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73-472: Shoe polish can be classified into three types: wax, cream-emulsion, and liquid. Each differs in detailed composition, but all consist of a mixture of waxes , solvents and often include colorants or dyes. Waxes, organic solvents, and colorant (either soluble dyes or pigment ) compose this type of polish. Waxes are 20–40% of the material. Natural waxes used for the polish include carnauba and montan as well as synthetic waxes. The composition determines

146-573: A monopoly . Since this ruling, Sara Lee has been prevented from acquiring any further assets or firms associated with chemical shoe care products in the United States without prior approval. The Competition Commission in the United Kingdom investigated the potential monopoly of Sara Lee in the shoe care industry. Shoe polish products are low-value items that are infrequently purchased, as a single can might last several months for even

219-517: A Metropolis , has a scene focuses on shoe shining with a polish called Nigrin, which sports the face of a black person. Shoe polish remained an essential item by World War II and was found just about everywhere Allied troops ventured. American war correspondent Walter Graeber wrote for TIME magazine from the Tobruk trenches in 1942 that "old tins of British-made Kiwi polish lay side by side with empty bottles of Chianti ." A story indicative of

292-402: A base. In the late 18th and early 19th century, many forms of shoe polish became available, yet were rarely referred to as shoe polish or boot polish . Instead, they were often called blacking , especially when mixed with lampblack , or still were referred to as dubbin. Tallow, an animal by-product, was used to manufacture a simple form of shoe polish at this time. In Chicago , where 82% of

365-516: A building where 200 employees would produce 10 million boxes to hold blacking product tins annually. The tins would eventually be labeled, Mason Shoe Polish. This business shuttered in 1919 and the building was razed in 1973. In 1851, the Irish brand Punch was introduced as another leather preserving product. In 1889, William Edward Wren, started making shoe polishes and dubbin in England under

438-440: A coating for many cheeses , and to waterproof leather and fabric. Wax has been used since antiquity as a temporary, removable model in lost-wax casting of gold , silver and other materials. Wax with colorful pigments added has been used as a medium in encaustic painting , and is used today in the manufacture of crayons , china markers and colored pencils . Carbon paper , used for making duplicate typewritten documents

511-431: A flash point >500 °F (>260 °C). Many polyethylene resin plants produce a low molecular weight stream often referred to as low polymer wax (LPW). LPW is unrefined and contains volatile oligomers, corrosive catalyst and may contain other foreign material and water. Refining of LPW to produce a polyethylene wax involves removal of oligomers and hazardous catalyst. Proper refining of LPW to produce polyethylene wax

584-399: A leather shoe. Many companies offer products with liquid shoe polish that is pre-soaked into a hard sponge or have a sponge attached to an applicator. These products can be used to buff leather without needing to apply any additional polish to either the leather or the sponge. These products are often marketed as "quick shine," "express shine," "instant shine," or similar branding to emphasize

657-481: A lubricant grease where corrosion would otherwise be a problem. 7-Dehydrocholesterol from lanolin is used as a raw material for producing vitamin D 3 by irradiation with ultraviolet light. Baseball players often use it to soften and break in their baseball gloves ( shaving cream with lanolin is popularly used for this). Anhydrous liquid lanolin, combined with parabens , has been used in trials as artificial tears to treat dry eye . Anhydrous lanolin

730-417: A number of important chemical and physical similarities to human stratum corneum lipids; the lipids which help regulate the rate of water loss across the epidermis and govern the hydration state of the skin. Cryogenic scanning electron microscopy has shown that lanolin, like human stratum corneum lipids, consists of a mass of liquid crystalline material. Cross-polarised light microscopy has shown

803-467: A rich source of cholesterol (an important skin lipid) and are powerful water-in-oil emulsifiers ; they have been used extensively in skincare products for over 100 years. Approximately 40% of the acids derived from lanolin are alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs). The use of AHAs in skin care products has attracted a great deal of attention in recent years. Details of the AHAs isolated from lanolin can be seen in

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876-438: A secondary moisture reservoir within the skin. The barrier repair properties of lanolin have been reported to be superior to those produced by both petrolatum and glycerol. In a small clinical study conducted on volunteer subjects with terribly dry (xerotic) hands, lanolin was shown to be superior to petrolatum in reducing the signs and symptoms of dryness and scaling, cracks and abrasions, and pain and itch. In another study,

949-432: A significant fraction of petroleum. They are refined by vacuum distillation . Paraffin waxes are mixtures of saturated n- and iso- alkanes , naphthenes , and alkyl - and naphthene-substituted aromatic compounds. A typical alkane paraffin wax chemical composition comprises hydrocarbons with the general formula C n H 2 n +2 , such as hentriacontane , C 31 H 64 . The degree of branching has an important influence on

1022-490: A small factory in 1904 in Melbourne , Australia. Their formula was a major improvement on previous brands as it preserved shoe leather, shined, and restored colour. Ramsay named the shoe polish after the kiwi , the national bird of New Zealand ; Ramsay's wife, Annie Elizabeth Meek Ramsay, was a native of Oamaru , New Zealand. It has been suggested that, at a time when several symbols were weakly associated with New Zealand,

1095-414: A variety of fatty acids and carboxylic alcohols. In waxes of plant origin, characteristic mixtures of unesterified hydrocarbons may predominate over esters. The composition depends not only on species, but also on geographic location of the organism. The best-known animal wax is beeswax , used in constructing the honeycombs of beehives, but other insects also secrete waxes. A major component of beeswax

1168-736: A variety of other options. There are numerous branded products available, as well as generic store brands . There are two chief areas of shoe polish sales: to the public, and to specialists and trade, such as shoe repairers, and cobblers . The sales percentages between the two outlets are roughly comparable. The best-selling, low-cost brands are produced by these companies: Kiwi, Griffin, Tana, and Johnson, and Reckitt & Colman. Approximately 60 million units are sold annually. Other leading brands include Kelly's, Shinola , Lincoln Shoe Polish, Meltonian, Angelus, Woly, Salamander, Collonil and Cherry Blossom. The global shoe polish market remains in transition as market forecasters analyze future trends. There

1241-924: Is a fossilized wax extracted from coal and lignite . It is very hard, reflecting the high concentration of saturated fatty acids and alcohols. Although dark brown and odorous, they can be purified and bleached to give commercially useful products. As of 1995 , about 200 million kilograms of polyethylene waxes were consumed annually. Polyethylene waxes are manufactured by one of three methods: Each production technique generates products with slightly different properties. Key properties of low molecular weight polyethylene waxes are viscosity, density and melt point. Polyethylene waxes produced by means of degradation or recovery from polyethylene resin streams contain very low molecular weight materials that must be removed to prevent volatilization and potential fire hazards during use. Polyethylene waxes manufactured by this method are usually stripped of low molecular weight fractions to yield

1314-539: Is a relatively common allergen and is often misunderstood as a wool allergy. However, allergy to a lanolin-containing product is difficult to pinpoint and often other products containing lanolin may be fine for use. Patch testing can be done if a lanolin allergy is suspected. It is frequently used in protective baby skin treatment and for sore nipples from breastfeeding but health authorities recommend alternative methods first, including nipple cleaning and improving baby positioning as well as expressing milk by hand. Lanolin

1387-573: Is a wax secreted by the sebaceous glands of wool -bearing animals. Lanolin used by humans comes from domestic sheep breeds that are raised specifically for their wool. Historically, many pharmacopoeias have referred to lanolin as wool fat ( adeps lanae ); however, as lanolin lacks glycerides (glycerol esters), it is not a true fat. Lanolin primarily consists of sterol esters instead. Lanolin's waterproofing property aids sheep in shedding water from their coats. Certain breeds of sheep produce large amounts of lanolin. Lanolin's role in nature

1460-485: Is also used as a lubricant for brass instrument tuning slides. Lanolin can also be restored to woollen garments to make them water and dirt repellent, such as for cloth diaper covers. Lanolin is also used in lip balm products such as Carmex . For some people, it can irritate the lips. Lanolin is sometimes used by people on continuous positive airway pressure therapy to reduce irritation with masks, particular nasal pillow masks that can often create sore spots in

1533-407: Is applied to the shoe using a rag , cloth , brush , or with bare fingers. Shoe polish is not a cleaning product, its application is for clean and dry shoes. Vigorous rubbing action is often required to apply the polish evenly to the boot, followed by further buffing with a clean dry cloth or brush. Another technique, known as "spit-polishing" or " bull polishing ", involves gently rubbing polish into

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1606-489: Is continuously removed during this washing process by centrifuge separators, which concentrate it into a waxlike substance melting at approximately 38 °C (100 °F). Lanolin and its many derivatives are used extensively in both the personal care (e.g., high value cosmetics, facial cosmetics, lip products) and health care sectors such as topical liniments. Lanolin is also found in lubricants, rust-preventive coatings, shoe polish, and other commercial products. Lanolin

1679-455: Is especially important when being used in applications requiring FDA or other regulatory certification. Waxes are mainly consumed industrially as components of complex formulations, often for coatings. The main use of polyethylene and polypropylene waxes is in the formulation of colourants for plastics. Waxes confer matting effects (i.e., to confer non-glossy finishes) and wear resistance to paints. Polyethylene waxes are incorporated into inks in

1752-871: Is frequently used as a lubricant on drawer slides where wood to wood contact occurs. Sealing wax was used to close important documents in the Middle Ages . Wax tablets were used as writing surfaces. There were different types of wax in the Middle Ages, namely four kinds of wax ( Ragusan , Montenegro , Byzantine , and Bulgarian ), "ordinary" waxes from Spain , Poland , and Riga , unrefined waxes and colored waxes (red, white, and green). Waxes are used to make waxed paper , impregnating and coating paper and card to waterproof it or make it resistant to staining, or to modify its surface properties. Waxes are also used in shoe polishes , wood polishes , and automotive polishes, as mold release agents in mold making , as

1825-632: Is little belief that the shoe shine markets will ever meet reach previous demand, but the overall market is expected to grow from its current levels due to rising disposable income levels, urbanization, corporate culture, fashion trends, and e-commerce growth. Specific trends, such as increased focused on personal grooming, a growing footwear industry, product innovations, and brand loyalty are acting as acting as market drivers, reinforcing growth projections provided that market restraints like: substitute products, economic downturns, environmental concerns, and health concerns, do not impact those trends. Shoe polish

1898-577: Is manufactured in large, thermo-stated, stirred reactors. Steps are taken to ensure that volatile solvents do not evaporate. Typically, low-melting paraffin wax is melted, followed by the higher melting waxes, and finally the colorant-stearate mixture. The molten mass is added to warm solvent before being dispensed. Wax-based shoe polish is traditionally packaged in flat, round, 60-gram (2-ounce) tins , usually with an easy-open facility. The traditional flat, round tins have since become synonymous with shoe polishes. When dried due to solvent loss or other reasons,

1971-425: Is myricyl palmitate which is an ester of triacontanol and palmitic acid . Its melting point is 62–65 °C (144–149 °F). Spermaceti occurs in large amounts in the head oil of the sperm whale . One of its main constituents is cetyl palmitate , another ester of a fatty acid and a fatty alcohol . Lanolin is a wax obtained from wool, consisting of esters of sterols . Plants secrete waxes into and on

2044-1468: Is not properly handled or disposed of. However, shoe polish manufactures point out that reducing overall consumption has a more beneficial long-term impact to the environment than routinely replacing worn-out items. Arguing that shoe polish helps preserve and extend the useful life expectancy of products, requiring that they be replaced less often. Wax Waxes are a diverse class of organic compounds that are lipophilic , malleable solids near ambient temperatures. They include higher alkanes and lipids , typically with melting points above about 40 °C (104 °F), melting to give low viscosity liquids. Waxes are insoluble in water but soluble in nonpolar organic solvents such as hexane , benzene and chloroform . Natural waxes of different types are produced by plants and animals and occur in petroleum . Waxes are organic compounds that characteristically consist of long aliphatic alkyl chains, although aromatic compounds may also be present. Natural waxes may contain unsaturated bonds and include various functional groups such as fatty acids , primary and secondary alcohols , ketones , aldehydes and fatty acid esters . Synthetic waxes often consist of homologous series of long-chain aliphatic hydrocarbons ( alkanes or paraffins) that lack functional groups . Waxes are synthesized by many plants and animals. Those of animal origin typically consist of wax esters derived from

2117-545: Is primarily intended for leather shoes, some brands specify that it may be used on non-porous materials, such as vinyl . The polish is generally the same colour as the shoes it will be used upon, or it may be neutral , lacking any colouring agents. Exposure to shoe polish fumes can irritate the skin, eyes, and throat. Ingestion or direct exposure to eyes may require poison control . Prolonged exposure, such as during shoe polish or shoe production, has an associated enhanced risk for cancer, primarily nose and nasal sinuses. However,

2190-628: Is reported to have soothing properties but the lack of research leads to the previous recommendations being primary. Lanolin is used commercially in many industrial products ranging from rustproof coatings to lubricants . Some sailors use lanolin to create slippery surfaces on their propellers and stern gear to which barnacles cannot adhere. Commercial products (e.g. Lanocote) containing up to 85% lanolin are used to prevent corrosion in marine fasteners, especially when two different metals are in contact with each other and saltwater. The water-repellent properties make it valuable in many applications as

2263-428: Is sold in a squeezable plastic bottle , with a small sponge applicator at the end. To decrease its viscosity, bottled polish usually has a very low wax content. Liquid shoe polish is a complex mixture. Polyethylene wax emulsion is a major component. Various polymers, typically acrylates, are the next major component, conferring gloss and holding the dyes in suspension. Resins and casein are selected to ensure adhesion to

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2336-561: Is to protect wool and skin from climate and the environment; it also plays a role in skin ( integumental ) hygiene. Lanolin and its derivatives are used in the protection, treatment, and beautification of human skin. A typical high-purity grade of lanolin is composed predominantly of long chain waxy esters (approximately 97% by weight) with the remainder being lanolin alcohols , lanolin acids and lanolin hydrocarbons . An estimated 8,000 to 20,000 different types of lanolin esters are present in lanolin, resulting from combinations between

2409-539: Is used in various leather treatments, for example in some saddle soaps and in leather care products. In addition to general purity requirements, lanolin must meet official requirements for the permissible levels of pesticide residues. The Fifth Supplement of the United States Pharmacopoeia XXII published in 1992 was the first to specify limits for 34 named pesticides . A total limit of 40  ppm (i.e. 40 mg/kg) total pesticides

2482-470: The British Commonwealth countries and the United States. Its spread invited rival brands such as Shinola and Cavalier (United States), Cherry Blossom (United Kingdom), Parwa (India), Jean Bart (France), and others. Advertising became more prominent; many shoe polish brands used fictional figures or historical characters for their branding. The 1927 German documentary Berlin: Symphony of

2555-673: The European Pharmacopoeia introduced pesticide residue limits into its lanolin monograph. This requirement, which is generally regarded as the new quality standard, extends the list of pesticides to 40 and imposes even lower concentration limits. Some very high-purity grades of lanolin surpass monograph requirements. New products obtained using complex purification techniques produce lanolin esters in their natural state, removing oxidative and environmental impurities resulting in white, odourless, hypoallergenic lanolin. These ultra-high-purity grades of lanolin are ideally suited to

2628-412: The multilamellar vesicles formed by lanolin are identical to those formed by human stratum corneum lipids. The incorporation of bound water into the stratum corneum involves the formation of multilamellar vesicles. Skin bioengineering studies have shown the durational effect of the emollient (skin smoothing) action produced by lanolin is very significant and lasts for many hours. Lanolin applied to

2701-539: The nostrils . Lanolin is a popular additive to moustache wax , particularly 'extra-firm' varieties. Lanolin is used as a primary lubricating component in aerosol-based brass lubricants in the ammunition reloading process. Mixed warm 1:12 with highly concentrated ethanol (usually 99%), the ethanol acts as a carrier which evaporates quickly after application, leaving a fine film of lanolin behind to prevent brass seizing in resizing dies. Lanolin, when mixed with ingredients such as neatsfoot oil , beeswax and glycerol,

2774-495: The rhyming slang of " Chunder Loo " and " spew ," another slang word for vomit. Shoe manufacturing improvements in the mid-19th century as part of the Industrial Revolution allowed for factories to produce large numbers of shoes made of leather, and later synthetic materials . This increase in leather shoe production continued well into the 20th century and led to a surge in the number of retail shoe stores in

2847-827: The 200 or so different lanolin acids and the 100 or so different lanolin alcohols identified so far. Lanolin’s complex composition of long-chain esters, hydroxyesters, diesters, lanolin alcohols, and lanolin acids means in addition to its being a valuable product in its own right, it is also the starting point for the production of a whole spectrum of lanolin derivatives, which possess wide-ranging chemical and physical properties. The main derivatisation routes include hydrolysis , fractional solvent crystallisation , esterification , hydrogenation , alkoxylation and quaternisation . Lanolin derivatives obtained from these processes are used widely in both high-value cosmetics and skin treatment products. Hydrolysis of lanolin yields lanolin alcohols and lanolin acids. Lanolin alcohols are

2920-527: The Brazilian palm Copernicia prunifera . Containing the ester myricyl cerotate, it has many applications, such as confectionery and other food coatings, car and furniture polish, floss coating, and surfboard wax . Other more specialized vegetable waxes include jojoba oil , candelilla wax and ouricury wax . Plant and animal based waxes or oils can undergo selective chemical modifications to produce waxes with more desirable properties than are available in

2993-659: The British Commonwealth Occupation Forces arrived in Japan—all with boots polished to a degree not known in the U.S. forces—the G.I.s were more conscious than ever of their feet. The secret was found to rest not only in spit and polish, but in the superior Australian boot polish, a commodity which was soon exchanged with the Americans on a fluctuating basis of so many packets of cigarettes for one can of Kiwi boot polish. Soldiers returning from

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3066-585: The Prussian military. It was closed in 1934 when the Nazis forbade Jews to operate a business. The first shoe polishes aimed primarily at inducing shine were the British and British Commonwealth brands like Cherry Blossom, Kiwi , and Wren's . While the oldest brand is believed to be Wren's, Kiwi is arguably the best known. Scottish expatriates William Ramsay and Hamilton McKellan began making "boot polish" in

3139-671: The appearance of a white coating of stearin on the polish surface. These polishes may have a gelatinous consistency. They are composed of the usual three components: waxes, liquid vehicle, and dyes. Unlike wax-based shoe polishes, cream-emulsions contain water and/or oil plus a solvent (either naphtha, turpentine or Stoddard Solution ), so the liquid content is high. Emulsifiers and surfactants are required. These include ammonia, morpholine , and various ethoxylated surfactants such as polysorbate 80 . The waxes are often some mixture of carnauba wax , beeswax , montan wax and its oxidized derivatives, and paraffin waxes. Liquid shoe polish

3212-600: The brand in 1984 until it was sold to SC Johnson , in 2011. A Kiwi brand rival in the early years was Cobra Boot Polish, based in Sydney , Australia . Cobra was noted for a series of cartoon advertisements starting in 1909 in The Sydney Bulletin . They featured a character named "Chunder Loo of Akim Foo." It is believed the Australian slang word for vomiting, " chunder ," could have originated through

3285-771: The brand name Wren's . The company was awarded the First in the Field – First Award at the 1892 Leather Trades Exhibition in Northampton . A 1947 advertisement for Wren's would claim that William Wren originated the first wax polish in 1889. The advertisement was endorsed with the Royal Warrant, giving the claim creditability. In 1890, the Kroner Brothers established EOS a shoe polish factory in Berlin that serviced

3358-465: The directive. Despite only being in force for a short period of time, this ruling did harm both to the lanolin industry and to the reputation of lanolin in general. The Cosmetics Directive ruling only applied to the presence of lanolin in cosmetic products; it did not apply to the many hundreds of its different uses in dermatological products designed for the treatment of compromised skin conditions. Modern analytical methods have revealed lanolin possesses

3431-412: The ease and speed of use. Many products are closely related to shoe polish, but not strictly considered as such. Other chemical products may be used to clean and shine shoes—in particular whiteners for white shoes, and a variety of sprays and aerosols for cleaning and waterproofing suede shoes. A banana peel can also be used to effectively shine shoes, but it is not recommended. Although shoe polish

3504-480: The eventual spread of Kiwi shoe polish around the world enhanced the kiwi's popular appeal and promoted it at the expense of the others. Kiwi Dark Tan's release in 1908 incorporated agents that also added suppleness and water resistance. As black and a range of colors came available, exports to Britain, continental Europe, and New Zealand began. The polish is now made in the Asia. The Sara Lee Corporation took ownership of

3577-493: The form of dispersions to decrease friction. They are employed as release agents , find use as slip agents in furniture, and confer corrosion resistance. Waxes such as paraffin wax or beeswax , and hard fats such as tallow are used to make candles , used for lighting and decoration. Another fuel type used in candle manufacturing includes soy . Soy wax is made by the hydrogenation process using soybean oil. Waxes are used as finishes and coatings for wood products. Beeswax

3650-517: The general health risks associated with the normal use and production of shoe polish are relatively low. The production of shoe polish can have environmental impacts at all stages of production, with the severity dependent on the type of polish being produced and the production's waste disposal or treatment process. Most polishes are primarily solvents and dyes, both are widely regarded to have serious environmental impacts. Additionally, as with most chemicals, shoe polish can contaminate environments if it

3723-457: The general healthy population and patients with dermatological disorders exaggerates the sensitising potential of lanolin by 5,000–6,000 times. The European Cosmetics Directive , introduced in July 1976, contained a stipulation that cosmetics which contained lanolin should be labelled to that effect. This ruling was challenged immediately, and in the early 1980s, it was overturned and removed from

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3796-426: The hardened wax pulls away from the walls of the container, giving what is known as a "rattler". Treating footwear to soften, waterproof, protect, and extend its lifespan is an ancient tradition as textile and clothmaking . Ancient peoples would use natural waxes, animal fats, and plant-based oils based on their availability to achieve their desired effects. However, these treatments were not generally meant to shine

3869-662: The hardness and polishing properties after solvent has evaporated. Solvents are selected to match the waxes. About 70% of shoe polish is solvent. A variety of solvents are used, including naphtha . Turpentine , although more expensive, is favored for its "shoe polish odor". Dyes make up the final 2–3% of the polish. A traditional dye is nigrosine , but other dyes (including azo dyes ) and pigments are used for oxblood, cordovan , and brown polishes. Owing to its high content of volatile solvents, wax-based shoe polish hardens after application, while retaining its gloss. Poorly blended polishes are known to suffer from blooming , evidenced by

3942-472: The industrialized world, and a subsequent call for shoe polish by footwear consumers. The outbreak of World War I in 1914, with its high demand for large numbers of polished military boots, surged market demand for a product that would allow boots to be polished quickly and easily. Polish also started to be used on leather belts , holsters , and horse tack , further increasing the demand. Used by Australian troops during WWI, Kiwi shoe polish spread throughout

4015-413: The leather with a cloth and a drop of water or spit . This action achieves the mirror-like, high-gloss finish sometimes known as a "spit" or "bull" shine, which is especially valued in military organizations. Despite the term, saliva is less commonly used as the vehicle or diluent with polish than is water. Polishes containing carnauba wax can be used as a protective coating to extend the life and look of

4088-552: The leather. Fatty phosphate esters, emulsifiers, and glycols are also used. Pigments include titanium dioxide for whites and iron oxides for browns. Although liquid polish can put a fast shine on shoes, many experts warn against its long-term use because it can cause the leather to dry out and crack. The process for producing shoe polish is very straightforward and the required equipment is relatively easy to acquire. The cost of establishing shoe polish manufacturing facilities has been estimated at $ 600,000 (as of 2005). Shoe polish

4161-436: The most frequent user. Consumer demand is inelastic and largely insensitive to price change, while sales volumes are generally low. In the shoe polish market as a whole, some 26% of turnover is accounted for by pastes, 24% by creams, 23% by aerosols, and 13% by liquids. The demand for shoe polish products has either been static or declined from its mid-century heights, one reason is the gradual replacement of formal footwear with

4234-790: The performance. Some waxes are considered food-safe and are used to coat wooden cutting boards and other items that come into contact with food. Beeswax or coloured synthetic wax is used to decorate Easter eggs in Romania, Ukraine, Poland, Lithuania and the Czech Republic. Paraffin wax is used in making chocolate covered sweets. Wax is also used in wax bullets , which are used as simulation aids, and for wax sculpturing . Lanolin Lanolin (from Latin lāna 'wool', and oleum 'oil'), also called wool fat , wool yolk , wool wax , sheep grease , sheep yolk , or wool grease ,

4307-470: The processed meat consumed in the United States was processed stockyards , became a major shoe polish producing area. Thomas and Jonathan Warren started making blacking around 1795–98 in London , initially in partnership with, and then competing against other companies. Jonathan Warren's Blacking company is noted as the first employer of Charles Dickens , aged 12 in 1823. The Warren company's chief competitor

4380-404: The properties. Microcrystalline wax is a lesser produced petroleum based wax that contains higher percentage of isoparaffinic (branched) hydrocarbons and naphthenic hydrocarbons. Millions of tons of paraffin waxes are produced annually. They are used in foods (such as chewing gum and cheese wrapping), in candles and cosmetics, as non-stick and waterproofing coatings and in polishes. Montan wax

4453-516: The rise in global significance of shoe polish is told by Jean (Gertrude) Williams, a New Zealander who lived in Japan during the Allied occupation . They explained that American soldiers were then finding the dullness of their boots and shoes to be a handicap when trying to win the affections of Japanese women. U.S. military footwear of the time was produced in brown leather with the rough side out. When

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4526-455: The shoe. In the Middle Ages , dubbin , a product of wax, was often used to soften and waterproof leather; but it did not impart shine. It was made from natural wax , oil , soda ash , and tallow . As leather with a high natural veneer became popular in the 18th century, a high glossy finish became important, particularly on shoes and boots. In most cases, homemade polishes were used to provide this finish, often with lanolin or beeswax as

4599-504: The skin at 2 mg/cm has been shown to reduce roughness by about 35% after one hour and 50% after two hours, with the overall effect lasting for considerably more than eight hours. Lanolin is also known to form semiocclusive (breathable) films on the skin. When applied daily at around 4 mg/cm for five consecutive days, the positive moisturising effects of lanolin were detectable until 72 hours after final application. Lanolin may achieve some of its moisturising effects by forming

4672-408: The surface of their cuticles as a way to control evaporation, wettability and hydration. The epicuticular waxes of plants are mixtures of substituted long-chain aliphatic hydrocarbons, containing alkanes, alkyl esters, fatty acids, primary and secondary alcohols, diols , ketones and aldehydes. From the commercial perspective, the most important plant wax is carnauba wax , a hard wax obtained from

4745-403: The table below. Crude lanolin constitutes about 5–25% of the weight of freshly shorn wool. The wool from one Merino sheep will produce about 250–300 ml of recoverable wool grease. Lanolin is extracted by washing the wool in hot water with a special wool scouring detergent to remove dirt, wool grease (crude lanolin), suint (sweat salts), and anything else stuck to the wool. The wool grease

4818-445: The treatment of dermatological disorders such as eczema and on open wounds. Lanolin attracted attention owing to a misunderstanding concerning its sensitising potential. A study carried out at New York University Hospital in the early 1950s had shown about 1% of patients with dermatological disorders were allergic to the lanolin being used at that time. By one estimate, this simple misunderstanding of failing to differentiate between

4891-410: The unmodified starting material. This approach has relied on green chemistry approaches including olefin metathesis and enzymatic reactions and can be used to produce waxes from inexpensive starting materials like vegetable oils. Although many natural waxes contain esters, paraffin waxes are hydrocarbons, mixtures of alkanes usually in a homologous series of chain lengths. These materials represent

4964-448: The war continued to use the product, leading to a further surge in its popularity. While Kiwi shoe polish was what business historian Alfred D. Chandler, Jr. would call a "first mover", Kiwi did not open a manufacturing plant in the US until after World War II. Prior to this, Cavalier Shoe Polish, founded by James Lobell, had operated in the US since 1913. The sales paradigm of Cavalier polish

5037-458: Was at this time exclusively for army use: "[…] a bottle of liquid blacking would be rather a burden […] yet, as the soldier’s boots or shoes must to some extent emulate the brightness and glitter of the boots of those who pay for battles instead of fighting them, a portable blacking apparatus is provided.". In 1832, James S. Mason of Philadelphia began the commercial production of shoe blacking and inks. In 1851, James S. Mason & Co. constructed

5110-440: Was coated with carbon black suspended in wax, typically montan wax , but has largely been superseded by photocopiers and computer printers . In another context, lipstick and mascara are blends of various fats and waxes colored with pigments, and both beeswax and lanolin are used in other cosmetics . Ski wax is used in skiing and snowboarding . Also, the sports of surfing and skateboarding often use wax to enhance

5183-546: Was stipulated for lanolin of general use, with no individual limit greater than 10 ppm. A second monograph also introduced into the US Pharmacopoeia XXII in 1992 was entitled 'Modified Lanolin'. Lanolin conforming to this monograph is intended for use in more exacting applications, for example on open wounds. In this monograph, the limit of total pesticides was reduced to 3 ppm total pesticides, with no individual limit greater than 1 ppm. In 2000,

5256-463: Was the Day & Martin company formed in 1801. Details of the operation of Day & Martin in 1842 reveal that the blacking they produced was in two forms, bottled liquid, and a thick paste which was available in either small wide-mouthed stone tubs, slabs wrapped in oiled paper, or in "circular tin-boxes, about three inches in diameter, and half or three-quarters of an inch thick.". Tinned blacking paste

5329-765: Was to have footwear professionals sell Cavalier's high-end shoe polish to the shoe-buying public. A few years after World War II, Kiwi opened a manufacturing plant in Philadelphia , making only black, brown, and neutral shoe polish in tins. Kiwi purchased Cavalier in 1961, and continued to manufacture products under the name until the year 2000. Kiwi was acquired by the American company Sara Lee following its purchase of Reckitt and Colman in 1991 and Knomark with its brand Esquire Shoe Polish in 1987. The Federal Trade Commission ruled that Sara Lee had to divest its ownership of these companies in 1994 to prevent it from becoming

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