Shoe trees are not commonly thought of as a Christmas gift. Traditionally, Christmas gifts are glitzy, extravagant, and put aside forever in a cupboard come the 25th December morning – things like photo frames, table lamps, and clocks may look good in design but serve little function. Other more personal artifacts like shirts, watches, or ties may be more practical, but he is likely to already own enough of them to be getting through the week, and taste is very subjective as well. On the other hand, shoe trees are tools of functionality and rarely spared a second thought outside of use. However, it is this trait that makes it such a clever and much needed gift!
1. He doesn’t own one
Men are notoriously bad at taking care of our belongings. In a survey we conducted among 200 men, we found that 95% of Singaporean men do not own shoe trees. Unlike Europe where there is a greater appreciation for craftsmanship, men in Singapore frequently thought that simply using a wax polish was enough to maintain proper shoe lifespan. The result is that their $400 leather dress shoes quickly lose character and crack within years when they should be lasting decades.
Shoe trees are inserts that mimic the shape of feet to provide support and keep the shoe in shape when not in wear. Quality shoe trees like ours employ springs that unfurl the sole from a whole day of walking to prevent creases, and are made of an absorbent raw cedarwood that absorbs moisture, prevent leather lining rot, and permanently emits a fresh pine fragrance. If your man is a working adult that owns a pair of dress shoes, shoe trees will surely save him hundreds and even thousands of dollars over the years.
2. Wooden shoe trees have a vintage elegance
Shiny golden hardware; Unprocessed heartwood from the Juniperus virginiana (American Red Cedar) – shoe trees just have a back-to-basics elegance about them that also blends right into the Christmas season.
What’s more? Raw, unfinished cedarwood like those in our shoe trees give off a moderately strong, fresh, woody fragrance that will have him wondering for days what exotic delight is hidden in his giftbox under the Christmas tree.
3. It reminds him of you everyday
Shoe trees are meant to be inserted in shoes every night after wear, and removed in the morning when he leaves for work – that’s just how fuctional a piece of equipment they are! Getting him a functional gift means that he will be reminded of you every day and night when he puts on or takes off his shoes. A gift that extends the thankful spirit long beyond Christmas.
4. It’s personal
Good shoe trees are necessarily personal. The have to be bought in the correct size (though the springs do allow a margin of error) to stretch out the shoe leather optimally. Getting shoe trees in the correct size displays a level of thought and effort, and goes to show the level of intimacy that the both of you share.
Afraid of getting the wrong size? With ShoeTree Singapore, you’ll get to exchange sizes with no administrative charge!
5. It’s kind on the wallet – with us at least
Thanks to our optimized infrastructure and logistics, ShoeTree Singapore is able to bring you our shoe trees at a price that only includes the quality materials that we use to craft them, cutting out unnecessary staffing and prime location costs. Free sandpaper is provided so that you can rejuvenate the scent of the cedarwood by sanding it lightly when it fades. To top it all off, we ship them to you for free!
If you have stayed with us until this point, it’s about to get even kinder on your wallet – just for the festive season, using “CHRISTMAS10” at checkout will get you 10% off your order with no minimum spend! This is our own gift to you.
