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{{short description|Product for leather care}} {{short description|Product for leather care}}
{{Redirect|Boot Polish|the 1954 Bollywood film|Boot Polish (film)}} {{Redirect|Boot Polish|the 1954 Bollywood film|Boot Polish (film)}}
{{redirect|Polish shoes|for shoes originating in Poland|National costumes of Poland}} {{redirect|Polish shoes| shoes originating in Poland|National costumes of Poland}}
{{Lead too short|date=October 2021}}
] visible at the top of the photo]] ] visible at the top of the photo]]
'''Shoe polish''' (or '''boot polish''') is a waxy ], ], or liquid used to polish, ], and ] ] ]s or ]s to extend the ]'s life and restore, maintain and improve their appearance. Shoe polishes are distinguished by their textures, which range from liquids to hard waxes. Solvent, waxes, and colorants comprise most shoe polishes.<ref name=Ullmann/> '''Shoe polish''', also known as '''boot polish''' and '''shoeshine''', is a waxy ], ], or ] that is used to polish, ], and ] ] ]s or ]s to extend the ]'s lifespan and restore its appearance. Shoe polishes are distinguished by their textures, which range from liquids to hard waxes. Solvent, waxes, and ] comprise most shoe polishes.<ref name=Ullmann/> Shoe polishes that would be recognizable today have been around since the ]. Originally made with ], they were only used to soften leather and weather proof shoes, they did not shine shoes.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Boot polish history {{!}} Blanco and Bull |url=https://www.blancoandbull.com/boot-cleaning/boot-polish-history/#:~:text=Since%20medieval%20times%20dubbin,%20made,particularly%20on%20shoes%20and%20boots. |access-date=2024-09-05 |website=www.blancoandbull.com}}</ref> However, the popularity of ] that arose during the early 1900s led to many shoe polish formulas being incorporated with a shining agent.


==Types== ==Types==
Shoe polish can be classified into three types: wax, cream-emulsion, and liquid. Each differs in detailed composition but all consist of a mixture of waxes, solvent, and dyes.<ref name=Ullmann>{{cite encyclopedia|title=Shoe Polishes|author=Peter A. Burke|encyclopedia=Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry |year=2000|publisher=Wiley-VCH|location=Weinheim|doi=10.1002/14356007.a23_575|isbn=3527306730}}</ref> Shoe polish can be classified into three types: wax, cream-emulsion, and liquid. Each differs in detailed composition, but all consist of a mixture of ], ] and often include colorants or dyes.<ref name=Ullmann>{{cite encyclopedia|title=Shoe Polishes|author=Peter A. Burke|encyclopedia=Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry |year=2000|publisher=Wiley-VCH|location=Weinheim|doi=10.1002/14356007.a23_575|isbn=3527306730}}</ref>


===Wax-based shoe polish=== ===Wax-based shoe polish===
] is a common dye in black shoe polish.]] ] is a common dye in black shoe polish.]]
]es, organic solvents and colorant (either soluble dyes or pigment) compose this type of polish. Waxes are 20–40% of the material. Natural waxes include ] and ] as well as synthetic waxes. The composition determines the hardness and polishing properties after solvent has evaporated. Solvents are selected to match the waxes. About 70% of shoe polish is solvent.{{Citation needed|date=August 2021}} A variety of solvents are used including ]. ], although more expensive, is favored for its "shoe polish odor". Dyes make up the final 2–3% of the polish. A traditional dye is ], but other dyes (including ]s) and pigments are used for oxblood, ], and brown polishes. Waxes, organic solvents, and colorant (either soluble ] or ]) compose this type of polish. Waxes are 20–40% of the material. Natural waxes used for the polish include ] and ] as well as synthetic waxes. The composition determines the hardness and polishing properties after solvent has evaporated. Solvents are selected to match the waxes. About 70% of shoe polish is solvent. A variety of solvents are used, including ]. ], although more expensive, is favored for its "shoe polish odor". Dyes make up the final 2–3% of the polish. A traditional dye is ], but other dyes (including ]s) and pigments are used for oxblood, ], and brown polishes.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=2023-08-13 |title=Shoe Polish & Waxes |url=https://prorestorers.co.uk/knowledgebase/shoe-polish-waxes/#:~:text=Shoe%20polishes%20/%20Waxes,%20are%20organic,how%20shoes%20are%20finished%20off. |access-date=2024-09-05 |website=Leather Repair Company - Leather Encyclopaedia |language=en-GB}}</ref>


Owing to its high content of volatile solvents, wax-based shoe polish hardens after application, while retaining its gloss.<ref> Health and Environment Resource Center. Accessed November 27, 2007.</ref> Poorly blended polishes are known to suffer from ], evidenced by the appearance of a white coating of ] on the polish surface.{{Citation needed|date=January 2021}} Owing to its high content of volatile solvents, wax-based shoe polish hardens after application, while retaining its gloss.<ref> Health and Environment Resource Center. Accessed November 27, 2007.</ref> Poorly blended polishes are known to suffer from ], evidenced by the appearance of a white coating of ] on the polish surface.<ref name=":1" />


===Cream-Emulsion shoe polish=== ===Cream-emulsion shoe polish===
] cream & ] polish]]

These polishes may have a gelatinous consistency. They are composed of the usual three components waxes, liquid vehicle, and dyes. Unlike wax-based shoe polishes, cream-emulsions contain water and/or oil plus a solvent (either naphtha, turpentine or Stoddard Solution), so the liquid content is high. Emulsifiers and surfactants are required. These include ammonia, ] and various ethoxylated surfactants such as ]. The waxes are often some mixture of ], ], ] and its oxidized derivatives, and paraffin waxes.{{Citation needed|date=January 2021}} These polishes may have a gelatinous consistency. They are composed of the usual three components: waxes, liquid vehicle, and dyes. Unlike wax-based shoe polishes, cream-emulsions contain water and/or oil plus a solvent (either naphtha, turpentine or ]), so the liquid content is high. Emulsifiers and surfactants are required. These include ammonia, ], and various ] surfactants such as ]. The waxes are often some mixture of ], ], ] and its oxidized derivatives, and paraffin waxes.<ref name=":1" />


===Liquid shoe polish=== ===Liquid shoe polish===
Liquid shoe polish is sold in a squeezable ], with a small sponge applicator at the end. To decrease its viscosity, bottled polish usually has a very low wax content. Liquid shoe polish is a complex mixture. Polyethylene wax emulsion is a major component. Various polymers, typically acrylates, are the next major component, conferring gloss and holding the dyes in suspension. Resins and ] are selected to ensure adhesion to the leather. Fatty phosphate esters, emulsifiers, and glycols are also used. Pigments include ] for whites and iron oxides for browns. Although liquid polish can put a fast shine on shoes, many experts warn against its long-term use because it can cause the leather to dry out and crack.{{citation needed|date=October 2021}} Liquid shoe polish is sold in a squeezable ], with a small sponge applicator at the end. To decrease its viscosity, bottled polish usually has a very low wax content. Liquid shoe polish is a complex mixture. Polyethylene wax emulsion is a major component. Various polymers, typically acrylates, are the next major component, conferring gloss and holding the dyes in suspension. Resins and ] are selected to ensure adhesion to the leather. Fatty phosphate esters, emulsifiers, and glycols are also used. Pigments include ] for whites and iron oxides for browns. Although liquid polish can put a fast shine on shoes, many experts warn against its long-term use because it can cause the leather to dry out and crack.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Guy |first=Derek |date=2017-08-31 |title=Should You Use Cream or Wax Polish for Shoes? |url=https://putthison.com/should-you-use-cream-or-wax-polish-for-shoes/ |access-date=2024-09-05 |website=Put This On |language=en-US}}</ref>


==Manufacture== ==Manufacture==
] ]
The process for producing shoe polish is straightforward and the required equipment is relatively easy to acquire. The cost of establishing shoe polish manufacturing facilities has been estimated at around ]600,000 (as of 2005).<ref name=CompComm326c6/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://nerdatabank.nic.in/techshoe.htm|title=Northeast India Database: Shoe Polish|publisher=National Informatics Centre, Assam, North Eastern Development Finance Corporation Ltd|access-date=November 27, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930025238/http://nerdatabank.nic.in/techshoe.htm|archive-date =2007-09-30|url-status=dead}}</ref> The process for producing shoe polish is very straightforward and the required equipment is relatively easy to acquire. The cost of establishing shoe polish manufacturing facilities has been estimated at ]600,000 (as of 2005).<ref name=CompComm326c6/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://nerdatabank.nic.in/techshoe.htm|title=Northeast India Database: Shoe Polish|publisher=National Informatics Centre, Assam, North Eastern Development Finance Corporation Ltd|access-date=November 27, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930025238/http://nerdatabank.nic.in/techshoe.htm|archive-date =2007-09-30|url-status=dead}}</ref>


Shoe polish is manufactured in large, thermostated, stirred reactors. Steps are taken to ensure that volatile solvents do not evaporate. Typically, low-melting paraffin wax is melted, followed by the higher melting waxes, and finally the colorant-stearate mixture. The molten mass is added to warm solvent before being dispensed. Wax-based shoe polish is traditionally packaged in flat, round, 60-gram (2-ounce) ], usually with an easy-open facility. The traditional flat, round tins have since become synonymous with shoe polishes. When dried due to solvent loss or other reasons, the hardened wax pulls away from the walls of the container giving what is known as a "rattler".<ref name=Ullmann/> Shoe polish is manufactured in large, thermo-stated, stirred reactors. Steps are taken to ensure that volatile solvents do not evaporate. Typically, low-melting paraffin wax is melted, followed by the higher melting waxes, and finally the colorant-stearate mixture. The molten mass is added to warm solvent before being dispensed. Wax-based shoe polish is traditionally packaged in flat, round, 60-gram (2-ounce) ], usually with an easy-open facility. The traditional flat, round tins have since become synonymous with shoe polishes. When dried due to solvent loss or other reasons, the hardened wax pulls away from the walls of the container, giving what is known as a "rattler".<ref name=Ullmann/>


==History== ==History==
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===Before the twentieth century=== ===Before the twentieth century===
]]] ]]]
Treating footwear to soften, waterproof, protect, and extend its lifespan is an ancient tradition as ] and ]. Ancient peoples would use natural waxes, animal fats, and plant-based oils based on their availability to achieve their desired effects. However, these treatments were not generally meant to shine the shoe.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Deveroux |first=Jess |date=10 August 2023 |title=Dive into Dryness: The Evolution of Waterproof Work Boots Through History |url=https://en.wikipedia.org/search/?title=Shoe_polish&veaction=edit&editingStatsId=4d6oad63ok5ns6hsej5i0i7j795dc59f&editingStatsOversample=1&gesuggestededit=1 |website=The Medium}}</ref>
⚫ From medieval times, ], a waxy product, was used to soften and waterproof leather; but it did not impart shine. It was made from natural ], ], ] and ]. As leather with a high natural veneer became popular in the 18th century, a high glossy finish became important, particularly on shoes and boots. In most cases, homemade polishes were used to provide this finish, often with ] or ] as a base.{{Citation needed|date=January 2021}}

⚫ In the ], ], a product of wax, was often used to soften and waterproof leather; but it did not impart shine. It was made from natural ], ], ], and ]. As leather with a high natural veneer became popular in the 18th century, a high glossy finish became important, particularly on shoes and boots. In most cases, homemade polishes were used to provide this finish, often with ] or ] as a base.<ref name=":0" />
] ]
In the late 18th and early 19th century many forms of shoe polish became available, yet were rarely referred to as ''shoe polish'' or ''boot polish''. Instead, they were often called ''blacking'', especially when mixed with ], or still were referred to as dubbin. Tallow, an animal by-product, was used to manufacture a simple form of shoe polish at this time. ], where 82% of the processed meat consumed in the United States was processed in the ], became a major shoe polish producing area.<ref> {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070404092653/http://www.chicagohs.org/history/stockyard/stock2.html |date=2007-04-04 }} Chicago Historical Society. Accessed November 27, 2007.</ref> In the late 18th and early 19th century, many forms of shoe polish became available, yet were rarely referred to as ''shoe polish'' or ''boot polish''. Instead, they were often called ''blacking'', especially when mixed with ], or still were referred to as dubbin. Tallow, an animal by-product, was used to manufacture a simple form of shoe polish at this time. In ], where 82% of the processed meat consumed in the United States was processed ], became a major shoe polish producing area.<ref> {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070404092653/http://www.chicagohs.org/history/stockyard/stock2.html |date=2007-04-04 }} Chicago Historical Society. Accessed November 27, 2007.</ref>


In ] the Warren brothers, Thomas and Jonathan, started making blacking around 1795–98, initially in partnership and then with competing companies. Jonathan Warren's Blacking company is noted as the first employer of the young ] aged 12 in 1823.<ref>''Charles Dickens and the Blacking Factory'' by Michael Allen. 2011 {{ISBN|9781463687908}}</ref> The competitor to the Warren companies in London is the ] & Martin company formed in 1801.<ref></ref> Thomas and Jonathan Warren started making blacking around 1795–98 in ], initially in partnership with, and then competing against other companies. Jonathan Warren's Blacking company is noted as the first employer of ], aged 12 in 1823.<ref>''Charles Dickens and the Blacking Factory'' by Michael Allen. 2011 {{ISBN|9781463687908}}</ref> The Warren company's chief competitor was the ] company formed in 1801.<ref>, ''Grace's Guide'']</ref>


Details of the operation of Day & Martin{{who|date=October 2021}} in 1842 reveal that the blacking they produced was in two forms, bottled liquid, and a thick paste which was available in either small wide-mouthed stone tubs, slabs wrapped in oiled paper, or in "circular tin-boxes, about three inches in diameter, and half or three-quarters of an inch thick". Tinned blacking paste was at this time exclusively for army use. The text states, "Yet, as the soldier’s boots or shoes must to some extent emulate the brightness and glitter of the boots of those who pay for battles instead of fighting them, a portable blacking apparatus is provided."{{cite this quote|date=October 2021}} This confirms the tins as polish rather than dubbin.{{Citation needed|date=January 2021}} Details of the operation of Day & Martin in 1842 reveal that the blacking they produced was in two forms, bottled liquid, and a thick paste which was available in either small wide-mouthed stone tubs, slabs wrapped in oiled paper, or in "circular tin-boxes, about three inches in diameter, and half or three-quarters of an inch thick.". Tinned blacking paste was at this time exclusively for army use: " a bottle of liquid blacking would be rather a burden yet, as the soldier’s boots or shoes must to some extent emulate the brightness and glitter of the boots of those who pay for battles instead of fighting them, a portable blacking apparatus is provided.".<ref name=Knight>{{cite book |editor1-last=Knight |editor1-first=Charles |editor1-link=Charles Knight (publisher) |title=The Penny Magazine |date=December 1842 |publisher=Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge |location=London |page=512|volume=2}}</ref>


In 1832, James S. Mason of Philadelphia began the commercial production of shoe blacking and inks. In 1851, James S. Mason & Co. constructed a building at 138/140 Front St. where ultimately ten million boxes were produced annually, to hold tins of blacking produced by two hundred employees. Later, tins of blacking were labeled as Mason Shoe Polish. This business ceased operation in 1919 and the building was razed in 1973.<ref>''Philadelphia and Its Manufacturers: A Hand-book of the Great Manufactories and Representative Mercantile House of Philadelphia 1867'', Edwin Troxwell Freedley, Edward Young & Co, Philadelphia, 1867</ref><ref> Accessed June 11, 2015{{Dead link|date=October 2021}}</ref> In 1832, James S. Mason of ] began the commercial production of shoe blacking and inks. In 1851, James S. Mason & Co. constructed a building where 200 employees would produce 10 million boxes to hold blacking product tins annually. The tins would eventually be labeled, Mason Shoe Polish. This business shuttered in 1919 and the building was razed in 1973.<ref>''Philadelphia and Its Manufacturers: A Hand-book of the Great Manufactories and Representative Mercantile House of Philadelphia 1867'', Edwin Troxwell Freedley, Edward Young & Co, Philadelphia, 1867</ref><ref> Accessed June 11, 2015 {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180113065515/http://www.susina.org/the%20Masons.html |date=January 13, 2018 }}</ref>


In 1851, the ] brand ''Punch'' was introduced as another leather preserving product.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2008-05-01 |title=William Ramsay |url=http://www.whitehat.com.au/Melbourne/People/Ramsay.asp |access-date=2024-09-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080501155547/http://www.whitehat.com.au/Melbourne/People/Ramsay.asp |archive-date=2008-05-01 }}</ref>
⚫ Other early leather preserving products included the Irish brand ''Punch'', which was first made in 1851. In 1889, an English man by the name of William Edward Wren, started making shoe polishes and ] under the brand name ]. In just 3 years, he won the “First in the Field – First Award Leather Trades Exhibition 1892″ award which was awarded by the Leather Trades Exhibition held in Northampton, the centre of Britain’s boot making industry. This signified the importance and prestige of the exhibition in the trade and was a recognition of ] quality. In 1890 the Kroner Brothers established EOS, a shoe polish factory in Berlin, which serviced the Prussian military. It finally closed in 1934 when the Nazis forbade Jews to operate a business.<ref>Adressbücher, Center for Berlin Studies, Berlin, 1890: Gebrüder Kroner, Chemische Fbrk., Zintern, Lade, chem. Präper. Fette, S. Annenstr. 14 Pt. Inh. Hugo u. Siegfried Kroner (Translation: Kroner Brothers, Chemical Factory, Polish, …chemical preparations, fat, South Annenstraße 14, parterre, owners Hugo and Siegfried Kroner. Addresses listed in the phone books include: 1890-92 EOS:Annenstraße 14, 1893-
⚫ EOS:Hagelberger Straße 6 Parterre (ground floor),1902-09EOS: Alexandrinenstraße 119, 120,
1911-34 EOS: Warschauer Straße 31-36</ref> The German brand, ], went on sale in 1901.


In 1889, William Edward Wren, started making shoe polishes and ] in ] under the brand name ]. The company was awarded the First in the Field – First Award at the 1892 Leather Trades Exhibition in ]. A 1947 advertisement for ] would claim that William Wren originated the first wax polish in 1889. The advertisement was endorsed with the Royal Warrant, giving the claim creditability.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Press advertisement: Wren's shoe polish {{!}} Details |url=http://www.hatads.org.uk/catalogue/record/f225c1ee-0a5f-46e5-ae03-47e6c4743228 |access-date=2015-12-06 |website=www.hatads.org.uk}}</ref>
Prior to 1906, shoe polish was not well known as a purchasable product, nor was it particularly sophisticated. While sales were not especially high, a few brands, like ''Nugget'', were available in the UK during the 19th century. The practice of shining people’s shoes gradually caught on and soon many ] in city streets were offering shoe shines using a basic form of shoe polish along with a polishing cloth.{{citation needed|date=October 2021}}

⚫ In 1890, the Kroner Brothers established EOS a shoe polish factory in Berlin that serviced the Prussian military. It was closed in 1934 when the Nazis forbade Jews to operate a business.<ref>Adressbücher, Center for Berlin Studies, Berlin, 1890: Gebrüder Kroner, Chemische Fbrk., Zintern, Lade, chem. Präper. Fette, S. Annenstr. 14 Pt. Inh. Hugo u. Siegfried Kroner (Translation: Kroner Brothers, Chemical Factory, Polish, …chemical preparations, fat, South Annenstraße 14, parterre, owners Hugo and Siegfried Kroner. Addresses listed in the phone books include: 1890-92 EOS:Annenstraße 14, 1893-
⚫ EOS:Hagelberger Straße 6 Parterre (ground floor),1902-09EOS: Alexandrinenstraße 119, 120,
1911-34 EOS: Warschauer Straße 31-36</ref>


===Modern polish=== ===Modern polish===
].]] ].]]
The first shoe polishes aimed primarily at inducing shine were the British and British Commonwealth brands like Cherry Blossom, ], and ].
The first shoe polish to resemble the modern varieties (aimed primarily at inducing shine) were the British and British Commonwealth brands like Cherry Blossom, ], and ]. An advertisement published in March 1947 by ] claimed that William Wren originated the first wax polish in 1889. As the advertisement was endorsed with the Royal Warrant, its claim would be deemed creditable.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Press advertisement: Wren's shoe polish {{!}} Details|url = http://www.hatads.org.uk/catalogue/record/f225c1ee-0a5f-46e5-ae03-47e6c4743228|website = www.hatads.org.uk|access-date = 2015-12-06}}</ref> However, the most well known brand was ]; Scottish ]s William Ramsay and Hamilton McKellan began making "boot polish" in a small factory in 1904 in ], Australia.<ref> White Hat Tours (February 22, 2004). Internet archive version. Accessed November 11, 2007.</ref> Their formula was a major improvement on previous brands. It preserved shoe leather, made it shine, and restored colour. By the time Kiwi Dark Tan was released in 1908, it incorporated agents that added suppleness and water resistance. Black and a range of colors became available, and exports to Britain, continental Europe, and New Zealand began, although the polish is now made in the Far East. Previously owned by the ] since 1984, Kiwi was sold in 2011 to ].{{ref|scjohnson}}


Ramsay named the shoe polish after the ], the ] of ]; Ramsay's wife, Annie Elizabeth Meek Ramsay, was a native of ], New Zealand.<ref> {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051227214830/http://www.kiwiphile.org/sep2000.html |date=2005-12-27 }} Kiwiphile, Volume XIII, No. 1, September 2000. Accessed November 27, 2007.</ref> It has been suggested that, at a time when several symbols were weakly associated with New Zealand, the eventual spread of Kiwi shoe polish around the world enhanced the kiwi's popular appeal and promoted it at the expense of the others.<ref name="aus"> {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720101324/http://www.ipaustralia.gov.au/centenary/pdf/Chapter_3.pdf |date=2011-07-20 }} (PDF). Australian Government, chapter 3 (iv) 2004-01-22, p. 7. Accessed November 28, 2007.</ref> While the oldest brand is believed to be Wren's, Kiwi is arguably the best known. Scottish ]s William Ramsay and Hamilton McKellan began making "boot polish" in a small factory in 1904 in ], Australia.<ref> White Hat Tours (February 22, 2004). Internet archive version. Accessed November 11, 2007.</ref> Their formula was a major improvement on previous brands as it preserved shoe leather, shined, and restored colour. Ramsay named the shoe polish after the ], the ] of ]; Ramsay's wife, Annie Elizabeth Meek Ramsay, was a native of ], New Zealand.<ref> {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051227214830/http://www.kiwiphile.org/sep2000.html |date=2005-12-27 }} Kiwiphile, Volume XIII, No. 1, September 2000. Accessed November 27, 2007.</ref> It has been suggested that, at a time when several symbols were weakly associated with New Zealand, the eventual spread of Kiwi shoe polish around the world enhanced the kiwi's popular appeal and promoted it at the expense of the others.<ref name="aus"> {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720101324/http://www.ipaustralia.gov.au/centenary/pdf/Chapter_3.pdf |date=2011-07-20 }} (PDF). Australian Government, chapter 3 (iv) 2004-01-22, p. 7. Accessed November 28, 2007.</ref> Kiwi Dark Tan's release in 1908 incorporated agents that also added suppleness and water resistance. As black and a range of colors came available, exports to Britain, continental Europe, and New Zealand began. The polish is now made in the Asia. The ] took ownership of the brand in 1984 until it was sold to ], in 2011.{{ref|scjohnson}}


A rival brand in the early years was ''Cobra Boot Polish'', based in ]. Cobra was noted for a series of cartoon advertisements in '']'', starting in 1909, using a character called "Chunder Loo of Akim Foo." ''Chunder'' is Australian ] for ], and possibly originated through the ] of ''Chunder Loo'' and spew (another ] word for vomit).<ref>Dodd, Robert. Take Our Word For It, Issue 173, p. 4. Accessed November 27, 2007.</ref> A Kiwi brand rival in the early years was Cobra Boot Polish, based in ], ]. Cobra was noted for a series of cartoon advertisements starting in 1909 in ''].'' They featured a character named "Chunder Loo of Akim Foo." It is believed the Australian ] word for vomiting, ''"'']'',"'' could have originated through the ] of ''"''Chunder Loo''"'' and "]," another slang word for vomit.<ref>Dodd, Robert. Take Our Word For It, Issue 173, p. 4. Accessed November 27, 2007.</ref>


===Surge in popularity=== ===Surge in popularity===
] shoe polish of the 1960s or 1970s: two different versions of Cherry Blossom and a version of ]]] ] shoe polish of the 1960s or 1970s: two different versions of Cherry Blossom and a version of ]]]
At the end of the 19th century, leather shoes and boots became affordable to the masses, and with the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the demand for large numbers of polished army boots led to a need in the ] for a product that would allow boots to be polished quickly, efficiently and easily. The polish was also used to shine leather ], handgun ]s, and ]. This demand led to a rapid increase in the sales of shoe and boot polish. The popularity of Kiwi shoe polish spread throughout the ] and the United States. Rival brands began to emerge, including ] and Cavalier (United States), Cherry Blossom (United Kingdom), Parwa (India), Jean Bart (France), and many others.{{Vague|date=October 2021}} Advertising became more prominent; many shoe polish brands used fictional figures or historical characters to spread awareness of their products. In the German documentary of 1927 '']'', a scene focuses on shoe shining with a polish called Nigrin sporting the face of a black person.<ref name="berlin">{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/BerlinSymphonyofaGreatCity|title=Berlin: Symphony of a Great City (full video)|year=1927|publisher=Internet Archive|access-date=11 June 2018}}</ref> Shoe manufacturing improvements in the mid-19th century as part of the ] allowed for factories to produce large numbers of shoes made of leather, and later ] materials. This increase in leather shoe production continued well into the 20th century and led to a surge in the number of retail shoe stores in the industrialized world, and a subsequent call for shoe polish by footwear consumers.<ref>{{Citation |last=Blewett |first=Mary H. |title=We Will Rise in Our Might |chapter=Introduction: The Industrialization of Shoe Production in Nineteenth-Century New England |date=2019-01-24 |pages=1–20 |chapter-url=https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.7591/9781501733437-003/pdf?licenseType=restricted |access-date=2024-09-05 |publisher=Cornell University Press |language=en |doi=10.7591/9781501733437-003 |isbn=978-1-5017-3343-7}}</ref> The outbreak of ] in 1914, with its high demand for large numbers of polished military boots, surged ] for a product that would allow boots to be polished quickly and easily. Polish also started to be used on leather ], ]s, and ], further increasing the demand. Used by Australian troops during WWI, Kiwi shoe polish spread throughout the ] and the United States. Its spread invited rival brands such as ] and Cavalier (United States), Cherry Blossom (United Kingdom), Parwa (India), Jean Bart (France), and others.


Advertising became more prominent; many shoe polish brands used fictional figures or historical characters for their branding. The 1927 German documentary '']'', has a scene focuses on shoe shining with a polish called Nigrin, which sports the face of a black person.<ref name="berlin">{{cite web|url=https://archive.org/details/BerlinSymphonyofaGreatCity|title=Berlin: Symphony of a Great City (full video)|year=1927|publisher=Internet Archive|access-date=11 June 2018}}</ref>
]
Shoe manufacturing improvements in the mid-19th century allowed for factories to produce large numbers of shoes made of leather, and later synthetic materials. This increase in leather shoe production continued well into the 20th century and led to a surge in the number of retail shoe stores in the industrialized world, and subsequently a call for shoe polish by footwear consumers.{{Citation needed|date=January 2021}}


Shoe polish was to be found just about everywhere ] troops ventured.<ref>. Accessed November 28, 2007</ref> American ] Walter Graeber wrote for '']'' magazine from the ] trenches in 1942 that "old tins of British-made Kiwi polish lay side by side with empty bottles of Chianti."<ref> {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051227214830/http://www.kiwiphile.org/sep2000.html |date=2005-12-27 }}, Kiwiphile Magazine, September 2000. Accessed November 28, 2007.</ref> A story indicative of the rise in global significance of shoe polish is told by Jean (Gertrude) Williams, a New Zealander who lived in Japan during the Allied occupation straight after World War II. American soldiers were then finding the dullness of their boots and shoes to be a handicap when trying to win the affections of Japanese women.<ref name="aus"/> U.S. military footwear of the time was produced in brown leather with the rough side out. ]Shoe polish remained an essential item by ] and was found just about everywhere ] troops ventured.<ref>. Accessed November 28, 2007</ref> American ] Walter Graeber wrote for '']'' magazine from the ] trenches in 1942 that "old tins of British-made Kiwi polish lay side by side with empty bottles of ]."<ref> {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051227214830/http://www.kiwiphile.org/sep2000.html |date=2005-12-27 }}, Kiwiphile Magazine, September 2000. Accessed November 28, 2007.</ref> A story indicative of the rise in global significance of shoe polish is told by Jean (Gertrude) Williams, a New Zealander who lived in ] during the ]. They explained that American soldiers were then finding the dullness of their boots and shoes to be a handicap when trying to win the affections of Japanese women.<ref name="aus" /> U.S. military footwear of the time was produced in brown leather with the rough side out.


<blockquote>When the British Commonwealth Occupation Forces arrived in Japan—all with boots polished to a degree not known in the U.S. forces—the ] were more conscious than ever of their feet. The secret was found to rest not only in spit and polish, but in the superior Australian boot polish, a commodity which was soon exchanged with the Americans on a fluctuating basis of so many packets of cigarettes for one can of Kiwi boot polish.{{Citation needed|date=January 2021}}</blockquote> <blockquote>When the British Commonwealth Occupation Forces arrived in Japan—all with boots polished to a degree not known in the U.S. forces—the ] were more conscious than ever of their feet. The secret was found to rest not only in spit and polish, but in the superior Australian boot polish, a commodity which was soon exchanged with the Americans on a fluctuating basis of so many packets of cigarettes for one can of Kiwi boot polish.<ref name="aus" /> </blockquote>


Soldiers returning from the war continued to use the product, leading to a further surge in its popularity. While Kiwi shoe polish was what business historian ] would call a "first mover", Kiwi did not open a manufacturing plant in the US until after World War II.<ref name="demeilo">{{cite book|last=DeMeilo|first=Margot|title=Feet and Footwear: A Cultural Encyclopedia|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LKTACQAAQBAJ|edition=Illustrated|year=2009|publisher=]|isbn=9780313357152|page=282}}</ref> Prior to this, Cavalier Shoe Polish, founded by James Lobell, had operated in the US since 1913. The sales paradigm of Cavalier polish was to have footwear professionals sell Cavalier's high-end shoe polish to the shoe-buying public. A few years after World War II, Kiwi opened a manufacturing plant in ], making only black, brown, and neutral shoe polish in tins.<ref name="orlando">{{cite web|url=http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1990-03-11/business/9003093158_1_new-zealand-kiwi-kiwi-brands-parade-gloss|title=Kiwi Polishes Up Its Line Of Products|date=11 March 1990|publisher=]|access-date=11 June 2018}}</ref> Kiwi purchased Cavalier in 1961, and continued to manufacture products under the name until the year 2000.<ref name="ecu">{{cite web|url=https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/special/ead/findingaids/1315|title=Steven Anthony Hill Collection Guide|publisher=]|access-date=11 June 2018}}</ref> Soldiers returning from the war continued to use the product, leading to a further surge in its popularity. While Kiwi shoe polish was what business historian ] would call a "first mover", Kiwi did not open a manufacturing plant in the US until after World War II.<ref name="demeilo">{{cite book|last=DeMeilo|first=Margot|title=Feet and Footwear: A Cultural Encyclopedia|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LKTACQAAQBAJ|edition=Illustrated|year=2009|publisher=]|isbn=9780313357152|page=282}}</ref> Prior to this, Cavalier Shoe Polish, founded by James Lobell, had operated in the US since 1913. The sales paradigm of Cavalier polish was to have footwear professionals sell Cavalier's high-end shoe polish to the shoe-buying public. A few years after World War II, Kiwi opened a manufacturing plant in ], making only black, brown, and neutral shoe polish in tins.<ref name="orlando">{{cite web|url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/1990/03/11/kiwi-polishes-up-its-line-of-products/|title=Kiwi Polishes Up Its Line Of Products|date=11 March 1990|publisher=]|access-date=11 June 2018}}</ref> Kiwi purchased Cavalier in 1961, and continued to manufacture products under the name until the year 2000.<ref name="ecu">{{cite web|url=https://digital.lib.ecu.edu/special/ead/findingaids/1315|title=Steven Anthony Hill Collection Guide|publisher=]|access-date=11 June 2018}}</ref>

⚫ ===Modern day===
⚫ Shoe polish products are low-value items that are infrequently purchased, as a single can might last several months for even the most frequent user. Consumer demand is ] and largely insensitive to price change, while sales volumes are generally low. In the shoe polish market as a whole, some 26% of turnover is accounted for by pastes, 24% by creams, 23% by aerosols, and 13% by liquids.<ref name=CompComm326c6/> In recent years, the demand for shoe polish products has either been static or declined; one reason is the gradual replacement of formal footwear with ] for everyday use.{{Citation needed|date=January 2021}}

⚫ There are numerous branded products available, as well as generic ]s. There are two chief areas of shoe polish sales: to the general public, and to specialists and trade, such as shoe repairers, and ]. The sales percentages between the two outlets are roughly comparable.<ref name=CCSaraLee> {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051217125039/http://www.competition-commission.org.uk/rep_pub/reports/1992/326saralee.htm |date=2005-12-17 }} UK Competition Commission (1992). Accessed on November 27, 2007.</ref> The best selling, low-cost brands are produced by these companies: Kiwi, Griffin, Tana, and Johnson, and Reckitt & Colman. Approximately 60 million units are sold annually.<ref name=Ullmann/> Other leading brands include Kelly's, ], Lincoln Shoe Polish, Meltonian, Angelus, Woly, Salamander, Collonil and Cherry Blossom.<ref name=CompComm326c6/>

⚫ Kiwi was acquired by the American company ] following its purchase of Reckitt and Colman in 1991 and Knomark with its brand ] in 1987.<ref name=CompComm326c6/><ref name=CCSaraLee/> The ] ruled that Sara Lee had to divest its ownership of these companies in 1994 to prevent it from becoming a ]. Since this ruling, Sara Lee has been prevented from acquiring any further assets or firms associated with chemical shoe care products in the United States without prior approval.<ref> (PDF). Federal Trade Commission (1994). Accessed November 27, 2007.</ref> The ] in the United Kingdom investigated the potential monopoly of Sara Lee in the shoe care industry.<ref name=CCSaraLee/><ref>{{cite press release|url=http://www.usdoj.gov/atr/public/press_releases/1996/0521.htm|title=Sara Lee Will Pay Record $3.1 Million Civil Penalty for Violating Antitrust Premerger Notification Requirements|date=February 6, 1996|publisher=US Department of Justice|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080208205605/http://www.usdoj.gov/atr/public/press_releases/1996/0521.htm|archive-date=February 8, 2008}}. Accessed November 27, 2007</ref>

In recent years,{{when|date=October 2021}} there has been a rise in popularity of high-end shoe polishes, such as Saphir made by Avel and Boot Black made by Columbus.{{Citation needed|date=January 2021}}


⚫ Kiwi was acquired by the American company ] following its purchase of Reckitt and Colman in 1991 and Knomark with its brand ] in 1987.<ref name="CompComm326c6" /><ref name="CCSaraLee" /> The ] ruled that Sara Lee had to divest its ownership of these companies in 1994 to prevent it from becoming a ]. Since this ruling, Sara Lee has been prevented from acquiring any further assets or firms associated with chemical shoe care products in the United States without prior approval.<ref> (PDF). Federal Trade Commission (1994). Accessed November 27, 2007.</ref> The ] in the United Kingdom investigated the potential monopoly of Sara Lee in the shoe care industry.<ref name="CCSaraLee" /><ref>{{cite press release |title=Sara Lee Will Pay Record $3.1 Million Civil Penalty for Violating Antitrust Premerger Notification Requirements |date=February 6, 1996 |publisher=US Department of Justice |url=http://www.usdoj.gov/atr/public/press_releases/1996/0521.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080208205605/http://www.usdoj.gov/atr/public/press_releases/1996/0521.htm |archive-date=February 8, 2008}}. Accessed November 27, 2007</ref>
<gallery> <gallery>
File:K&M Candles Brockholes UK, 1972 (RLH), KIWI Shoe Polish Canning Machine 01.jpg|KIWI Shoe Polish canning machine in 1972 – empty tins being loaded File:K&M Candles Brockholes UK, 1972 (RLH), KIWI Shoe Polish Canning Machine 01.jpg|KIWI Shoe Polish canning machine in 1972 – empty tins being loaded
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File:K&M Candles Brockholes UK, 1972 (RLH), KIWI Shoe Polish Warehouse Storage.jpg|1972, KIWI Shoe Polish Warehouse Storage, at K&M Candle & shoe Polish Factory, ], ] File:K&M Candles Brockholes UK, 1972 (RLH), KIWI Shoe Polish Warehouse Storage.jpg|1972, KIWI Shoe Polish Warehouse Storage, at K&M Candle & shoe Polish Factory, ], ]
</gallery> </gallery>
⚫ ===Modern day===
⚫ Shoe polish products are low-value items that are infrequently purchased, as a single can might last several months for even the most frequent user. Consumer demand is ] and largely insensitive to price change, while sales volumes are generally low. In the shoe polish market as a whole, some 26% of turnover is accounted for by pastes, 24% by creams, 23% by aerosols, and 13% by liquids.<ref name=CompComm326c6/> The demand for shoe polish products has either been static or declined from its mid-century heights, one reason is the gradual replacement of formal footwear with a variety of other options.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-03-02 |title=Shoe polish stands begin to vanish, lose their shine |url=https://apnews.com/article/small-business-shoeshine-new-york-48f322dbce95a1408cc75b1d9f2b92e1 |access-date=2024-09-05 |website=AP News |language=en}}</ref>

⚫ There are numerous branded products available, as well as generic ]s. There are two chief areas of shoe polish sales: to the public, and to specialists and trade, such as shoe repairers, and ]. The sales percentages between the two outlets are roughly comparable.<ref name=CCSaraLee>{{usurped|1=}} UK Competition Commission (1992). Accessed on November 27, 2007.</ref> The best-selling, low-cost brands are produced by these companies: Kiwi, Griffin, Tana, and Johnson, and Reckitt & Colman. Approximately 60 million units are sold annually.<ref name=Ullmann/> Other leading brands include Kelly's, ], Lincoln Shoe Polish, Meltonian, Angelus, Woly, Salamander, Collonil and Cherry Blossom.<ref name=CompComm326c6/>


The global shoe polish market remains in transition as market forecasters analyze future trends. There is little belief that the shoe shine markets will ever meet reach previous demand, but the overall market is expected to grow from its current levels due to rising disposable income levels, urbanization, corporate culture, fashion trends, and e-commerce growth. Specific trends, such as increased focused on personal grooming, a growing footwear industry, product innovations, and brand loyalty are acting as acting as market drivers, reinforcing growth projections provided that market restraints like: substitute products, economic downturns, environmental concerns, and health concerns, do not impact those trends.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hazel |first=Kim |date=24 June 2024 |title=Shoe Polish Market: Trends, Growth, and Future Insights |url=https://hazelkkim10.medium.com/the-global-shoe-polish-market-trends-growth-and-future-insights-9510bc156fb9https://hazelkkim10.medium.com/the-global-shoe-polish-market-trends-growth-and-future-insights-9510bc156fb9 |website=Medium}}</ref>
==Usage== ==Usage==
Shoe polish is applied to the shoe using a ], ], ], or with bare fingers. Shoe polish is not a cleaning product: it is suited for clean and dry shoes. A vigorous rubbing action to apply the polish evenly on the boot, followed by further buffing with a clean dry cloth or brush, usually provides good results. Another technique, known as ''spit-polishing'' or ], involves gently rubbing polish into the leather with a cloth and a drop of water or ]. This action achieves the mirror-like, high-gloss finish sometimes known as a ''spit shine'' or ''bull'' which is especially valued in military organizations. Despite the term, saliva is less commonly used as the vehicle or diluent with polish than is water. Polishes containing ] can be used as a protective coating to extend the life and look of a leather shoe.<ref>Morris, Theodore. "". United States Patent 3700013, FreePatentsOnline.com. Accessed February 05, 2008.</ref> Shoe polish is applied to the shoe using a ], ], ], or with bare fingers. Shoe polish is not a cleaning product, its application is for clean and dry shoes. Vigorous rubbing action is often required to apply the polish evenly to the boot, followed by further buffing with a clean dry cloth or brush. Another technique, known as "spit-polishing" or "]", involves gently rubbing polish into the leather with a cloth and a drop of water or ]. This action achieves the mirror-like, high-gloss finish sometimes known as a "spit" or "bull" shine, which is especially valued in military organizations. Despite the term, saliva is less commonly used as the vehicle or diluent with polish than is water. Polishes containing ] can be used as a protective coating to extend the life and look of a leather shoe.<ref>Morris, Theodore. "". United States Patent 3700013, FreePatentsOnline.com. Accessed February 05, 2008.</ref>


Shoe polish may be purchased pre-soaked into a hard sponge, which can be used to buff leather without needing to apply any additional polish to either the leather or the sponge. This is usually known as an ''applicator''.{{Citation needed|date=January 2021}} Many companies offer products with liquid shoe polish that is pre-soaked into a hard sponge or have a sponge attached to an applicator. These products can be used to buff leather without needing to apply any additional polish to either the leather or the sponge. These products are often marketed as "quick shine," "express shine," "instant shine," or similar branding to emphasize the ease and speed of use.<ref>{{Cite web |title=KIWI® Express Shine Sponge {{!}} KIWI® Products |url=https://www.kiwicare.com/en-us/products/kiwi-express-shine-sponge |access-date=2024-09-05 |website=www.kiwicare.com}}</ref>


==Related products== ==Related products==
Many products are closely related to shoe polish, but not strictly considered as such. Other chemical products may be used to clean and shine shoes—in particular whiteners for white shoes, and a variety of sprays and ] for cleaning and waterproofing ] shoes.<ref name=CompComm326c6> {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050302161827/http://www.competition-commission.org.uk/rep_pub/reports/1992/fulltext/326c6.pdf |date=2005-03-02 }} (PDF). UK Competition Commission (1992) - Conclusions of a report on Sara Lee and the shoe polish market in general. Accessed November 26, 2007.</ref> A banana peel can also be used to effectively shine shoes,<ref>{{cite book |title=Extraordinary Uses for Ordinary Things |year=2004 |publisher=Reader's Digest |isbn=0-7621-0705-7 |page= |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/extraordinaryuse00earn/page/77 }}</ref> but it is not recommended. Many products are closely related to shoe polish, but not strictly considered as such. Other chemical products may be used to clean and shine shoes—in particular whiteners for white shoes, and a variety of sprays and ] for cleaning and waterproofing ] shoes.<ref name=CompComm326c6>{{usurped|1=}} (PDF). UK Competition Commission (1992) - Conclusions of a report on Sara Lee and the shoe polish market in general. Accessed November 26, 2007.</ref> A banana peel can also be used to effectively shine shoes, but it is not recommended.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/extraordinaryuse00earn/page/77 |title=Extraordinary Uses for Ordinary Things |publisher=Reader's Digest |year=2004 |isbn=0-7621-0705-7 |page= |url-access=registration}}</ref>


Although shoe polish is primarily intended for leather shoes, some brands specify that it may be used on non-porous materials, such as ]. The polish is generally the same colour as the shoes it will be used upon, or it may be ''neutral'', lacking any colouring agents.{{Citation needed|date=January 2021}} Although shoe polish is primarily intended for leather shoes, some brands specify that it may be used on non-porous materials, such as ]. The polish is generally the same colour as the shoes it will be used upon, or it may be ''neutral'', lacking any colouring agents.<ref name="orlando" />


==Safety and environmental considerations== ==Safety and environmental considerations==
Exposure to shoe polish fumes can irritate the skin, eyes, and throat. Ingestion or direct exposure to eyes may require ].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Shoe polish |url=https://missouripoisoncenter.org/is-this-a-poison/shoe-polish/ |access-date=2024-09-05 |website=Missouri Poison Center |language=en-US}}</ref> Prolonged exposure, such as during shoe polish or shoe production, has an associated enhanced risk for cancer, primarily nose and nasal sinuses.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Szadkowska-Stańczyk |first1=Irena |last2=Woźniak |first2=Helena |last3=Stroszejn-Mrowca |first3=Grazyna |date=2003 |title= |url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12731407/ |journal=Medycyna Pracy |volume=54 |issue=1 |pages=67–71 |issn=0465-5893 |pmid=12731407}}</ref> However, the general health risks associated with the normal use and production of shoe polish are relatively low.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-09-20 |title=Is Shoe Polish Toxic? A Detailed Look At The Safety Of Shoe Polishes - Milk and Honey Shoes |url=https://www.milkandhoneyshoes.com/is-shoe-polish-toxic/ |access-date=2024-09-05 |language=en-US}}</ref>
{{expand-section|elaboration on what particular substances may be harmful, which specific ones have been removed, etc.|date=October 2021}}
Shoe polish is such a niche market that its environmental impact is negligible. Solvent evaporation is one issue. Dyes and pigments with "severe carcinogenic profiles"{{vague|date=October 2021}} have been removed from most formulations.<ref name=Ullmann/>


The production of shoe polish can have environmental impacts at all stages of production, with the severity dependent on the type of polish being produced and the production's waste disposal or treatment process. Most polishes are primarily solvents and dyes, both are widely regarded to have serious environmental impacts.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Welton |first=Tom |date=2015-11-08 |title=Solvents and sustainable chemistry |journal= Proceedings of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences|volume=471 |issue=2183 |pages=20150502 |doi=10.1098/rspa.2015.0502 |issn=1364-5021 |pmc=4685879 |pmid=26730217|bibcode=2015RSPSA.47150502W }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Ardila-Leal |first1=Leidy D. |last2=Poutou-Piñales |first2=Raúl A. |last3=Pedroza-Rodríguez |first3=Aura M. |last4=Quevedo-Hidalgo |first4=Balkys E. |date=2021-06-22 |title=A Brief History of Colour, the Environmental Impact of Synthetic Dyes and Removal by Using Laccases |journal=Molecules |volume=26 |issue=13 |pages=3813 |doi=10.3390/molecules26133813 |doi-access=free |issn=1420-3049 |pmc=8270347 |pmid=34206669}}</ref> Additionally, as with most chemicals, shoe polish can contaminate environments if it is not properly handled or disposed of.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=G |first1=Akinbomi J. |last2=G |first2=Obafaiye A. |last3=P |first3=Akinyemi O. |last4=L |first4=Salami |last5=J |first5=Patinvoh R. |last6=A |first6=Adesina A. |last7=A |first7=Aminu K. |date=2022-02-07 |title=Evaluation of Carbon Black Usage in Shoe Polish Production |url=https://www.ijert.org/evaluation-of-carbon-black-usage-in-shoe-polish-production |journal=International Journal of Engineering Research & Technology |language=en-US |volume=11 |issue=1 |doi=10.17577/IJERTV11IS010195 |doi-broken-date=1 November 2024 |issn=2278-0181}}</ref> However, shoe polish manufactures point out that reducing overall consumption has a more beneficial long-term impact to the environment than routinely replacing worn-out items. Arguing that shoe polish helps preserve and extend the useful life expectancy of products, requiring that they be replaced less often.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-02-15 |title=How routine Shoe care can help save the environment? |url=https://www.propremiumcare.com/how-routine-shoe-care-help-save-environment/?srsltid=AfmBOop9yJ_HiyGnUzH01M7tGoFyCxN5DsTAH1ZmEN6FCbCqFXslXkug |access-date=2024-09-05 |language=en-US}}</ref>
==See also== ==See also==
* ] * ]
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Latest revision as of 10:38, 5 December 2024

Product for leather care "Boot Polish" redirects here. For the 1954 Bollywood film, see Boot Polish (film). "Polish shoes" redirects here. For shoes originating in Poland, see National costumes of Poland.
An open can of shoe polish with a side-mounted opening mechanism visible at the top of the photo

Shoe polish, also known as boot polish and shoeshine, is a waxy paste, cream, or liquid that is used to polish, shine, and waterproof leather shoes or boots to extend the footwear's lifespan and restore its appearance. Shoe polishes are distinguished by their textures, which range from liquids to hard waxes. Solvent, waxes, and colorants comprise most shoe polishes. Shoe polishes that would be recognizable today have been around since the Middle Ages. Originally made with dubbin, they were only used to soften leather and weather proof shoes, they did not shine shoes. However, the popularity of shoe shining that arose during the early 1900s led to many shoe polish formulas being incorporated with a shining agent.

Types

Shoe polish can be classified into three types: wax, cream-emulsion, and liquid. Each differs in detailed composition, but all consist of a mixture of waxes, solvents and often include colorants or dyes.

Wax-based shoe polish

Nigrosin is a common dye in black shoe polish.

Waxes, organic solvents, and colorant (either soluble dyes or pigment) compose this type of polish. Waxes are 20–40% of the material. Natural waxes used for the polish include carnauba and montan as well as synthetic waxes. The composition determines the hardness and polishing properties after solvent has evaporated. Solvents are selected to match the waxes. About 70% of shoe polish is solvent. A variety of solvents are used, including naphtha. Turpentine, although more expensive, is favored for its "shoe polish odor". Dyes make up the final 2–3% of the polish. A traditional dye is nigrosine, but other dyes (including azo dyes) and pigments are used for oxblood, cordovan, and brown polishes.

Owing to its high content of volatile solvents, wax-based shoe polish hardens after application, while retaining its gloss. Poorly blended polishes are known to suffer from blooming, evidenced by the appearance of a white coating of stearin on the polish surface.

Cream-emulsion shoe polish

Florsheim cream & dubbin polish

These polishes may have a gelatinous consistency. They are composed of the usual three components: waxes, liquid vehicle, and dyes. Unlike wax-based shoe polishes, cream-emulsions contain water and/or oil plus a solvent (either naphtha, turpentine or Stoddard Solution), so the liquid content is high. Emulsifiers and surfactants are required. These include ammonia, morpholine, and various ethoxylated surfactants such as polysorbate 80. The waxes are often some mixture of carnauba wax, beeswax, montan wax and its oxidized derivatives, and paraffin waxes.

Liquid shoe polish

Liquid shoe polish is sold in a squeezable plastic bottle, with a small sponge applicator at the end. To decrease its viscosity, bottled polish usually has a very low wax content. Liquid shoe polish is a complex mixture. Polyethylene wax emulsion is a major component. Various polymers, typically acrylates, are the next major component, conferring gloss and holding the dyes in suspension. Resins and casein are selected to ensure adhesion to the leather. Fatty phosphate esters, emulsifiers, and glycols are also used. Pigments include titanium dioxide for whites and iron oxides for browns. Although liquid polish can put a fast shine on shoes, many experts warn against its long-term use because it can cause the leather to dry out and crack.

Manufacture

A 2-ounce tin of Lincoln Shoe Polish

The process for producing shoe polish is very straightforward and the required equipment is relatively easy to acquire. The cost of establishing shoe polish manufacturing facilities has been estimated at $600,000 (as of 2005).

Shoe polish is manufactured in large, thermo-stated, stirred reactors. Steps are taken to ensure that volatile solvents do not evaporate. Typically, low-melting paraffin wax is melted, followed by the higher melting waxes, and finally the colorant-stearate mixture. The molten mass is added to warm solvent before being dispensed. Wax-based shoe polish is traditionally packaged in flat, round, 60-gram (2-ounce) tins, usually with an easy-open facility. The traditional flat, round tins have since become synonymous with shoe polishes. When dried due to solvent loss or other reasons, the hardened wax pulls away from the walls of the container, giving what is known as a "rattler".

History

Before the twentieth century

An open can of dubbin

Treating footwear to soften, waterproof, protect, and extend its lifespan is an ancient tradition as textile and clothmaking. Ancient peoples would use natural waxes, animal fats, and plant-based oils based on their availability to achieve their desired effects. However, these treatments were not generally meant to shine the shoe.

In the Middle Ages, dubbin, a product of wax, was often used to soften and waterproof leather; but it did not impart shine. It was made from natural wax, oil, soda ash, and tallow. As leather with a high natural veneer became popular in the 18th century, a high glossy finish became important, particularly on shoes and boots. In most cases, homemade polishes were used to provide this finish, often with lanolin or beeswax as a base.

English Army Blacking from 1895

In the late 18th and early 19th century, many forms of shoe polish became available, yet were rarely referred to as shoe polish or boot polish. Instead, they were often called blacking, especially when mixed with lampblack, or still were referred to as dubbin. Tallow, an animal by-product, was used to manufacture a simple form of shoe polish at this time. In Chicago, where 82% of the processed meat consumed in the United States was processed stockyards, became a major shoe polish producing area.

Thomas and Jonathan Warren started making blacking around 1795–98 in London, initially in partnership with, and then competing against other companies. Jonathan Warren's Blacking company is noted as the first employer of Charles Dickens, aged 12 in 1823. The Warren company's chief competitor was the Day & Martin company formed in 1801.

Details of the operation of Day & Martin in 1842 reveal that the blacking they produced was in two forms, bottled liquid, and a thick paste which was available in either small wide-mouthed stone tubs, slabs wrapped in oiled paper, or in "circular tin-boxes, about three inches in diameter, and half or three-quarters of an inch thick.". Tinned blacking paste was at this time exclusively for army use: " a bottle of liquid blacking would be rather a burden yet, as the soldier’s boots or shoes must to some extent emulate the brightness and glitter of the boots of those who pay for battles instead of fighting them, a portable blacking apparatus is provided.".

In 1832, James S. Mason of Philadelphia began the commercial production of shoe blacking and inks. In 1851, James S. Mason & Co. constructed a building where 200 employees would produce 10 million boxes to hold blacking product tins annually. The tins would eventually be labeled, Mason Shoe Polish. This business shuttered in 1919 and the building was razed in 1973.

In 1851, the Irish brand Punch was introduced as another leather preserving product.

In 1889, William Edward Wren, started making shoe polishes and dubbin in England under the brand name Wren's. The company was awarded the First in the Field – First Award at the 1892 Leather Trades Exhibition in Northampton. A 1947 advertisement for Wren's would claim that William Wren originated the first wax polish in 1889. The advertisement was endorsed with the Royal Warrant, giving the claim creditability.

In 1890, the Kroner Brothers established EOS a shoe polish factory in Berlin that serviced the Prussian military. It was closed in 1934 when the Nazis forbade Jews to operate a business.

Modern polish

Payaso (clown) brand shoe polish from mid 20th-century Mexico, part of the permanent collection of the Museo del Objeto del Objeto.

The first shoe polishes aimed primarily at inducing shine were the British and British Commonwealth brands like Cherry Blossom, Kiwi, and Wren's.

While the oldest brand is believed to be Wren's, Kiwi is arguably the best known. Scottish expatriates William Ramsay and Hamilton McKellan began making "boot polish" in a small factory in 1904 in Melbourne, Australia. Their formula was a major improvement on previous brands as it preserved shoe leather, shined, and restored colour. Ramsay named the shoe polish after the kiwi, the national bird of New Zealand; Ramsay's wife, Annie Elizabeth Meek Ramsay, was a native of Oamaru, New Zealand. It has been suggested that, at a time when several symbols were weakly associated with New Zealand, the eventual spread of Kiwi shoe polish around the world enhanced the kiwi's popular appeal and promoted it at the expense of the others. Kiwi Dark Tan's release in 1908 incorporated agents that also added suppleness and water resistance. As black and a range of colors came available, exports to Britain, continental Europe, and New Zealand began. The polish is now made in the Asia. The Sara Lee Corporation took ownership of the brand in 1984 until it was sold to SC Johnson, in 2011.

A Kiwi brand rival in the early years was Cobra Boot Polish, based in Sydney, Australia. Cobra was noted for a series of cartoon advertisements starting in 1909 in The Sydney Bulletin. They featured a character named "Chunder Loo of Akim Foo." It is believed the Australian slang word for vomiting, "chunder," could have originated through the rhyming slang of "Chunder Loo" and "spew," another slang word for vomit.

Surge in popularity

Three common types of British shoe polish of the 1960s or 1970s: two different versions of Cherry Blossom and a version of Wren's

Shoe manufacturing improvements in the mid-19th century as part of the Industrial Revolution allowed for factories to produce large numbers of shoes made of leather, and later synthetic materials. This increase in leather shoe production continued well into the 20th century and led to a surge in the number of retail shoe stores in the industrialized world, and a subsequent call for shoe polish by footwear consumers. The outbreak of World War I in 1914, with its high demand for large numbers of polished military boots, surged market demand for a product that would allow boots to be polished quickly and easily. Polish also started to be used on leather belts, holsters, and horse tack, further increasing the demand. Used by Australian troops during WWI, Kiwi shoe polish spread throughout the British Commonwealth countries and the United States. Its spread invited rival brands such as Shinola and Cavalier (United States), Cherry Blossom (United Kingdom), Parwa (India), Jean Bart (France), and others.

Advertising became more prominent; many shoe polish brands used fictional figures or historical characters for their branding. The 1927 German documentary Berlin: Symphony of a Metropolis, has a scene focuses on shoe shining with a polish called Nigrin, which sports the face of a black person.

1930s British advertisement for Cherry Blossom boot polish

Shoe polish remained an essential item by World War II and was found just about everywhere Allied troops ventured. American war correspondent Walter Graeber wrote for TIME magazine from the Tobruk trenches in 1942 that "old tins of British-made Kiwi polish lay side by side with empty bottles of Chianti." A story indicative of the rise in global significance of shoe polish is told by Jean (Gertrude) Williams, a New Zealander who lived in Japan during the Allied occupation. They explained that American soldiers were then finding the dullness of their boots and shoes to be a handicap when trying to win the affections of Japanese women. U.S. military footwear of the time was produced in brown leather with the rough side out.

When the British Commonwealth Occupation Forces arrived in Japan—all with boots polished to a degree not known in the U.S. forces—the G.I.s were more conscious than ever of their feet. The secret was found to rest not only in spit and polish, but in the superior Australian boot polish, a commodity which was soon exchanged with the Americans on a fluctuating basis of so many packets of cigarettes for one can of Kiwi boot polish.

Soldiers returning from the war continued to use the product, leading to a further surge in its popularity. While Kiwi shoe polish was what business historian Alfred D. Chandler, Jr. would call a "first mover", Kiwi did not open a manufacturing plant in the US until after World War II. Prior to this, Cavalier Shoe Polish, founded by James Lobell, had operated in the US since 1913. The sales paradigm of Cavalier polish was to have footwear professionals sell Cavalier's high-end shoe polish to the shoe-buying public. A few years after World War II, Kiwi opened a manufacturing plant in Philadelphia, making only black, brown, and neutral shoe polish in tins. Kiwi purchased Cavalier in 1961, and continued to manufacture products under the name until the year 2000.

Kiwi was acquired by the American company Sara Lee following its purchase of Reckitt and Colman in 1991 and Knomark with its brand Esquire Shoe Polish in 1987. The Federal Trade Commission ruled that Sara Lee had to divest its ownership of these companies in 1994 to prevent it from becoming a monopoly. Since this ruling, Sara Lee has been prevented from acquiring any further assets or firms associated with chemical shoe care products in the United States without prior approval. The Competition Commission in the United Kingdom investigated the potential monopoly of Sara Lee in the shoe care industry.

  • KIWI Shoe Polish canning machine in 1972 – empty tins being loaded KIWI Shoe Polish canning machine in 1972 – empty tins being loaded
  • Full tins from machine Full tins from machine
  • Staff fitting lids by hand Staff fitting lids by hand
  • Staff packing cans into boxes Staff packing cans into boxes
  • 1972, KIWI Shoe Polish Warehouse Storage, at K&M Candle & shoe Polish Factory, Brockholes, West Yorkshire 1972, KIWI Shoe Polish Warehouse Storage, at K&M Candle & shoe Polish Factory, Brockholes, West Yorkshire

Modern day

Shoe polish products are low-value items that are infrequently purchased, as a single can might last several months for even the most frequent user. Consumer demand is inelastic and largely insensitive to price change, while sales volumes are generally low. In the shoe polish market as a whole, some 26% of turnover is accounted for by pastes, 24% by creams, 23% by aerosols, and 13% by liquids. The demand for shoe polish products has either been static or declined from its mid-century heights, one reason is the gradual replacement of formal footwear with a variety of other options.

There are numerous branded products available, as well as generic store brands. There are two chief areas of shoe polish sales: to the public, and to specialists and trade, such as shoe repairers, and cobblers. The sales percentages between the two outlets are roughly comparable. The best-selling, low-cost brands are produced by these companies: Kiwi, Griffin, Tana, and Johnson, and Reckitt & Colman. Approximately 60 million units are sold annually. Other leading brands include Kelly's, Shinola, Lincoln Shoe Polish, Meltonian, Angelus, Woly, Salamander, Collonil and Cherry Blossom.

The global shoe polish market remains in transition as market forecasters analyze future trends. There is little belief that the shoe shine markets will ever meet reach previous demand, but the overall market is expected to grow from its current levels due to rising disposable income levels, urbanization, corporate culture, fashion trends, and e-commerce growth. Specific trends, such as increased focused on personal grooming, a growing footwear industry, product innovations, and brand loyalty are acting as acting as market drivers, reinforcing growth projections provided that market restraints like: substitute products, economic downturns, environmental concerns, and health concerns, do not impact those trends.

Usage

Shoe polish is applied to the shoe using a rag, cloth, brush, or with bare fingers. Shoe polish is not a cleaning product, its application is for clean and dry shoes. Vigorous rubbing action is often required to apply the polish evenly to the boot, followed by further buffing with a clean dry cloth or brush. Another technique, known as "spit-polishing" or "bull polishing", involves gently rubbing polish into the leather with a cloth and a drop of water or spit. This action achieves the mirror-like, high-gloss finish sometimes known as a "spit" or "bull" shine, which is especially valued in military organizations. Despite the term, saliva is less commonly used as the vehicle or diluent with polish than is water. Polishes containing carnauba wax can be used as a protective coating to extend the life and look of a leather shoe.

Many companies offer products with liquid shoe polish that is pre-soaked into a hard sponge or have a sponge attached to an applicator. These products can be used to buff leather without needing to apply any additional polish to either the leather or the sponge. These products are often marketed as "quick shine," "express shine," "instant shine," or similar branding to emphasize the ease and speed of use.

Related products

Many products are closely related to shoe polish, but not strictly considered as such. Other chemical products may be used to clean and shine shoes—in particular whiteners for white shoes, and a variety of sprays and aerosols for cleaning and waterproofing suede shoes. A banana peel can also be used to effectively shine shoes, but it is not recommended.

Although shoe polish is primarily intended for leather shoes, some brands specify that it may be used on non-porous materials, such as vinyl. The polish is generally the same colour as the shoes it will be used upon, or it may be neutral, lacking any colouring agents.

Safety and environmental considerations

Exposure to shoe polish fumes can irritate the skin, eyes, and throat. Ingestion or direct exposure to eyes may require poison control. Prolonged exposure, such as during shoe polish or shoe production, has an associated enhanced risk for cancer, primarily nose and nasal sinuses. However, the general health risks associated with the normal use and production of shoe polish are relatively low.

The production of shoe polish can have environmental impacts at all stages of production, with the severity dependent on the type of polish being produced and the production's waste disposal or treatment process. Most polishes are primarily solvents and dyes, both are widely regarded to have serious environmental impacts. Additionally, as with most chemicals, shoe polish can contaminate environments if it is not properly handled or disposed of. However, shoe polish manufactures point out that reducing overall consumption has a more beneficial long-term impact to the environment than routinely replacing worn-out items. Arguing that shoe polish helps preserve and extend the useful life expectancy of products, requiring that they be replaced less often.

See also

References

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