Shoe polish
[3] Owing to its high content of volatile solvents, wax-based shoe polish hardens after application, while retaining its gloss.
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.
[3] Liquid shoe polish is sold in a squeezable plastic bottle, with a small sponge applicator at the end.
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.
Wax-based shoe polish is traditionally packaged in flat, round, 60-gram (2-ounce) tins, usually with an easy-open facility.
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".
Ancient peoples would use natural waxes, animal fats, and plant-based oils based on their availability to achieve their desired effects.
[11] 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.".
In 1851, James S. Mason & Co. constructed a building where 200 employees would produce 10 million boxes to hold blacking product tins annually.
[16] In 1890, the Kroner Brothers established EOS a shoe polish factory in Berlin that serviced the Prussian military.
Scottish expatriates William Ramsay and Hamilton McKellan began making "boot polish" in a small factory in 1904 in Melbourne, Australia.
[18] Their formula was a major improvement on previous brands as it preserved shoe leather, shined, and restored colour.
[1] A Kiwi brand rival in the early years was Cobra Boot Polish, based in Sydney, Australia.
Used by Australian troops during WWI, Kiwi shoe polish spread throughout the British Commonwealth countries and the United States.
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.
[23] Shoe polish remained an essential item by World War II and was found just about everywhere Allied troops ventured.
"[25] 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.
A few years after World War II, Kiwi opened a manufacturing plant in Philadelphia, making only black, brown, and neutral shoe polish in tins.
[28] 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.
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.
[30] The Competition Commission in the United Kingdom investigated the potential monopoly of Sara Lee in the shoe care industry.
[29][31] 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.
[6] 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.
[1] Other leading brands include Kelly's, Shinola, Lincoln Shoe Polish, Meltonian, Angelus, Woly, Salamander, Collonil and Cherry Blossom.
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.
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.
[42] 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.
