Even though the Nike Dunk was first unveiled all the way back in 1985, it has always been overshadowed by Michael Jordan’s signature line. With that said, on its 35th birthday on 2020, something changed. Suddenly, all of the industry’s biggest names started working on their own pairs. And, just like that, the Dunk became one of the most hyped silhouettes of all-time.
In fact, according to numbers from GOAT, the Dunk actually outsold the Air Jordan in 2022. According to the secondary marketplace’s Alias Seller Report, the model accounted for almost 50% of the sportswear brand’s total sales across in 2022. This is up from 29.73% in 2021 and 3.64% in 2020.
The only problem is, while Dunks look amazing when they’re brand new, they’re also prone to creasing. If this is something that you’re worried about, then you’ve come to the right place. In this guide, we’ll be going through everything that you need to know, including preventive measures, what you can do to get rid of them, and so much more. So let’s get to it.
While Dunks will definitely crease, this doesn’t mean that they’ll instantly do this right after you first wear them. Provided you give them plenty of love and care, you can expect them to look awesome for years to come.
However, eventually, they will begin to crease after being worn frequently, so you should be prepared for this. This is because they’re made from a combination of leather and synthetic materials. These fabrics are flexible enough to allow you to walk with ease, but they’re also rigid enough to retain their shape.
As you wear your Dunks, the leather will naturally stretch and shape around your feet, which will lead to creasing. While this can be incredibly frustrating, it’s important to remember that all sneakers will crease eventually, no matter what. This isn’t something to be ashamed of, and it shouldn’t stop you from rocking your grails.
While Dunks will always eventually crease, there are a number of things you can do to prevent this from happening. The most effective way is to place a shoe tree in them on days that you’re not wearing them. These tools have been specifically designed to help your shoes to retain their shape.
You may also want to store your sneakers in a cool and dry area of the home. Warmth will cause the materials to flex, which would naturally cause the material to be more likely to crease. You’ll also want to keep them in an area that’s low in moisture, as this will soak into the materials, which can then alter them.
Of course, one of the easiest ways to prevent creases is to make sure that they fit you right. If your Dunks are too large for your feet, then they will be more likely to crease in specific spots, especially around the toebox. We recommend trying on a pair before purchasing them.
It’s not possible to completely remove creases from Dunks once they begin forming. But there are some methods that you can try to bring them a new lease of life:
This is one of the most popular methods for removing creases from trainers. When using an iron, be very careful, as you don’t want to run the risk of burning your Dunks. To start, ensure that the shoes are sufficiently stuffed, from the back of the heel to the front of the toebox.
From here, you’ll want to grab a cloth and dampen it. Ensure that the cloth is not too wet and that you drain some of the water from it. Once you have your cloth, place it directly over the affected area, and grab your iron. Turn the iron on to its lowest setting and press it into the cloth for around ten seconds.
Check underneath the cloth to see if the creases have reduced, and then repeat the process if necessary. Once you’ve finished, be sure to keep the sneakers stuffed and allow them to cool for a good amount of time as this will help to keep the materials from stretching too far.
If you don’t feel like breaking out your iron, you can easily make use of steam with just a cloth, a microwave, and some water. Grab your cloth, wet it, and then wring it out, until it’s damp.
Once you’ve done this, place the cloth onto a heat-resistant dish, and pop it into the microwave for 30 seconds. This will result in the cloth becoming steamy, so you can rub it directly over the areas that are most affected.
The use of steam will allow the material to lightly expand, which then causes creases to be stretched out. Once you’re finished, we recommend stuffing the shoes, as this helps them to retain their shape as they cool down.
If you’ve noticed that only a few small creases have appeared on the surface of your Dunks, then you will want to make use of a hairdryer. This is the easiest option for reducing minor imperfections on your sneakers.
In order to do this, simply grab the affected shoe, and then turn your hairdryer on to a low setting. Allow the hairdryer to blow onto the it from about 20cm away, and let it to warm up the affected area for as long as you feel necessary.
Eventually, the material will turn warm up. This is the point where you rub it gently so that the creases slowly reduce. Again, when you’re satisfied, stuff the trainer and leave it to cool down.
While the Nike Dunk will eventually crease, this is not an issue that’s exclusive to this particular silhouette. Luckily, Dunks don’t crease as fast as a lot of other shoes, and with plenty of time, care, and the methods mentioned up above, you can help them to last so much longer.
