A good pair of shoes is an investment. Whether you have treated yourself to a smart leather boot or a comfortable everyday walker, it makes sense to keep them looking their best for as long as possible. That is exactly what our new IMBOX shoe protection service is designed to help with.
IMBOX is a professional shoe protection service, available in footwear and outdoor retailers worldwide. It uses a patented, Danish-engineered machine to coat your footwear in a protective shield — one that is invisible once applied and takes less than 60 seconds to do.
The treatment is designed to protect your shoes from the kind of everyday damage that is hard to avoid, such as water, dirt, salt and sun exposure. Think of it as a reliable layer of defence between your shoes and whatever the day throws at them.
The IMBOX machine applies a fine, even coating to the outside of your shoes, bonding to the surface of the material to create a barrier that repels the elements.
Water — rain and wet conditions bead off rather than soaking into the material.
Dirt — mud and surface grime are far less likely to take hold.
Salt — particularly relevant near the coast, where salt exposure can cause real damage to footwear.
Sun damage — UV exposure can fade and dry out shoe materials over time; the treatment helps guard against this.
The most common feedback on IMBOX protection for shoes is how little it changes about the shoe itself, while making a noticeable difference to how the shoe copes with everyday wear.
Shoes are exposed to a surprising amount of wear from the outside, not just from walking, but from weather, salt air and sun. Most people do not think about protecting their shoes until the damage is already done: a watermark on suede, a salt tide mark on leather, or fading on a favourite pair.
Whether IMBOX protection is worth it comes down to how much you want to extend the life and appearance of your shoes for a low, one-off cost. A single treatment, applied before you have even worn your shoes, can make a significant difference to how well they hold up over time — which is why it is worth considering for any pair you plan to wear regularly, not just your best shoes.
IMBOX works on the vast majority of shoe materials, making it suitable for a wide range of our footwear. If you are browsing our collections, look out for the IMBOX option in your basket when the product is added to see whether it is available for that style.
There are two exceptions, styles where the treatment is not compatible with the material:
Patent leather: Patent leather has a high-gloss lacquered surface that is non-porous by nature. Because the IMBOX coating needs to bond with the material, it simply cannot penetrate or adhere to that sealed finish the way it would on leather, suede or fabric.
Rubber boots: Rubber is a naturally waterproof, non-absorbent material, which means it has no surface porosity for the treatment to bond to. As rubber boots are already built to repel water and mud, the IMBOX coating would not be able to take hold or add any meaningful protection.
Outside of these, you will have the option to add IMBOX to a wide range of styles across shoes, boots and accessories.
IMBOX is not a replacement for everyday shoe care, but it is one of the simplest additions to it. Pairing the treatment with basic habits — wiping shoes down after wet or muddy wear, storing them away from direct sun, and reapplying IMBOX to new pairs as you buy them — is the easiest way to keep your whole shoe collection looking its best for longer.
There are two easy ways to get your Peter Sheppard shoes treated with IMBOX:
In-store: Visit any Peter Sheppard Footwear store and ask a member of the team about IMBOX. The treatment takes less than 60 seconds and can be applied while you wait (it really is that quick).
Online: When shopping for applicable styles on our website, simply tick the IMBOX service at cart. Your shoes will be treated using the same professional IMBOX machine before being packed and shipped to you, so they arrive already protected and ready to wear. Please note, we cannot refund this service.
Good shoes deserve good care. IMBOX shoe protection is one of the easiest and most effective ways to keep yours looking better for longer, protecting against the everyday elements that cause the most damage.
At Peter Sheppard Footwear, we want your footwear to feel as good on day 100 as it did on day one. IMBOX helps make that possible. We look forward to offering this service for you in-line with our new season launch.
Leather is extremely durable when given just a little TLC. Correct care for leather shoes comes down to two main concepts: keep them clean and keep them dry. Just a few simple steps will greatly improve the longevity of your footwear leaving them looking as good as when you first bought them.
Taking the plunge and investing in shoes online can be daunting. At Peter Sheppard Footwear each pair of shoes, no matter the price tag, comes with a quality guarantee. This means that with any purchase also comes the likelihood you’ll wear them for many years to come. Below are a few handy tips that can help make this happen. From waterproofing and polishing to removing your shoes correctly, proper care is essential.