topic Re: The Thing About Polyurethane Soles in Shoes

The Thing About Polyurethane Soles

Venezia — Mon, 20 Jun 2022 15:46:04 GMT

I decided I'd post this in shoes, since it's an expensive lesson I've just learned. And why I won't be buying any more Clark's shoes (or any brand with this type of sole).

Not after having to throw out an almost new pair of clogs that I hadn't worn during our New England winter. I know other shoes will be following that trip to the trashcan. My DH saw them and said "Why is a new pair of shoes in the trash?"

Why? I took out my leather clogs that I'd only worn about 3 or 4 times, to wear on a day out with a friend. The soles were oddly sticky. I had no idea what caused it, but thought perhaps it would go away after walking on them.

Never got that far! As I picked one up to put it on, the top of the clog (leather) came away from the sole completely. WTH??? (Thank goodness it didn't happen while I was out.)

I googled it and found out why. The new polyurethane soles break down, if they're not worn regularly. They're hydrophilic and absorb moisture, when stored. There is nothing you can do once they start to break down. They have to be tossed. (Google "soles of my shoes falling apart": the Foot Geekz has a great video on YouTube, but I can't post the link.)

Even very expensive shoes like Sanitas aren't exempt. These soles are supposed to be "environmentally friendly", meant to break down in landfills. Well, I don't wear sandals or open shoes with 3 feet of snow in the winter, so they get stored.

I have quality shoes, even Clark's, that are about 20 years old and they're still in excellent condition. The newer ones? Rubbish. In this case, you don't necessarily get what you pay for.

Re: The Thing About Polyurethane Soles

Imaoldhippie — Mon, 20 Jun 2022 16:03:26 GMT

I had a pair of hand painted Sanita's that the sole just completely disintegrated, small chunks fell off as I continued to wear them that day. I paid a pretty penny for them and I was really bummed out. I trashed them.

Re: The Thing About Polyurethane Soles

Jk9 — Mon, 20 Jun 2022 16:23:51 GMT

Had that happen with 2 pairs of Danskos and Clarks as well. Shoes were stored and hadn't been worn for over a season and the soles fell apart totally. Big problem with those shoe and soles. One of mine disintegrated while I was out wearing them. Very embarrassing to leave a trail of shoe sole bits in your path before the entire sole fell off.

Re: The Thing About Polyurethane Soles

Venezia — Mon, 20 Jun 2022 16:53:52 GMT

@Jk9 wrote:
Had that happen with 2 pairs of Danskos and Clarks as well. Shoes were stored and hadn't been worn for over a season and the soles fell apart totally. Big problem with those shoe and soles. One of mine disintegrated while I was out wearing them. Very embarrassing to leave a trail of shoe sole bits in your path before the entire sole fell off.

@Jk9 - But handy if you're Hansel and Gretel. Sadly, we're not.

Re: The Thing About Polyurethane Soles

Foxxee — Mon, 20 Jun 2022 16:57:40 GMT

It's disturbing these soles are still being used.

Fortunately, I don't have any like that and will make sure I don't.

Thanks for posting.

Re: The Thing About Polyurethane Soles

LindaSal — Mon, 20 Jun 2022 17:05:00 GMT

Yes thanks for posting this. I never really have paid a lot of attention to what the soles are made of. And I totally get what you are saying regarding living in New England and only being able to wear certain shoes at certain times of the year. I actually had a pair of Clark's boots that fell apart while in storage. It wasn't the sole of the shoe but the interior leather literally was all cracked and when I tipped the boot over I had a pile of cracked leather pieces on the floor. Could not for the life of me figure it out. My shoes are stored in a relatively nuetral temperature with no dampness??? Wow, you've really given me something to think about for future purchases.

Re: The Thing About Polyurethane Soles

ALRATIBA — Mon, 20 Jun 2022 19:32:13 GMT

I had a pair of Skechers sandals that I bought for "house shoes." Never wore them outside ..... the soles crumbled after a couple of months - while I was wearing them. First and last pair of Skechers.

Re: The Thing About Polyurethane Soles

haddon9 — Mon, 20 Jun 2022 19:48:24 GMT

This reminds me of the same thing happening to me several years ago. I had a pair of Clarks shoes stored in my closet.

As I was cleaning out the closet I came across these shoes (I don't know what the soles were made out of) and they looked to be brand new. I just didn't remember buying them. So I tried them on to see how they fit and after taking just one step the sole came away from the shoe! I was shocked and then the same thing happened to the second shoe.

Thank goodness I was at home. I couldn't imagine that happening while out!

Re: The Thing About Polyurethane Soles

mac116 — Mon, 20 Jun 2022 20:06:05 GMT

My Clark's sole story happened while in church, on my way up to communion. What a hysterical disaster as I shuffled my way up the aisle...barefoot. A sweet lady picked up the remnants, and gave them to me after church. No more Clarks for me.

Re: The Thing About Polyurethane Soles

kittyloo — Mon, 20 Jun 2022 22:38:24 GMT

i've had this happen to me 4x's now. all danskos.

sole came apart in big fat chunks while out and about.

going to watch the video now. sigh

Re: The Thing About Polyurethane Soles

CJC — Tue, 21 Jun 2022 01:03:40 GMT

I learned my lesson with those Clarks soles several years ago while on vacation. My clogs disintegrated completely, and I was left walking barefoot around Washington DC until I could take the Metro back to hotel. I was mortified. Called Clarks USA and was told the fault was mine because my clogs had been stored in their shoebox instead of out in the open air. What?? All my shoes are stored in their shoeboxes to keep them dust free, and they're fine. Now I check for "plastic" soles on any shoes before purchasing.

Re: The Thing About Polyurethane Soles

laluzdelmundo — Tue, 21 Jun 2022 02:42:38 GMT

Wow! A whole new thing about shoes that I'd never heard about before. So they absorb moisture when they're stored in a box, but they are "practical and keep water out" when worn, a quote from https://www.polyurethanes.org/en/where-is-it/footwear/. Also on their webpage they claim "the durability of polyurethanes ensures that shoes containing this material have considerable second-hand value." But they will break down sooner in landfills, which I guess is good since they will be going to landfills sooner. There's no mention of the material breakdown that happens when shoes are stored.

I will keep watch over my soles because I have a fair number of shoes and don't wear any one pair really often. The upside to the storage problem, for me, is that most all of them are stored in baskets and large tray things under the bed, or sometimes under the sofa. Modern life . . .

Funny, none of the shoe vendors mention this problem or how to store their shoes to avoid this.

Re: The Thing About Polyurethane Soles

Venezia — Tue, 21 Jun 2022 14:35:46 GMT

@laluzdelmundo - I like the bit on that website where it says that footwear should be "long-lasting". I think they missed the boat on that one!

Also, "fit for purpose". Hard to wear a pair of shoes, when the sole disintegrates and separates from the upper.

Sounds like someone did a great PR marketing campaign to get shoe manufacturers to switch to these cheaper materials.

Re: The Thing About Polyurethane Soles

dsfdfds — Fri, 15 Jul 2022 21:38:56 GMT

Interesting, I had never heard of this. I had this happen to some non qvc shoes that I kept in the basement. I found that this especially happened to shoes that I keep enclosed. I blamed my damp basement. I now keep my shoes in a carton box that does not get stuffed full of shoes. I find that this greatly helps and I now know why.

Re: The Thing About Polyurethane Soles

Biftu — Mon, 18 Jul 2022 19:22:44 GMT

I will never buy Clark's footwear ever again. Like others have posted, I've had four pairs that I bought years ago where the soles disintegrated and split from the leather upper. I had to walk barefoot once when the sole just crumbled while I was walking. I had to find a shoe store and buy a pair of shoes so I could continue on.

Re: The Thing About Polyurethane Soles

Venezia — Mon, 18 Jul 2022 23:34:22 GMT

@Biftu - Because we're having all new flooring in the downstairs of our house this coming week, we've been moving a lot of things to the basement.

And just today, I looked at the Clark's clogs that made me start this thread. I haven't thrown them out yet because I told my DH I want to take a photo of them, send it to Clark's and ask them to explain how a brand new pair of shoes falls apart!

I'm sure I'll get fobbed off with some lame excuse and it will be my fault that they now make shoddy merchandise. But I still think I ought to let them know that they have some very dissatisfied customers.

Re: The Thing About Polyurethane Soles

Biftu — Tue, 19 Jul 2022 03:03:35 GMT

@Venezia wrote:
@Biftu - Because we're having all new flooring in the downstairs of our house this coming week, we've been moving a lot of things to the basement.

And just today, I looked at the Clark's clogs that made me start this thread. I haven't thrown them out yet because I told my DH I want to take a photo of them, send it to Clark's and ask them to explain how a brand new pair of shoes falls apart!

I'm sure I'll get fobbed off with some lame excuse and it will be my fault that they now make shoddy merchandise. But I still think I ought to let them know that they have some very dissatisfied customers.

@Venezia That's a shame they were brand new shoes. I admit mine were not new and I didn't wear them often, but I have a lot of shoes and never had this happen with any other brand. It may make you feel better if you contact them,