Have you ever wondered what to do with old skate shoes? Here are some ideas to help you use your old skating shoes when they no longer work in the skating park. First, don’t throw them away! If you have already decided to throw them away, read the rest of this article, and maybe you’ll change your mind!
Maybe even if you have never skated! There are so many ways an old pair of skate shoes can be reused or recycled. And the best thing is that you can earn money by doing so!
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14 Cool Things To Do With Old Skate Shoes
We all have old skate shoes at home, right? Ah, all those memories…thinking about them makes me miss my teenage years. So I thought of something we could do to reminisce a little and make you love your old shoes even more. I’ve made this list of 14 cool things to do with old skate shoes.
1. Use Them As Sneakers
If you have an older pair of skate shoes that still have some life left, you can use them as regular sneakers. Your skate shoes are starting to wear out doesn’t mean they aren’t still comfortable. This is an excellent option because it will save you money by not having to buy a new pair of sneakers while also keeping your feet protected.
You don’t want to be wearing these around people who don’t skate because as soon as someone sees them, they’re going to think you’re skating (and believe me, this has happened to me before). If this is the case, I would suggest getting another pair of regular sneakers.
2. Donate Them
Many skate shops take donations of shoes and distribute them to kids who might not otherwise be able to afford new kicks. To find out if there’s a local skate shop that accepts donations, call around or try an online search.
3. Use Them To Clean Your Skateboard
After a lot of use, skateboards can get gross. So instead of using your new shoes to clean your board, let the old ones do it. Use the old shoe to scrape off the gunk and clean the grip tape. This will make cleaning it with soap and water much easier, and you don’t have to worry about ruining your new kicks.
4. Take Them Apart To Make Art
If you have an artistic side, you may want to try making art with your old skate shoes. There are many different ways to use your old shoes for art. From making sculptures to paintings, there are plenty of creative ways that you can recycle your old shoes into something new!
5. Recycle Them
If your skate shoes are in good enough condition for someone else to wear, donate them to a local thrift store or charity. If they aren’t wearable, recycle them, so they don’t end up in a landfill. The Converse Recycled Rubber Program will accept used Converse shoes and turn them into playground surfaces and athletic floors. Brands including Vans and Reebok also take part in recycling efforts.
6. Sell Them For Some Extra Cash
If you’re strapped for cash and don’t mind saying goodbye to your old shoes, consider selling them online or at a local consignment shop.
You’d be surprised at how much money people will pay for vintage sneakers. I’ve seen people sell their old Nike SB Dunks on eBay for $300 or more, which is insane!
These sneakers are so valuable because Nike stopped making them years ago, and there’s a huge demand for anything rare. So that pair of old shoes you haven’t worn in years could be worth hundreds of dollars to the right buyer.
7. Transform Them Into A Clutch Handbag
This is probably one of the most specific items you can make from your old skate shoes. All you need to do is remove the laces, cut the tongue off and place a piece of fabric on the inside of the shoe before gluing it with a glue stick.
8. Use Them As An Organiser Or Display Case
If you’ve got a pair of skate shoes that you’re incredibly proud of, why not turn them into an organizer or display case? You can use one shoe to hold things like pens, pencils, crayons, or other stationery items and the other shoe to hold things like keys, coins, and even loose change. You could also use them both as a display case for small collectibles and memorabilia (like skate deck wheels) or as a plant pot for a small cactus plant.
9. Give It To A Friend Who’s Just Starting
If you have a friend who’s just getting into skating, giving them your old pair of shoes is the best thing you can do for them. This benefits you and your friend, but it also helps the environment. Skaters are pretty tight-knit, so if you have a hard time finding someone to give your old shoes to, it might be time to start making new friends in your local skate community. If that fails, you should consider selling or donating them.
10. Use Them As Gardening Shoes
If you’re bored of your old shoes and want to throw them out, you can always use them as gardening shoes. They are perfect for this purpose because you don’t have to worry about ruining them (because they are already ruined).
11. Use Them As A Plant Pot
You might be surprised at how many people throw away good old shoes. They are suitable for your feet, but they can also come in handy with various other uses.
Old skate shoes are great for planting in the garden. You can even create a small, faux-rock garden by using rocks and moss to cover the soles of the shoes.
You can use them to protect tabletops from scratches and scuffs from keys or change.
Shoes make great coasters for candle holders, wine glasses, and plant stands. Use pieces of sandpaper to gently sand down the shoe’s surface, so it’s smooth. Cover any sharp edges with more sandpaper.
You can also use old shoes to protect delicate lamps from bumps and knocks and plants on lamp tables and coffee tables.
12. Use Them To Keep Your Umbrella Off The Floor
You can use your skateboard shoes to keep the umbrella stand off the floor. Place your old skateboard shoe on its side and insert your umbrella in it. That way, you will not have to worry about your umbrella getting wet or making a mess.
13. Decorate Your Room With Them
If you have old skate shoes that you don’t want to wear anymore, you could use them to decorate your room. You may have seen people hang their old sneakers on their walls, which is a similar idea. The laces of your skate shoes could be used to hang the shoes on your wall, and they would look fabulous in your room.
14. Put Them In A Sandbox For Kids To Play With
If you have kids at home, you can give them your old shoes to play with. Just fill up a sandbox with sand and let them dig for the shoes. You can even hide some toys in the sand for them to find. This is an excellent way for your kids to get exercise and play outdoors.
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Concluding About What To Do With Old Skate Shoes
What I can do with old shoes Is entirely up to you. Try to sell them online or at a local skate shop if they’ve got some life left in them and some good tread. If they’re now just taking up space in your closet, go ahead and do something productive with them – try fixing up a pair of shoes for a friend, or have fun putting them through some DIY projects. Y
ou can do a lot with your old skate shoes once they are no longer used for skateboarding. Hopefully, this list has given you some inspiration!