SoleHeeled did an amazing job stretching my RM Williams boots. I couldn’t wear them longer than an hour as they killed my feet. They are now super comfy and I can wear them all day long. Definitely recommend and will use again.
Nyomie, Geraldton
Easy, Reliable Shoe stretching
Are your favourite shoes feeling a tad too tight and causing discomfort? Say goodbye to painful footwear and hello to a perfect fit. Our team of expert cobblers are well versed in stretching shoes, to provide unparalleled comfort and relief from foot pain. With a passion for shoe care, and a free Australis-wide shipping service that makes our stretching service quick and hassle-free, we have helped countless Australians walk comfortably in their favourite footwear.
Free Shipping
Order online with free packaging and shipping to and from our workshop
Quality
Have your shoes repaired by Australia’s best craftsmen, trusted since 1955
Service
We care about you and your shoes; your satisfaction is our highest priority
How it Works
1. Order Online
Answer a few questions to get an instant quote and complete your order.
2. Drop off
Drop your shoes off at any local post office for free packaging and shipping to us.
3. We repair
A team of experienced craftsmen will carefully stretch your shoes.
4. We return
We'll deliver your shoes back to your door, wherever you are in Australia.
Professional Shoe Stretching Service
Shoe stretching services are generally performed on shoes that are too tight for the wearer’s feet or legs and to avoid the uncomfortable ‘breaking in’ period on new shoes. Shoe stretching is also beneficial for individuals with wide feet, bunions, or other podiatric conditions that require extra space inside the shoes.
We use specialised equipment to mechanically stretch or ‘wear in’ particular parts of shoes and boots. This involves inserting a ‘last’ in the approximate shape of the wearer’s foot or leg into the shoe or boot and slowly expanding. As the last itself expands, the pressure falls on and effectively stretches the leather / material around it. The leather / material relaxes in this state, which largely remains once the last is removed about 24 hours later. This significantly speeds up the otherwise natural process of the leather / material gradually moulding to the wearer’s feet and legs during wear.
Our professional shoe stretching service predominantly targets fit in terms of width (rather than length, which is generally fixed according to the size of the footbed / inner sole), but we also expand boot shafts around the calves and insteps around the ankles, and we can also account for bunions around particular parts of the feet.
While we are unable to guarantee exactly how much a particular shoe / boot will mechanically stretch, particularly for the specific wearer’s feet / legs, it generally does help and offers an economical solution for most customers’ needs.
Related Services
Sizing Alterations
There are often occasions where mechanically stretching shoes / boots is not sufficient to give the wearer enough space. In these cases, alternative options are often available. These involve altering the size of the shoe / boot to better fit the wearer’s feet legs — sometimes making the shoes / boots smaller, but more often making them larger. These services commonly include the following:
Boot calf alterations: When boots are too tight around the wearer’s calves, we can increase or decrease the shaft circumference by taking in seams or installing elastic gussets, leather panels, or zippers.
Raise insoles and heel grips: When shoes are too large, we can install thicker insoles and padded back linings, which help to reduce the space inside the shoes, and also install heel grips, which help to stop the wearer’s feet from sliding out of the shoes as they walk.
Boot shaft shortening: When boots are a little too tall for the wearer (e.g. the boot shaft on a pair of knee-high boots extends beyond the wearer’s knees), we can reduce the height of the boot shafts.
Looking for something else?
We also perform a variety of other specialist shoe care, repair and alteration services. If you do not see what you are looking for or you are not quite sure what your shoes need, learn more about our services or complete our order form — where you will be able to describe and upload photos of your shoes, which we will then review and recommend work for.
Trusted Experts in Shoe stretching Since 1955
What our Customers Think
Here is some of the feedback we have received from customers whose shoes we have stretched.
Trusted by Luxury Brands
Australia-Wide Service
SoleHeeled operates across Australia. No matter where you live, our free and easy 2-way shipping service has you covered.
- Sydney
- Melbourne
- Brisbane
- Perth
- Canberra
- Adelaide
- Hobart
- Darwin
And all regional areas ...
Shoe Stretching Examples
Recent Orders
Here is a list of recent shoe stretching orders we have received from customers across Australia.
Frequently Asked Questions
It's all very quick and easy — promise!
- Complete our online order form, where you'll be able to upload photos and describe the work you'd like done to the shoes. You'll get an instant quote based on your selection and then choose to either proceed with an order or request a custom quote.
- Once we've reviewed your order, we'll email you instructions for getting your shoes to us. If you live in Sydney, you'll have the option to drop the shoes off at our workshop. Otherwise, you'll be able to drop them off at a local Australia Post office, where they'll be packaged and shipped over to us for free.
- Once we receive your shoes, we'll repair and return them to you by courier.
The cost of a professional shoe / boot stretching can vary based on the type of footwear being worked on and the location(s) needing to be stretched. The price for a standard stretching service starts at $69. Sizing alteration work can be considerably more expensive.
Simply complete our order form to get a free diagnosis/quote based on your particular requirements.
The time it takes to stretch shoes / boots varies depending on the particular work required and the workload in the workshop when the shoes / boots are received.
We are generally able to complete standard stretching services within 2-5 business days of of receiving the shoes / boots at the workshop. Sizing alteration work can be considerably more time-consuming, typically taking a number of weeks to turn around.
If you will be using our free shipping service (rather than dropping off and picking up your shoes at the workshop), then you should also factor in shipping time via Australia Post. This varies depending on your location, but generally takes no more than a few business days if you're in a metropolitan area and otherwise up to 5 business days (if you're in a regional or remote area).
Most types of shoes and boots can be stretched, though the maximum amount by which they can be stretched varies significantly based on the type of materials from which the shoes / boots are made — in particular, genuine leather typically stretches much more than other materials.
Our expert craftsmen have honed their shoe stretching techniques over decades and these are always executed to expand around and relieve pressure points without causing structural or surface damage to the shoes / boots.
It is possible to stretch shoes at home, using stretching equipment and even leather stretching sprays that are readily available from shoe stores. However, we recommend consulting a professional for optimal results. Professional shoe stretching services offer expertise, specialised equipment, and techniques tailored to different shoe materials and types, ensuring a precise and effective stretching process without risking damage to your shoes. DIY stretching methods can and do work for some shoes, but they can be less reliable in addressing specific issues and can run the risk of causing irreversible damage if performed incorrectly.
Once you submit your online order form, you'll be given a token that allows you to track everything online, throughout the process of getting your shoes stretched.
And whenever your shoes are in transit (whether on their way to our workshop via Australia Post or on the way back to you via courier), you'll have a parcel tracking number and receive real-time shipping notifications by email.
Yes, you can drop off and pick up your shoes at our workshop in Martin Place, Sydney provided that:
- You first complete your order online;
- You let us know (in the order form or by follow up email) that you'd like to drop off and/or pick up at the workshop; and
- We have emailed you a ticket that you'll need to print out and hand over at the workshop for ID and proof of payment.