Clearing Up Shoe Stock

These have all been on Ebay since November/December last year and will go out for the kilo price tomorrow. It's a shame but I don't mind. All from bags placed nearby clothing bins, just on the curb, or just loose on the curbside.

Strellson smart men’s shoes. Great shape, pure leather, nice quality but not very high end brand.

Mango half open pumps. Cute, but nothing special apparently.

H&M plastic slippers. Tried really cheap, without result.

Gucci. This hurts a bit. But I think lookers may want proof of them not being counterfeit and I don't have it. Too bad before I photographed them I counted one of the shops in The Netherlnads and met the area manager for Europe, now I don't want to wait for November again. If I get scheduled for it at all. If I do I may just show him for fun and perhaps he can tell me from which year the are. Not vey recent for sure.

Converse low sneakers in condition to last for at least two more years. Fore sure any thrift shop will be more than happy.

Desigual Sofia Ankle Boots

Found beside textiles collection bin. With three more bags of clothing. Container was full, but bags were open shoppers, not suitable to put inside anyway.

All of it brought to recycle centre, but the shoes in original box, looked interesting.

However soon as I took them out to photograph I saw the damage. Still perfectly wearable of course because only on the inside, if you're ready to brush the paint flakes off your socks every time.

I can understand how they were marked down from over €500 to 119. And then still got cast away. Thought about selling for cheap but it's a no go for me. They will go with the next lot of textiles and shoes at kilo price. Hopefully some thrift shop can make someone happy with them for little.

Currently I see Desigual doesn't sell any shoes much over €150. I'm not familiar with the brand and it's not a client of my company. Maybe they learned.

H&M Boots

On Sunday two weeks ago I went on an errand outside my neighbourhood, to the closest shop only open there. Just before one of the bridges to pass I saw a pair of muddy boots neatly placed beside a garbage dump, passed by thinking bad condition but then stopped and went back for inspection after all. Turned out they were intact enough for recycling shop and my €10 cents a kilo.

But after washing they looked more then good and moreover my size and taste! Zippers and elastic parts are looking great. On top they are fairly wide in the front, giving my old sensitive toes space and I don't feel my metatarsal bones cracking.

Downside I found out when taking pictures... The hole in the sole is in the same place on both sides, so not caused by stepping into something sharp or so. It's wear from not even that much walking if you look at the good state of the upper material which is not even real leather. Now I don't know yet if they will leak in the rain and if that's why they were thrown away but I'll find out the hard way. 

We'll see later this year since for now it's barefoot sandal time on a pair I found last year. To be shown.

So for now they are a keep, but please H&M, can you make shoes that have solid soles for the same price?

Zara And Bershka

I've been 'away' for a while. Big financial worries needing all my time to survive. But we managed, thanks to bottle and can deposit and trash recycling compensation. In the meantime book sales went up and finally two pairs of shoes that I didn't want to sell at kilo price in the first place sold both at once.

Zara.

Bershka.

Both pairs found after going for I don't remember what March this year. But first I was stopped in my tracks by bags full of texttiles by the bin for that at the end of my street. But cut up by rummagers so I had to pack over in my own smaller bags and make several rounds. Finally done I went for real but took another side road and found even more clothing plus these two pairs.

All the textiles sorted out I kept a few things for me and the Man and sold the rest at kilo price. But the shoes, though cheap were popular brands so I decided to give them a chance on line. But being sort of winter shoes first listing period without succes. Gave it another try relisting but was about to give up when to my surprise both went last Sunday. And not to the same buyer. Profit €3 the pair, not much but a lot better than kilo price and for the effort okay enough.

Shoe Recycling

Yesterday I found this pair of pretty good looking shoes in front of my door. But all plastic and of an unknown brand. To possibly sell but most likely bring to the recycle center.

But at closer look I found the crack in the sole of one of them. It goes quite deep and you can feel it from the inside.

Made me wonder, would they still be wearable for someone in a place where people are in need of everything, and how would they get there? Or could they be recycled?

Did some research and to my dissappointment shoe recycling is pretty nonexistent. Plastic and leather uppers can best be burnt as well as the rubber soles. As a matter of fact that is what happens to car tires.

Currently I have two pairs of totally worn-out shoes that I didn't want to claim my kilo reward for but still dump them in the textiles recycling bin instead of throwing them away. But even that seems to be useless. They'll just go to trash tomorrow.

For now I've decided to give the pair above the benefit of the doubt and claim my little reward for them. Even if later on people will send them to incineration. In the past seven months I gave them some crap but mostly hardly used and/or very fashionble textiles and shoes. Some maybe expensive. Just no big popular brands.

   

For that reason I did try to sell these. I thought I could make a couple of coins on at least intact Zaras and Bershkas. So far no luck. I'll send the whole lot together to recycle shop. I picked them up last March from the next corner.

I just hope that the previous owner of the lace boots thinks before buying cheap shoes again.

Glitter Clothing And Spikey Shoes

Another bag of textiles and shoes ready to go to recycle center. On the bottom there are some pretty worn out shoes, that before I would not bring them, but I've seen other people there bringing stuff like that, that was accepted and I'm thinking now well it could be useful to whatever war or crisis zone. Or get recycled to make new products.

The other 60 to 70 % of the bag is very nice, clean, wearable fashionable clothing and shoes that I could try to sell on line but it's a hassle, though in the past I did so successfully. Just lacking of energy for it now. Picked up yesterday in front of the door. It will all go to other goodwill thrift shops than the one I work for, but kind of Salvation Army or allied to. At least as far as I understood the center does not work with commercial thrift shops.

The grey fabric with glitters you see is a kind of long blouse in an asymmetrical jacket model. Very pretty but of an unknown likely cheap Chinese or so brand. 

I doubted about the spiky boots. Unbranded but likely desirable, however they are fake leather and just one little spike had fallen out already and I know it could just be a no go for most on line shoppers. See just to the right of the bag handle. So I decided not worth the trouble and I'll gladly get 10 cents € per the kilo reward for the lot tomorrow.

Isabel Marant 'Bobby' Sneakers

Only three weeks ago or so I came cycling home from an errand I saw a pair of shoes, not even in the trash, but neatly placed on the edge of the sidewalk a few streets away from home saying take us! I passed at first thinking, selling shoes can be iffy, but stopped in my tracks, went back and just dropped them in my bag for further inspection at home. Because they did look nice and could always be good for the thrift shop.

Big surprise to find Isabel Marant printed inside. A luxury shop that I work for sometimes to do their stocktake.

I found the model, still available in other colours easily by searching for heeled sneakers. My colour in limited sizes only available by a reseller at new price. And that is... €475! Only sign of wear on my pair was on one of the shoelaces.

I listed them €100, got 90 and quickly. I'm quite happy. What do you think? Mind you, the first owner could have bought them outlet which can be up to 40 % discount.

Anyway in all my years of selling curb find this is my best ever. After the lamp foot at €75 years ago.

Sergio Rossi Men's Ankle Boots

From what I find on the current collection, Sergio Rossi men's shoes are currently around €650. The women's do up to €1300! From what we can get on clothing and shoes at the thrift shop I know that depreciation is high. Yet someone was very lucky to get this pair that was used but in for years to come condition at only €8,50. Found december 2016, I accepted this bid happily three months after.

Diva Donna Plastic Shoes

Weird pair of shoes, all in plastic and rubber, unknown brand. Yet sold after two months, April 2017 €5. I did believe in them though. They were different. Some people just look for that!

Canadian Footwear Trekking Or Hiking Boots

Waterproof outdoor sports boots in good condition, found May 2017. Took a while to sell, but they went early October €20 after first bid. Reminded me of this pair that was a bit harder to get rid of. It was fun to read that old post again!

Hugo Boss Chic Men's Shoes

I found this pair near my house early April 2017. No matter how expensive Hugo Boss may be, the leather was not even stitched to the sole but just glued. And the glue had gone loose on one of them on one side. But otherwise they were just the finest and far from worn out. Just look at the pretty pattern in the leather. So I brought them to a shoe repair shop, paid €10 and sold them €21 in May.

Carvela Stiletto Heeled Sandals

I photographed this pair late April 2017, sold €10 a bit over a month later. Admin says source: street. But I can't remember the find. Possibly the Man picked them up on a morning bicycle tour. I vaguely recall they were picked up at the door by a male person. Though for a drag queen the size (Europe 40) is a bit small. But some guys do have small feet.

Lined Crocs, IKEA Folding Chairs, IKEA Cupboard Shelf

This fur lining doesn't look so attractive anymore, even after washing. However Crocs are wanted so I gave it a try. Success, sold within two weeks €6.

From the same photo session May 2017, IKEA Nick chairs. They were gone three days later €5.

Someone bought the IKEA Pax/Komplement system and had one shelf too many, or didn't use it because of the slight damage. Someone else had the system and wanted an extra shelf. And didn't mind the damage. Used good side turned up it's invisible. It must have been some transport issue as the thing was still sealed in plastic.

Somehow I feel I was just the one connecting these two people or families. My fee €2,50. Found and sold July 2017.