Labeling Shoes

[Pippen]

I'm hoping someone here will have a new idea for me. I need to find an inexpensive, effective way to label names on the inside of about 100 marching band shoes to prevent mix-ups. The fabric on the inside of the new shoes is a smooth nylon or polyester that doesn't hold ink well. Marking them with Sharpies as we've done in the past doesn't work since it doesn't absorb into the fabric/rubs off easily.

 

Any ideas?

[Tap]

Have you tried the silver sharpie? It is more of a permanent paint pen than marker.  They are used in the swimming world to mark swim gear and the markings last at least twice as long as regular sharpie on those items. You may need to remark the items periodically, but not as often.

[Pippen]

Thanks for the idea. The sizes are imprinted on the bottom of the shoe so there's no size label--really no good surface for writing names on. I should mention that except for a very small blue ledge, the insides are all black.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Super-Drill-Masters-Unisex-Black-Soft-Lace-up-Marching-Shoes-Men-10M-Women12M-/261592234985?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3ce81cbbe9

 

 

[Pippen]

Have you tried the silver sharpie? It is more of a permanent paint pen than marker.  They are used in the swimming world to mark swim gear and the markings last at least twice as long as regular sharpie on those items. You may need to remark the items periodically, but not as often.

 

That was the first thing I tried, and it turns out it fades away to barely readable after 1-2 performances. It's a really slick nylony or polyester surface.

 

I've thought of duct tape, as it sticks well, but sharpie and pen doesn't stick to duct tape well.

[Wheres Toto]

I agree with the Silver Sharpie or another paint pen.  That's what we used to put names in tap shoes.  It will show up fine on black and not rub off for quite a while.  Probably better on the inside side or tongue since it will wear off faster on the bottom.

[Tap]

That was the first thing I tried, and it turns out it fades away to barely readable after 1-2 performances. It's a really slick nylony or polyester surface.

 

I've thought of duct tape, as it sticks well, but sharpie and pen doesn't stick to duct tape well.

Can you label the side of the inside instead of the insole?

[Tap]

I wonder if you could coat the sharpie with clear fingernail polish after you write on them to seal it? 

[Rebel Yell]

A little bit of work for such a largegroup, but can you stitch labels onto the tongue of the shoe?  That's gotta be fabric, right?

[Amy in NH]

For dance shoes we put a strip of masking tape on the insole and use sharpie on that.

[Wilma]

Do the kids not take their shoes home? Or do you have garment bags for the uniform, and they could put the shoes in the bottom and leave it unzipped?

[songsparrow]

What about stick-on shoe labels?  That link is just for an example - it's the first thing that came up in a google search for "shoe labels" and I've never used that brand.  But perhaps you could get blank labels and use a sharpie on them, or possibly even get labels printed with numbers as you need.  (I remember I used some brand to label the girls' shoes when they were preschoolers and they adhered and lasted very well.)

[Pippen]

Do the kids not take their shoes home? Or do you have garment bags for the uniform, and they could put the shoes in the bottom and leave it unzipped?

 

No garment bags--the uniforms hang on racks and most of the shoes stay on the racks. When 100+ kids are getting dressed in a hurry in a crowded space mix-ups happen.

 

Thanks for all of the ideas!

[Tap]

Another thought is to call the shoe company and ask them if they have a suggestion.  They may already know what works best :0) 

[Wilma]

If the uniforms are already hanging, there's some ID for the uniforms, right? Could they tie the shoes together and loop that over the hanger? Or are the mixups more while they're actually uniforming up?

 

I spent a lotta time (all of high school, all of college and a couple years teaching) involved in marching band, and I think we always kept our own shoes at our own homes. Do the shoes belong to the kids, or are they handed around like the uniforms?

[Pippen]

Another thought is to call the shoe company and ask them if they have a suggestion.  They may already know what works best :0) 

 

I got off the phone with them a bit ago and they weren't much help. They did suggest lifting up the insole and marking the actual shoe, which is better than nothing, but not useful for kids grabbing shoes from the same area or from on the ground where they've set them while dressing or undressing. These shoes are used only for marching, as in dozens of kids wearing the same style at the same time in the same place, and usually dressing together. You would think they would have thought about the need to label them. Even the company logo wears off of this fabric after one marching band season.

 

These shoes belong to the kids but usually travel on the uniform carts to competitions. They need to be separate from the uniforms because they do get damp and muddy.

 

Back in my high school and college days we also used to keep all of our uniform parts at home, including hats, and just hauled it along with us whereever we went. Marching band is a lot bigger and crazier these days--these carts ride in the semi-trailer to shows. :-)

 

Thanks again for the ideas. I'll play around with an orphan shoe.

[plansrme]

How about marking the sole of the shoe instead, the instep part that may not always touch the ground? I can't tell from the pic, but if all of the sole touches the ground, it might wear off too quickly.

[5of5]

This is a combination of earlier suggestions: I’d get a different kind of tape that takes marker (e.g., masking), and put the tape on the inside of the tong, or possibly on the inside of the shoe side.

[KungFuPanda]

Can you put fabric paint on the inside of the tongue? Dimensional fabric paint might hold up. If there's any heel at all, maybe you can write on the vertical surface. You may even have luck with sharpie on the TOP of the tongue (the part that gets hidden by the laced part of the shoe) if it's a different material.

[SJ.]

Can you affix a removable tag to the laces when they aren't being worn?  Like a baggage tag that you can loop through both shoes?

 

When I was in marching band we "checked out" all uniform pieces for the season and kept them at our home.  We were responsible for keeping them clean and having them ready each week.  It seems like a lot of unnecessary work for the school to house and organize the uniforms.

[Slartibartfast]

Can they not keep their shoes in boxes or drawstring bags?

 

 I would mark the spots that they go on the shelf and under the tongue. All the uniforms have a number don't they? Can they not just use their number?

[Slartibartfast]

How about marking the sole of the shoe instead, the instep part that may not always touch the ground? I can't tell from the pic, but if all of the sole touches the ground, it might wear off too quickly.

 

The sole may not be marked. That shows while marching and they would be deducted points depending on which competitions they participate in. The band director would have a heart attack if they marked the soles. Any sole marking would also wear off quickly.

[SJ.]

I got off the phone with them a bit ago and they weren't much help. They did suggest lifting up the insole and marking the actual shoe, which is better than nothing, but not useful for kids grabbing shoes from the same area or from on the ground where they've set them while dressing or undressing. These shoes are used only for marching, as in dozens of kids wearing the same style at the same time in the same place, and usually dressing together. You would think they would have thought about the need to label them. Even the company logo wears off of this fabric after one marching band season.

 

These shoes belong to the kids but usually travel on the uniform carts to competitions. They need to be separate from the uniforms because they do get damp and muddy.

 

Back in my high school and college days we also used to keep all of our uniform parts at home, including hats, and just hauled it along with us whereever we went. Marching band is a lot bigger and crazier these days--these carts ride in the semi-trailer to shows. :-)

 

Thanks again for the ideas. I'll play around with an orphan shoe.

 

As far as mixing up shoes while dressing/undressing, can't the teens be spoken to about being more careful?  I've been in plenty of hectic environments like this but always have been able to keep track of my own things.