How it works
No surprises, at any stage.
You will know what we plan to do, what it will cost, and what result is realistic before anything happens to your shoes.
The five steps
From photographs to the reveal.
Each stage has a clear output: an assessment you can read, a price you approve, and a record of the work.
Send us the pair
Upload photos and tell us what needs attention.
Photos of both shoes, the soles, any damaged areas and the inner label give us enough to work from. There is no cost and no obligation at this stage.
Receive an assessment
We explain what treatment is appropriate, what results are realistic, and the price.
You will get a plain-English note covering the material, the condition, the service we recommend, what we expect to change and what we expect to remain.
Approve the work
Choose the service and any optional protection treatment.
Nothing happens until you approve the plan and the price. Photography and story permissions are handled separately and are always optional.
We restore and document
The shoes are treated carefully, with before-and-after images captured.
Work is done in stages with drying time respected. Condition images are captured at the start and the finish, in the same light and at the same angle.
The reveal
Receive the restored pair and its transformation record.
Your pair comes back with its before-and-after record and simple aftercare guidance for the material.
Getting the assessment right
Five photographs are usually enough.
Good photographs mean a more accurate assessment and fewer surprises later. Daylight helps; a perfect setup is not needed.
If something is hard to photograph, describe it instead. We would rather hear about a problem early than discover it on the bench.
Photo checklist
- Both shoes, from the side
- The soles, straight on
- Any damage, stain or scuff, close up
- The inner label or size tag
- Anything you are worried about
Consent and documentation
Four separate permissions. All optional.
Photography, publishing and filming are handled as distinct choices. You can accept one and decline the others, and you can change your mind.
Private before-and-after documentation
We record the condition and share the images with you only.
Permission to share shoe images
Allows us to publish the before-and-after images of your shoes.
Permission to share the owner’s story
Allows us to publish the story you have told us about the pair.
Permission to contact you about filming
We may ask whether you would take part in a Stories From the Sole film. Asking is not a commitment.
Private restoration is the default. If you give no permissions at all, your before-and-after record is simply shared with you and nothing is published.
Getting the shoes to us
Manchester first.
Manchester collection and return, by arrangement.
What we will not do
We turn down work we do not believe will genuinely improve a shoe, and we say so rather than taking the booking anyway. That includes pairs where the risk of damage outweighs the likely gain.
Sneaker care carries inherent risk. We assess each pair individually and will decline work we do not believe is in the shoe’s interest. Cleaning cannot reverse structural damage, sole separation, deep cracking, permanent discolouration or normal ageing.
Why trust us
Care before claims.
We are new, and we would rather earn confidence than perform it. These are the standards we hold ourselves to on every pair.
An honest assessment before work begins
We tell you what we expect to achieve, and what we do not, before you commit to anything.
Different materials receive different treatment
Leather, suede, nubuck, mesh and canvas each behave differently. The method follows the material.
The condition is documented before and after
Same shoe, same angle, same light. No flattering crops, no misleading edits.
The story matters as much as the reveal
A pair worth restoring usually has a reason behind it. We take that seriously.
FAQs
Process questions.
Timings, consent, collection and what happens if something is unusual.
Most everyday leather, mesh, canvas, knit and synthetic sneakers, plus suede and nubuck under Specialist Care. If we are not confident about a material or construction, we will say so rather than experiment on your pair.
Turnaround depends on the service and on drying time, which we do not rush. Indicative timings are listed on each service, and your assessment will confirm a realistic window for your pair.
We capture before-and-after condition images for every pair as a record for you. Anything shared publicly, and any filming, requires your explicit permission, given separately and never assumed.
Not at all. Private restorations are the default. Sharing your shoes or your story is entirely optional, and you can decline one and accept the other.
Within Manchester and the surrounding area we arrange collection and return directly with you, priced by location. Timings are agreed in advance.
Tell us during the assessment. For high-value or unusual pairs we will discuss the approach in detail before accepting the work, and we may recommend a more conservative treatment or decline it.
Not yet. We are starting in Manchester with collection and return. A UK-wide postal service is planned rather than currently available.
Sneaker care carries inherent risk. We assess each pair individually and will decline work we do not believe is in the shoe’s interest. Cleaning cannot reverse structural damage, sole separation, deep cracking, permanent discolouration or normal ageing.
Book a restoration
Send us the pair you can’t throw away.
Free assessment, honest expectations, and a full before-and-after record. No obligation at any point.
Manchester collection and return, by arrangement. Workshop address shared directly with customers once a restoration is confirmed.