Orders

• When will my sneakart stuff arrive?

We aim to make your sneakskin design or stickers within 3 working days of getting your order, It’s packed and posted immediately then it’s up to the mail. Royal Mail, who do the first leg in the UK, say it should be delivered in 3-5 working days by worldwide airmail. If you live in the UK expect it in 2-3 days from the time we post it.

• Ways of paying

You can use either of the two main credit cards (VISA or Mastercard) or PayPal. At present we don’t accept other forms of payment but may add additional options in future.

• My order hasn’t arrived?

If it's more than 21 working days since you ordered please contact us. We'll get on to it immediately and let you know what's happening.

• I didn’t expect this?

If your order is not what you expected contact us straightaway and we will sort it out.

• My sneakskin order arrived damaged or defective

Don’t worry – we keep all your order details and another one will be sent to you as soon we get the first order back from you. Send it to: sneakart Ltd., Unit 4, Bearl Farm, Stocksfield, NE43 7AJ, UNITED KINGDOM.  We need your original order sheet returned to check the problem and make sure it doesn’t happen again. We will refund your return postage cost to your credit card or PayPal account.

• Will you refund my money?

We think you will like your sneakskin designs but if you have a problem then get in touch so we can see how we can help. If you feel you would like a refund let us know why – we think we have described what we offer fairly but we are open to discuss any issues or complaints!

• If I buy more than one pattern or sticker sheet do I pay extra shipping costs?

No! Our fixed shipping rate to anywhere in the world, stays the same whether you buy one sheet or 50 and includes secure packaging and a sneakart re-use folder.

• Can I get a discount for larger orders?

Yes! We know sneakart will be used in volume by teams, schools, fund-raising groups and many other big events. We can produce extra quantities of any design, even your own, and offer a lower price for volume. If you want more than five pattern or sticker sheets contact us and we will tell you how much you can save.

• Can I change or even cancel my order?

Yes. Log in to your account and click on Your orders. If your order is still waiting to go to print, you'll see an option to edit or cancel it. Clicking 'edit' will take you back into the process, for you to make and save your changes. Clicking cancel will stop the process and return any money taken to your account. If your order is listed as 'printing' or 'dispatched' it is too late to edit or cancel it. Please contact us if you think you've made a terrible mistake with your order and you are unable to edit or cancel it. We'll see if there's something we can do to help.

Sneakskin application

• Why do I need to wash my hands before I start customising my shoe?

When you start to apply the Pattern Sheet you may need to peel it back and re-apply it to get it perfectly positioned. If you have dirty or greasy hands and you touch the reverse side of the sneakskin you might find it won’t stick very well to the shoe. This might mean that the sneakskin will come off your shoe more easily when you wear them.

• What’s the Template Sheet for?

If you want to customise a particular piece or panel of your shoe accurately, you need to create a template first. Template Sheet is much less sticky than the Pattern Sheet so it’s really easy to apply and remove. It’s about as sticky as a Post-It Note. Apply the Template Sheet to the part of the shoe that you want and draw the area you want to customise on it. Simple as that.

• I forgot to place the Tear-Off between the template and film and I can’t get them apart.

Unfortunately there isn’t an easy way we know to separate the two films and still be able to use the Pattern Sheet to customise the shoe. Second best is to simply use the piece you’ve cut out as a template. Leaving the film on the backing paper, place it over a fresh area of Pattern Sheet and draw around it. You can then cut out a new piece of Pattern Sheet and apply it to the shoe.

• I've cut out my Pattern Sheet from the template and stuck it onto the shoe, but it’s not the right shape.

This could be due to a number of things but the most likely causes are that when the template was made, the Template Sheet was over-stretched when it was applied to the shoe. This would mean that the template shrunk when it was removed - subsequently making the Pattern piece inaccurate. Try to apply the Template Sheet without stretching it too much. The other possible cause is that when the Pattern Sheet was applied, it was over-stretched. Try applying the Pattern Sheet without pulling or stretching it too much. If possible, only stretch it if you find it's a bit short.

• I can't lift the Sticker off the Sticker Sheet, what should I do?

If you haven’t got any fingernails and you can’t lift an edge of a Sticker, try using a hobby-knife! Infact, you might prefer to use a knife anyway as this will help you avoid folding an edge of the Sticker onto itself or getting fingerprints on it. Cutting the Sticker out of the sheet with scissors before you peel it off the backing-paper might also help you position it more accurately on the shoe according to your scheme.

• I've stuck the Pattern Sheet onto my shoe and I can hardly see the print.

Sneakskin is best used to customize light coloured shoes, preferably clean white ones. Because sneakskin is transparent it will clearly show whatever’s underneath it. If you try to customise a dark coloured shoe or a really dirty shoe you probably won’t be able to see the print very clearly – you need to use a light coloured shoe, preferably white, light grey, metallic silver, gold or pastel coloured and make it as clean as you can before you start applying sneakskin.

• I’ve stuck a Sticker on top of a Pattern and I can hardly see it.

Because sneakskin is transparent it will clearly show whatever’s underneath it and sometimes the print will be obscured. If you want to place stickers directly on top of a pattern use a light coloured Pattern Sheet or for even better results use plain black silhouettes.

• Will the sneakskin come off my shoes when I wear them?

As long as you followed all of the steps carefully and thoroughly the sneakskin shouldn’t easily come off your shoe through normal wear. It’s hard to say just how long it will stay stuck as it depends on what you do with your shoes; but we reckon you could get a good few months use out of your sneakskin.

• Can I place the sneakskin over seams and overlaid pieces of the shoe without it coming off?

When you place the sneakskin over seams and overlaid pieces make sure you have enough film to ‘drape’ into the seam or over the join. If you do this it shouldn’t come away from the shoe when you wear it. Try not to stretch the sneakskin over these joins in the shoe and simply press it down. If the sneakskin’s over-stretched there is a chance it could lift away.

• Will I damage my shoes when I remove the sneakskin film?

If sneakskin is applied and removed carefully according to our guidelines there is no reason why there should be any permanent damage to your shoes. If glue residue is left on the shoe follow our guidelines to remove it carefully. If you remove the sneakskin film too quickly there is a possibility you could damage the surface of the shoe. Make sure you peel it off slowly and steadily to ensure no damage is caused to the shoe leather. Very soft leather found on more expensive designer shoes may be more prone to damage by sneakskin if it’s removed without care. Take extra care when applying and removing sneakskin from these types of shoe.

• What is the best shoe material to apply sneakskin to?

It’s hard to say as so many shoe materials have different properties, but sneakskin is best applied to real leather and synthetic leather. Often cheaper real leathers and synthetic leathers (both commonly used for sneakers) work best. Sneakskin actually shares many of the same characteristics as synthetic leather surfaces so it suits this kind of material extremely well. Suede, canvas, wool and moulded EVA surfaces like those on a pair of Crocs won’t work so well.

• What else can I apply Sneakskin to?

Sneakskin was developed to withstand the flexing and movement of a shoe but it will also work like a normal sticker on other smooth surfaces such as paper, metal, wood, plastic etc. Why not try them on a snowboard or skis, a bag, a computer, an ipod, anything you can think of for that matter! (please note that you apply at your own risk, we have only fully tested sneakskin application to shoes)

Living with sneakart

• How can I keep my sneakskin customised shoes looking good for a long time?

It's inevitable that with time and wear you might find small corners or edges of the sneakskin lifting up. It's easy just to press them back down flat again. You can wipe sneakskin clean with water, a bit of detergent and a soft sponge or cloth. Sneakskin is completely waterproof but don't try to clean it using solvents as they will destroy the print. With a tiny bit of regular maintenance you can keep your shoes looking good for a while.

• I've had sneakskin on my shoes for a very long time and it's started to go yellow. Why is that?

Just in the same way that a pair of sneakers can begin to turn yellow when they're left in sunlight for a long time, sneakskin will also very slowly degrade when exposed to strong UV rays found in natural light. But you won't see any colour change in sneakskin unless you leave it on your shoes for at least 6 months, probably longer, and you store them in strong sunlight. If you really want your sneakskin customised shoes to stay fresh for a long time, store them in a cool, dark cupboard when you're not wearing them.

• I've recently applied sneakskin to my shoes and some of the corners and edges have started to lift away,
  how do I stop that?

The main reasons for sneakskin to lift away shortly after applying it are that either the shoe wasn't clean enough when it was applied; or that it was a little over-stretched when applied. Don't worry, this happens. If the shoe wasn't clean enough, the best thing to do really is to remove the film, clean the shoe more thoroughly and re-apply a new piece. Try cleaning the offending area with nail polish remover but rub gently!

If the film is slightly lifting in small areas, particularly corners, due to a little over-stretching simply press it down everytime you find it's lifted. After a while and a few more presses it should settle and stay down as it conforms to the shape of the shoe. Sometimes stretching the sneakskin over high profile metal eyelets or badges will also cause it to lift. In these instances either just keep pushing the film back in place or cut carefully around the object. Experiment to see what is going to work best but do try not to overstretch the film as it wont stick as well as it should. If you've tried a couple of times and are still having problems, go to the contact us page and we'll see if we can help.

Sneakskin removal

• When I remove the sneakskin will there be any glue residue left on my shoes?

If you’re careful and remove the sneakskin slowly and gently there shouldn’t be any glue left on your shoes. But ofcourse, we can’t say that will always be the case – it often depends on the type of material your shoe is made of. Be sure to look at the instructions so you know the best way to safely remove the sneakskin. If some of the glue does stay on the shoe when you remove the sneakskin, don’t worry, it can be removed easily enough without any permanent damage to the shoe.

• When I removed the sneakskin some glue was left on my shoe, how do I clean it off?

Glue residue won’t permanently damage your shoe and is actually quite easy to remove if you’re careful. If there’s alot to clean off the best thing to do is to roll it into beads using your (clean) thumb, just like you would a price sticker from a new product. When the glue’s in small beads, you can simply pick it off. To remove any remaining thin layers of glue we recommend very lightly rubbing the shoe with Acetone (nail polish remover) or Isopropyl Alcohol (rubbing alcohol or CD cleaner). Be very careful not to rub the shoe too hard with either of these chemicals as they can cause damage. If you rub lightly and for a short time only, they can effectively remove light areas of glue staining without causing any harm to you or the shoe. If you have sensitive skin, any cuts or broken skin on your hands we recommend you wear gloves if you’re going to be using either of these chemicals to clean your shoes.

Patterns

• Why is the Pattern Sheet size 29×22cm?

We made the pattern sheet so that it can cover several very large panels of a mens average sized shoe or it can cover several smaller panels on a pair of shoes.

• How many Pattern Sheets should I order to cover my shoes?

It depends how much coverage you want and how big your shoes are. If you want to cover every panel on a pair of shoes you may need two sheets but if you want just half coverage one sheet should be enough. If this is your first order you may also want to order an extra sheet to practice with.

Stickers

• How many Sticker Sheets should I order to cover my shoes?

It depends how much coverage you want and how big your shoes are. Sometimes you may need a sheet for each shoe but usually one sheet will be enough, particularly on smaller shoes. Have a look at your shoes, look at the sticker previews on the website and size them up thinking about where you would place them and what will look good.

• What is a mirrored set?

Most sticker sets are designed to be placed on a left and right shoe. A mirrored set means that within one sheet all designs will be duplicated and reflected so that they work on both shoes. Any text stickers will not be reflected for obvious reasons…

Custom upload

• Why can’t you produce custom uploaded pre-cut sticker sheets?

We are constantly reviewing this situation and as soon as we are able we will make this option available. If we see some really fantastic designs uploaded as icons on a pattern sheet, we may create pre-cut sticker sheets from these oursleves if the artist agrees.

• Why was my 'private' artwork rejected?

This could be for a number of reasons; if you selected to go private then it may be that your artwork dimensions or file format were incorrect, please check our specifications in the tutorials section. Another reason may be unsuitable content, we wont print pornographic or violent images or images relating to famous people, trademarked or copyrighted items. Please see our Terms and Conditions for more info.

• Why was my 'public' artwork rejected?

This could be for a number of reasons; perhaps we already have something similar in our library, perhaps we feel the artwork is not quite good enough to go 'public'. We will happily print out 'private' artwork for your own use if it meets our criteria but if you want to be a sneakartist we need something a little bit special that will appeal to other sneakart customers.

• My design includes commercial photos or illustrations that I own a license to, can I make them publicly
  available?

If you own the rights to an image (ie. you've created it yourself) then it is up to you what you do with it. If you have a license that allows unlimited distribution of the image for commercial purposes then it's also ok to use in your design, this is usually called an extended license. Please check what rights you have to use an image publicly.

• Can I use a trademarked logo as part of an original design?

Unless you own the copyright or the trademark to the logo you can't use it in anyway on a design, even if you have selected 'private' and we are printing it out only for you. As a small company we can't risk the wrath of the big guns so we don't take any chances.

• The colours in my artwork did not print out as I expected.

We cannot guarantee colours will print out exactly how you view them on your computer as every monitor displays colours differently. For best results please use the sneakart colour palette in the templates and set your colour settings to match ours. Please see our Terms and Conditions for more info.

Gallery

General

• Why use the term Sneakers and not Trainers?

Calling athletic shoes “sneakers” was first recorded in the U.S. in 1881 and was given a boost when Keds® – rubber-soled and canvas-uppered, were mass-marketed in 1917. In Russia ‘sneakers’ are still called kedi for this reason. In the U.K. athletic shoes began to be called trainers in 1968 and that name has stuck ever since. In Spanish and Portugese speaking countries they are called tenis and in Romania they are adidasi – both for obvious reasons. We use the term ‘sneaker’ mainly because it’s distinctive and global.