quality shoes, it’s likely you’re already familiar with the process of resoling, where the shoe’s original sole is removed and replaced. Most of the shoes and boots made here in Northamptonshire are Goodyear welted, meaning they can be repeatedly resoled. Often this process is associated with formal shoes only, but did you know that Crown Northampton sneakers can be resoled too?
With the specialist machinery housed in Crown’s Northampton factory along with the skilled makers trained and able to carry out the process, we are one of the only places in the UK offering a sneaker resole service.
Benefits Of Resoling Sneakers
The main benefit of resoling your sneakers is that you don’t have to lose a pair of shoes that you own and love. The premium leather we use at Crown means that your sneakers will have likely moulded to your own foot’s unique shape and been broken into the perfect fit. By only using high quality leathers ranging from full grain calf to kudu from C F Stead and Chromexcel from Horween, this means that deep or long lasting scratches are a rarity. Any marks the uppers do pick up are all part of the sneaker's journey that adds personal character. The end result of our resoling service means you can continue wearing your favourite pair of sneakers for even longer, over several years.
Every time a pair of sneakers is resoled at Crown Northampton, we take it through the same finishing process as we do for freshly made pairs. When you do receive your sneakers back, they are not only stronger and more sturdy than before they were returned, but via a trip to the shoe room, they are also polished up and looking great. As an optional extra, we can also add on a new set of insoles too.
The Sustainable Side Of Resoling
Did you know that around 300,000 tonnes of used clothing goes into landfill in the UK each year? Resoling rather than rebuying new means that your sneakers won’t be contributing to this. If sustainability and the effects of retail and fashion are important priorities for you, then buying a pair of high quality sneakers that can be resoled when needed is a great way to combine a love for great shoes with a love for the planet. Our sneakers offer you a far more considered and thoughtful alternative to fast, throwaway fashion.
Financially, there are pros too. Using our resoling means a cost of £60, rather than another £200+ on another pair of shoes. Another aspect to consider is value for money in terms of cost per wear. If you’re repeatedly purchasing high street sneakers, the cost per wear is far higher than a pair or repairable investment sneakers.
How Do I Know When My Sneakers Should Be Resoled?
It’s difficult to estimate how often you should be resoling your sneakers. There are multiple factors to consider, including how often they’ve been worn and what kind of environment you wear them in. There’s no blanket rule but there are a couple of things you can look out for. Are the soles looking worn down? Are you noticing changes to the way you walk when wearing the sneakers? Is the sole looking a little tatty in comparison to the rest of the sneaker or wearing down on one side? All are signs it could be time for a resole and as long as the upper is in good condition with no holes, we can do this.
There’s nothing that can be done at home to revamp a sole if it starts to wear - it needs to be replaced by an experienced and knowledgeable craftspeople. We like to think of the soles on a sneaker as the equivalent to the tyres on a car, as there comes a time when they both need to be replaced through wear and tear. However, the rest of the car and the uppers of your sneakers can be restored and polished up!
Yellow Bourbon Custom Sneaker Resole
Now you’ve heard all about the process, we’d like to show you the end product through a pair of recently resoled, one off, custom made sneakers that we’ve just handed back to Steve Peel - the owner of local Northampton coffee spot Yellow Bourbon Coffee Roasters.
Yellow Bourbon has been open for coming up to 3 years now and have become a very popular and important part of the Northampton landscape. As an independently run business, their deep passion and love of coffee has taken them on a different path to a traditional coffee house set up which sees them personally select their beans from all around the world then roast them in house. Their blends originate from countries as far afield as Ethiopia, Guatemala, Brazil, and Honduras to name a few and helps them run a thriving wholesale business under their own brand, whilst also servicing a steady flow of daily customers in their shop.
When Steve enquired about getting his own pair of custom made Crown Northampton sneakers in casual conversation, it made sense to work with another local business that makes right here in the town. The sneakers were completed in September 2018 and Steve went with a distinctly coffee coloured pair of Abington Toe Cap in full grain calf leather. By his own admission, Steve has ‘worn them hard’ almost every day for nearly 15 months up until the soles were in need of some care and restoration. As you’ll see from the images the uppers have picked up a good amount of character and coffee stains from their daily environment - all adding unique personalisation. Finished with a set of new insoles, new laces, reinforced heel lining and a fresh polish, they’re good to go for another 15 months hard wear in Yellow Bourbon!
Take a look at the images of the freshly resoled Crown Northampton x Yellow Bourbon sneakers, and just look at how happy owner Steve Peel is to be reunited with them!
If you want to refresh your Crown Northampton sneakers with our resoling service, click here to get the process started.
Special thanks to Steve and Yellow Bourbon.
Photography - Alex Natt
