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Honored Contributor
Posts: 10,168
Registered: ‎03-14-2010

Re: I had a pair of unworn Sofft sandals start to fall apart on me today! :(

well no wonder they sent them to you!

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 5,891
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: I had a pair of unworn Sofft sandals start to fall apart on me today! :(

On 4/13/2014 annabellethecat said:

Yikes! I had that happen about 1 years ago with a pair of Clarks. Actually two pair fell apart on me but the worse ones were when I was getting out of my car going into the Dentist's office!

The entire sole came from the top of the shoe! It looked like one of those clown shoes! I took it off until I got up to his office then slid my foot inside to the chair!

I had all of these chores I was going to do but had to head home for more shoes.

Then I was going through my shoes and found a pair of Clarks (again clogs) and pulled on them and they separated. Not as bad but I threw them out.

Live and learn. Right?

Live and learn is right! I have a lot of shoes and keep them in their original boxes so I'm definitely going to super inspect them before I put them on. That must have been awful to have a pair of shoes fall apart while you were just going out and about running errands.

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 5,891
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: I had a pair of unworn Sofft sandals start to fall apart on me today! :(

I've been going through my shoes in boxes and I'm donating a few pairs of shoes that aren't comfortable as well as donating 2 pair of Sofft black shoes, the patent leather pumps are starting to peel on the sewn edge of the vamp on the left shoe and the patent leather slingbacks are "outgassing" like a carpet (the slingbacks were FFANY shoes from about 3 years ago) and I don't think that the odor is going to go away.

I guess some shoes don't age well. {#emotions_dlg.mad} {#emotions_dlg.thumbdown}

Super Contributor
Posts: 383
Registered: ‎03-22-2014

Re: I had a pair of unworn Sofft sandals start to fall apart on me today! :(

Sorry, to hear this O/P. I was told by someone who works in the shoe industry never store shoes leather or non-leather in the boxes they were sold in. Take them out of the boxes and store in a cool dry place in your closet.

Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,288
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: I had a pair of unworn Sofft sandals start to fall apart on me today! :(

On 4/13/2014 annabellethecat said:

Yikes! I had that happen about 1 years ago with a pair of Clarks. Actually two pair fell apart on me but the worse ones were when I was getting out of my car going into the Dentist's office!

The entire sole came from the top of the shoe! It looked like one of those clown shoes! I took it off until I got up to his office then slid my foot inside to the chair!

I had all of these chores I was going to do but had to head home for more shoes.

Then I was going through my shoes and found a pair of Clarks (again clogs) and pulled on them and they separated. Not as bad but I threw them out.

Live and learn. Right?

I also had a pair of Clarks that fell apart on me. They literally crumbled as I walked. It was unbelievable. I've never had that happen before with any brand.

I threw my other Clarks shoes away as I didn't want it to happen again and get caught someplace with no shoes.

I've never purchased another pair and won't.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 16,938
Registered: ‎12-29-2010

Re: I had a pair of unworn Sofft sandals start to fall apart on me today! :(

Sorry to hear that. I just bought 2 pairs of sofft. I have had no problem with mine. I bought sofft bernia recently
"friends don't let friends drink white zinfandel"
Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 5,891
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: I had a pair of unworn Sofft sandals start to fall apart on me today! :(

Sofft shoes corporate parent company is H.H. Brown Shoe Company which also makes Born shoes and a lot of other brands.

http://www.hhbrown.com

I read their corporate return policy

http://www.hhbrown.com/consumer-return

and I'm guessing that the reason that their brands are only guaranteed for a year has to do with shoes disintegrating.

A google search though shows that a lot of brands that use injection molded polyurethane soles are prone to this problem, not just this company's brands.

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 5,891
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: I had a pair of unworn Sofft sandals start to fall apart on me today! :(

I'm looking at the soles of my shoes with a magnifying glass to see if there are any hairline cracks developing in the soles as most of my shoes have those comfort flexible soles and today I tossed out a pair of Clarks Bendables mules that were probably made in 2009 as I noticed a hairline crack developing on the outside of the right shoe. Luckily they didn't come apart but I was shopping in a mall trying on clothes when I noticed the hairline crack. So when I got home I looked at them with a magnifying glass and also showed my husband the shoes. These are ones that I have worn regularly and didn't keep them in a box.

I decided to throw out an older pair of Clarks clogs as well as I know they were even older than that, I think the pair is from 2007. I also tossed out a pair of Hush Puppies clogs that I use to do gardening in as I took a good look and one of the soles is starting to crack, those shoes are probably from 2010 and I wore those shoes a lot so they got a lot of wear and tear on them.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 12,928
Registered: ‎11-01-2010

Re: I had a pair of unworn Sofft sandals start to fall apart on me today! :(

The soles rot. That is what a man at a shoe repair shop told me. I have had it happen with Sportos & Clarks that were not extremely old but that I'd been wearing.

I have had other brands fall apart the same way (heel/soles deteriorate) when they sat in the closet unworn for years. Gym shoes also do this. I had a very expensive pair of Red Wing hiking boots, worn a few times per year. The last time I tried wearing them the soles deteriorated & completely fell off while I was walking!

Now I think twice before buying shoes with that type of sole.

Super Contributor
Posts: 414
Registered: ‎03-13-2010

Re: I had a pair of unworn Sofft sandals start to fall apart on me today! :(

My husband has been in the footwear business (he's a Last Maker) for close to 40 years. You never want to leave your shoes in shoe boxes. Back in the day when shoes were all leather, including the soles, it wasn't an issue. Now that the soles are made using man made materials like EVA, they tend to degrade when stored in shoe boxes or other containers. It doesn't matter where they're made...the materials most companies use just aren't of the same quality as years ago. Some of that is due to technology changing, some of it due to costs. All those sneaker heads who buy up expensive tennis shoes and keep them stored in the boxes they came in, are in for a rude surprise a couple of years down the road. But then NOTHING is made to the same quality standards as years go. Refrigerators used to be built to last 30+ years. Now you're lucky to get 7-10 years out of them!
Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.
~ Ian Maclaren