White or Sail Laces? How to Choose the Right Shade of White

Ordering white laces sounds simple, until you see that there are seven kinds of white. Bright white, white, natural white, off-white, milky white, ivory white and sail look almost identical on a screen. On your shoe you spot the difference straight away. A lace that is too bright makes a worn sneaker look yellowed and a lace that is too warm makes a new shoe look dull. This blog explains the difference and how to choose between white or sail laces.

In short

• Bright white and white are cool and fresh. They suit new, pure white shoes.
• Natural white and milky white are softer. They suit white shoes that have already been worn.
• Off-white, ivory white and sail are warmer. They suit off-white, vintage and cream-colored shoes.
• Look at the sole and the lining of your shoe, not only at the upper.
• If in doubt, hold the lace next to your shoe in daylight or use the Veter Matcher.

White or sail laces: what is the difference?

White is a cool, neutral color with no yellow undertone. Sail is a warm off-white with a touch of cream in it. The name comes from sailcloth and became well known through sneakers with a deliberately “aged” look. In between sits a whole range of shades. At Veter.nl there are seven.

Shade	Character	Suits
Bright White	The brightest white, cool in tone	Brand-new, pure white sneakers
White	Fresh and neutral	Most white shoes
Natural White	White without the brightness	White shoes in canvas or matt leather
Milky White	Slightly softer in tone than bright white	White shoes that have already been worn, light suede and a cream-colored midsole
Off-White	Muted white, not quite pure	Off-white shoes and soles that have yellowed a little
Ivory White	Warm, leaning towards ivory	Off-white shoes and vintage models
Sail	Warm off-white with a hint of cream	Cream-colored soles, vintage sneakers and retro runners

If you want something warmer still, you end up at cream. Those shades are listed under cream laces. You will find all the white shades under white laces.

How do you choose the right shade of white?

Look at the lightest part of your shoe that will not change any more. That is usually the sole or the lining, not the upper.

1. Put your shoe in daylight, by a window. Lamplight makes everything look more yellow.
2. Look at the midsole. If it is pure white, choose bright white or white. If it is cream or slightly yellowed, choose off-white or sail.
3. Look at the lining and the tongue. On many shoes they are a shade warmer than the upper.
4. Choose the lace in the shade of the warmest white part. A lace that is a fraction warmer than the shoe stands out less than a lace that is brighter.

That last point is the most important rule. A lace that is too bright draws the eye and makes the rest of the shoe look older than it is. That is why milky white is such a safe choice for shoes you have already worn for a season.

Which shade for which shoe?

• New white leather sneakers: white or bright white.
• White sneakers you have been wearing for a while: white or milky white.
• Sneakers with a cream-colored or yellowed sole: off-white or sail.
• White canvas shoes: natural white or white.
• Beige, sand or light suede: milky white or sail. Bright white quickly clashes with those.
• Black or dark shoes with white laces: white. The contrast is big anyway, so the exact shade matters less.

The general rules for choosing a color are in what color laces go with your shoes.

Want to be sure? How to avoid a mismatch

On a screen, seven shades of white are hard to tell apart. There are two ways to avoid guessing.

• The Veter Matcher: upload a photo of your shoe and the Veter Matcher shows which laces come closest in color.
• A color pack: the color packs contain five pairs of flat laces from one color family, from light to dark. With the White Shades or Cream Shades pack you can hold the shades next to your shoe at home and you have spares for your other pairs straight away.

The white shades are mainly available as basic flat laces of 8 mm. White and sail also come in almost every other type, from round and oval to waxed and wide laces.

Do white laces stay white?

Not by themselves. White laces absorb dirt and sweat and turn grey or yellowish as a result. A bright white lace shows it soonest. So wash white laces regularly by hand. How to do that, and when replacing them is the smarter move, is explained in how to wash shoelaces.

A warm shade such as sail is forgiving here. A slight change in shade shows far less in a cream-colored lace.

Frequently asked questions

What color is sail?

Sail is a warm off-white with a light cream tint. The color resembles unbleached sailcloth and suits shoes with a cream-colored or vintage sole.

Is off-white one specific shade?

It is the name of one shade, but it is also an umbrella term for white that is not quite pure white. Sail, ivory white and milky white all fall under it.

Which white laces do white sneakers come with?

Usually a neutral white lace. On models with a vintage look it is often sail. If in doubt, look at the color of the sole.

Can I wear sail laces in pure white sneakers?

You can as a deliberate contrast, but it soon looks as if the laces are dirty. With a pure white shoe, white is the safer choice.

Want to see all the shades side by side? Browse the white laces and the cream laces.