Whether you’re an obsessed collector or a sneakerhead that lives by the “wear every pair” motto, shoe storage is an essential part of maintaining and preserving your sneaker collection. However, not all storage methods are created equal. While cardboard shoeboxes may seem like a convenient and cost-effective option, they actually pose several risks to the health and longevity of your sneakers that you might not realize. In this article, we'll explore 6 reasons why you should ditch your cardboard shoeboxes.
1. Cardboard Boxes Don’t Protect Your Sneakers
Cardboard shoeboxes offer limited protection against external factors such as dust, dirt, and in worst-case scenarios, pests. The material is easily penetrated and can be torn or damaged, leaving your shoes vulnerable to the elements. This can lead to discoloration, stains, and scratches, which can be difficult or impossible to repair. There’s even been a number of examples where the color of the cardboard box and/or paper wrap that many shoeboxes use, has stained the sneakers inside.
2. Your Kicks Need To Breathe
Cardboard is not a breathable material, meaning it does not allow air to circulate through your shoes. While you don’t want your sneakers just sitting out in the open all of the time, the preservation of your collection is a delicate balance of wearing, cleaning, maintaining, and monitoring their condition. Storing your sneakers in cardboard boxes can lead to the accumulation of moisture and trapped odors, which in some cases, can result in mold growth and deterioration of your prized possessions. Additionally, if you ever feel a bit lazy and put your shoes back in the box when they are wet or damp, the lack of ventilation can exacerbate the issue and cause damage that you will never be able to overcome.
3. Varying Sizes Make For Terrible Organization
Cardboard shoeboxes are not the most efficient storage method when it comes to organization. We’ve all been there, trying to figure out how to stack varying sizes of cardboard shoe boxes like we’re playing Tetris on the highest level. The original shoeboxes can be difficult to stack and even more difficult to access. Not to mention, if you’re going spend days relabeling the original boxes it’s almost impossible for most sneakerheads to easily find where a specific shoe in their collection is. This can lead to a disorganized shoe collection, making it difficult to find the pair you want when you need it.
4. It’s Impossible To Know Where Your Sneakers Are
Let’s be honest. As sneakerheads we have way more sneakers than we really need and one of the most frustrating parts of sneaker collecting is waking up in the morning with a specific pair in mind and not being able to find it. We’ve all been there. The simplest solution to the problem is putting your sneakers on display and making them easy to see without having to dig through stacks of cardboard shoeboxes until you find the pair you want to wear.
5.Using Original Cardboard Boxes Is Planning To Fail
We’ve all heard the saying about proper planning. Planning is an important part of being a sneakerhead. Not only are we talking about financially, but in logistic terms, knowing the space you have, allows you to be better prepared for those unexpected new pickups. Having sneaker storage that is consistent in size and shape allows you to predetermine how many shoe you will have, how much room they will take up in your home or office, and ultimately, how much you are committed to the life of being a sneakerhead.
6. Cardboard Boxes Are Destined To Die
As mentioned above, cardboard boxes are subject to the environment they are stored in. To put it simply, the original cardboard boxes from your sneakers will eventually succumb to one of two things. The slightest bit of moisture can go unnoticed until time passes and eventually the boxes start to crush under the weight of the others. Aside from needing to manage the environment you store your sneakers in, you will most likely come to a point in life where you need to move your collection. Moving your sneaker collection in its original boxes is asking for trouble. The odds of every box surviving just a single move is slim to none, which is reason enough for most sneakerheads to invest in proper sneaker storage.
While a sneaker’s original cardboard shoeboxes may seem like the easiest choice for storing your sneaker collection, the reality is they have the potential to ruin the very things they are intended to protect. To keep your kicks in optimal condition, check out our Sneaker Throne display cases and Drop Side shoeboxes, which not only protect your sneakers but also treat them like the pieces of art that they truly are.
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