# How to Choose Deodorizing Insoles (除臭鞋墊) in Taiwan: Charcoal, Antibacterial Foam, Arch Support, and the Cost per Pair

Last updated: October 24, 2026
選品索引 ChoiceIndex — https://choiceindex.tw/en/

Shop assistants who stand all day, workers out on site, and commuters whose feet sit in closed shoes all know right away whether their shoes smell when they take them off. On the shop page, "deodorizing", "antibacterial", "sweat-absorbing", "mold-resistant", "arch support", and "pressure relief" all appear on one insole, and prices run from a dozen dollars to several hundred, so where is the difference? This guide explains the common types, 4 things to check, and how to work out the cost per pair, so you can decide which one to buy.

## First, Understand the 3 Common Types of Deodorizing Insoles

| Type | Features | Who it is for |
|---|---|---|
| Activated charcoal / bamboo charcoal thin insoles | The insole contains activated charcoal or bamboo charcoal, which absorbs odor molecules. It is usually thin, light, and cheap, and easy to trim and fit into many shoes. But its absorbing power gradually fills up, so you need to replace it regularly, and it gives almost no foot support or pressure relief | Shoes with a stuffy smell, light odor in commuter leather shoes or closed shoes, and people who want to try something cheap first |
| Antibacterial, mold-resistant functional foam insoles | A base of foam such as PU, with an antibacterial and mold-resistant additive, and designed for sweat absorption, breathability, and cushioning, with a little pressure relief too. They are usually thicker and cost more than thin types. How well they control odor depends on the additive and how you use them, and the test results on a shop page are mostly data for the material under lab conditions | People who stand and walk a lot, exercise, or keep their shoes closed for long hours, and care about comfort and odor together |
| Arch-support / pressure-relief thick insoles | The focus is the shape of the arch, the thickness, and the cushioning, used to spread pressure and make standing and walking more comfortable. Odor control is not the main function. They are thicker, so shoes without enough room get tighter | People who stand and walk for long periods, whose soles ache easily, and who need extra cushioning |

No single type is "the best". It mainly depends on whether the problem you want to solve is "my shoes smell" or "my feet ache from standing". If you only want to hold down the odor, a thin charcoal type is cheap and easy to replace. If you want comfort, sweat absorption, and antibacterial properties together, a functional foam type is more complete. Only if you need support and cushioning should you look at arch-support types. Also remember that the root of shoe odor is mostly foot sweat plus damp, stuffy shoes and bacteria growing, and the insole is only one part. Rotating two pairs of shoes so they dry fully, choosing breathable socks, and washing or replacing insoles regularly are often as important as the insole itself, and even the seller's own product description advises people with very heavy foot sweat and odor to add deodorizing socks. Arch-support insoles are also not a medical correction product, so if you have lasting foot pain or posture problems, please ask a medical professional.

## 4 Things to Check When Choosing Deodorizing Insoles

| What to check | What to look at |
|---|---|
| Use and material | First decide whether you want to hold down odor, absorb sweat, or relieve pressure. Charcoal types focus on absorbing odor, functional foam types depend on the base material and whether they have antibacterial, mold-resistant, sweat-absorbing, and breathable design, and arch types depend on the support height and thickness. "Deodorizing" and "antibacterial" on a shop page are mostly the seller's labels, so before you order it is best to see whether there is a test method and data, and whether it is a material test or the real effect inside a shoe |
| Size and whether it can be trimmed | Insoles are usually sized by foot length (for example S, M, L) and marked as trimmable. Before you buy, measure the real length of your foot with a ruler and compare it with the shop's size table, and do not go only by your shoe size. An insole that is too small shifts, and one that is too big has to be trimmed before it fits |
| Thickness and room in the shoe | The thicker the insole, the more cushioning and support, but the less room in the shoe. In leather shoes, narrow shoes, and shoes that are already tight, a thick insole can squeeze your foot and press on the top of the foot. First check how much room there is in the shoe with the original insole taken out, and then decide how thick to choose |
| Cost per pair and how long it lasts | Do not look only at the unit price. Work out "total price ÷ number of pairs", and then estimate how long it lasts. Thin types are cheap, but odor control fills up and they wear out faster. Functional types cost a little more, but if they are washable, durable, and replaced less often, the average cost is not necessarily high. Before you buy, also see whether the shop has a multi-buy offer |

## How to Work Out the Cost per Pair So a Low Unit Price Does Not Fool You

Do not look only at "how much for one pair". Look at "total price ÷ number of pairs", and then work out how long it really lasts. Suppose a thin charcoal insole costs $30 a pair and needs replacing after about a month, so the average cost per month is about $30. Another functional foam insole costs $180 a pair, and if it can be washed regularly and lasts about half a year, the average cost per month is also about $30. The two are actually similar, and the latter usually adds thickness, cushioning, and arch support. The real life depends on how long you wear them, how breathable the shoes are, and how you wash them, and this is only a way to calculate, not a guarantee. Note that a shop may list several colors, sizes, and combinations at once, and a price is for a specific option, so before you order check whether the option you chose is one pair or several, and then work out the cost per pair so the figure is accurate.

## Choosing by Situation

- **Food service, shop staff, and factory work with a lot of standing and walking** — Look first at a functional foam type with some cushioning and sweat-absorbing, breathable design, and check there is enough room in the shoe. If your feet ache from standing, then consider an arch-support type.
- **Sports shoes and sneakers** — These are already stuffy inside, so look at sweat absorption, breathability, and cushioning, which usually suits better than a plain thin charcoal type. For hard exercise such as running and ball games, also check that the insole fits and does not shift.
- **Commuter leather shoes and narrow closed shoes** — Room is limited, so consider a thin or trimmable type first to avoid making the shoe tight. If the shoe itself smells stuffy, rotating pairs and letting it dry completely matters more.
- **Rain boots and work boots** — These shoes are easily damp inside. Besides choosing an insole with sweat-absorbing and mold-resistant design, remember to take the insole out and dry it after wearing, so smell and mold are less likely.

## Searching on Shopee Taiwan: Chinese Keywords and What They Mean

Shopee Taiwan uses Chinese, so searching in English usually returns nothing useful. Copy the keywords below and paste them into the Shopee search box.

| Keyword / text (Chinese) | Pinyin | Meaning | What it is for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 除臭鞋墊 | chúchòu xiédiàn | deodorizing insoles | The most common search keyword |
| 活性碳 / 竹炭 | huóxìng tàn / zhútàn | activated charcoal / bamboo charcoal | Absorbs odor, thin and cheap |
| 抑菌防霉 | yìjūn fángméi | antibacterial and mold-resistant | Often on functional foam types |
| 吸汗透氣 | xīhàn tòuqì | sweat-absorbing and breathable | For shoes that get stuffy |
| 足弓支撐 | zúgōng zhīchēng | arch support | For sore feet from standing |
| 減壓 | jiǎnyā | pressure relief | Cushioning for the sole |
| 可裁剪 | kě cáijiǎn | can be trimmed | Cut to fit your shoe |
| 腳長 | jiǎo cháng | foot length | Measure it, and compare with the size table |
| S / M / L | S / M / L | S / M / L | Insole sizes, check the foot length range |
| 除臭襪 | chúchòu wà | deodorizing socks | A good partner for very heavy foot odor |
| 月銷熱賣 | yuè xiāo rèmài | best sellers this month | A sorting option in Shopee Taiwan search results (the display name may change), useful for finding what many people buy |

Brand names on packaging are usually written in Chinese too. If you are not sure, use your phone's camera translation (for example Google Translate) on the packaging or the product page and compare it with the table above. This list is only a keyword guide, not an official translation, and the text on a product page may differ.

> **Show this to the shop staff, or paste it into the Shopee chat**
>
> 請問這款尺寸怎麼選？可以裁剪嗎？ (Qǐngwèn zhè kuǎn chǐcùn zěnme xuǎn? Kěyǐ cáijiǎn ma?) — How do I choose the size of this one? Can it be trimmed?
> 請問這是一雙還是多雙？ (Qǐngwèn zhè shì yì shuāng háishì duō shuāng?) — Is this one pair or several pairs?
> 請問厚度大概多少？ (Qǐngwèn hòudù dàgài duōshǎo?) — About how thick is it?

> This page is a consumer guide, not a paid review of a specific product. The link below is a Shopee affiliate link. If you buy through it, we may receive a small commission. The price you pay does not change.

### Tree Com (足立康) Spin-Pressed Functional Insoles | POLIYOU Arch Support, Pressure-Relief Air Cushion, Deodorizing and Antibacterial, Sweat-Absorbing and Mold-Resistant, Made in Taiwan (Shopee Preferred)

Shopee listing information (shown on October 6, 2026; prices and promotions may change): 6 product options (several colors, with S / M / L sizes separate), a displayed price of $180 (original $190, shown as 5% off), 6,000+ sold, and a 5-star rating from 2,315 reviews. The buyer tags are mostly suitable (319), fast shipping (115), and comfortable to wear (61), and the size ratings show 98% fit, 2% too big, and 0% too small. It is No. 4 in Shopee's "comfort insoles" best-seller list. The page also shows a price of $126 after a Shopee VIP coupon (VIP eligibility required, not checked by this site), a multi-buy offer on the shop (conditions as on the page), free shipping for store pickup over $199 and home delivery over $490, and 5% Shopee coin back, with the Shopee Preferred badge and genuine-goods protection. It is a Shopee Preferred shop in Renwu District, Kaohsiung, with a shop rating of 4.9. Product information (from the listing, not independently checked by us): brand Tree Com (足立康), made in Taiwan, with the material listed as POLIYOU (cut from high-resilience PU foam). The listing claims 100% made in Taiwan, 36-country patents, and ISO 9001 quality system certification. The tests the listing shows include mold resistance (ASTM G21, grade 1 or lower), antibacterial (ASTM AATCC 147, antibacterial rate 100%, inhibition zone of 0.5 mm or more), breathability (CNS 1357 TYPE-A, 100 ml of air through in 6 seconds), and moisture absorption (CNS 7819, absorption of 350% or more, desorption of 50% or more). Size S suits a foot length of 22.5 to 25 cm (insole 26 cm long and 8 cm wide), M suits 25.5 to 28 cm (28 cm long and 9 cm wide), and L suits 28.5 to 31 cm (30 cm long and 9.5 cm wide), all trimmable, and the seller suggests measuring the sole in centimeters with a ruler before choosing. The insole is about 8 mm thick, and the arch support height is about 1.5 cm. Before you buy: the antibacterial, mold-resistant, breathability, and moisture figures above are the shop's own material test data and we have not checked them, and the real deodorizing effect differs with how much your feet sweat, how breathable your shoes are, and your habits. The seller also notes in the description that people with very heavy foot sweat and odor should add deodorizing socks. At about 8 mm thick, check the room in narrow shoes, leather shoes, and shoes that are already tight before putting it in. The arch support is a general comfort design and not a medical correction product, and if you have lasting foot pain, please ask a professional. A buyer review mentions buying again and reminds you that insoles need regular washing and changing. Prices may differ by color and size option, so before ordering check that the option you chose is "one pair", and work out the cost per pair. "5% off" and the "VIP coupon price" are the listing's own labels and we have not checked them.

[View product / buy on Shopee →](https://s.shopee.tw/6fhqjzlMlR?share_channel_code=6)

## Quick Checklist Before You Buy

- What are you trying to solve? → For only holding down odor choose a thin charcoal type, for sweat absorption, antibacterial, and comfort look at functional foam, and look at arch types only if your feet ache from standing
- How long is your foot, and is there room in the shoe? → Measure the sole with a ruler and compare with the size table, and for thick insoles check the room with the original insole taken out
- Can you read the test data? → See whether the shop gives a test method, and tell a material test from the real effect when worn
- Want to know if it is a good deal? → Work out "total price ÷ number of pairs", and estimate how long it lasts and whether it can be washed
- Before you order → check whether your chosen color and size is one pair or several, and remember to rotate shoes and wash and dry insoles regularly

## Frequently Asked Questions

**Can insoles really solve foot odor?**
They can help, but usually they are not the only answer. Foot odor mostly comes from foot sweat, damp stuffy shoes, and bacteria growing. The sweat-absorbing, antibacterial, and absorbing design of an insole can reduce part of it, but if the shoes are not fully dry, the socks do not breathe, or the insoles are not washed, the smell still comes back. We suggest rotating shoes, choosing breathable socks, and washing or replacing insoles regularly. If your foot sweat and odor are especially heavy you can add deodorizing socks, and if it keeps getting worse, ask a professional.

**What is the difference between charcoal insoles and antibacterial foam insoles?**
Charcoal (bamboo charcoal) insoles absorb odor, and are usually thin, light, and cheap, but their absorbing power gradually fills up and they need replacing regularly. Antibacterial foam insoles use foam as the base, add an antibacterial and mold-resistant agent, and are designed for sweat absorption, breathability, and cushioning, so they lean toward comfort and hygiene over long hours of wear, and the price and thickness are usually higher. The two have different design focuses, and neither is always better.

**How do I choose the insole size, and can it be trimmed?**
Most insoles are sized by foot length and marked as trimmable. We suggest measuring the real length of your sole with a ruler and comparing it with the shop's size table, and not going only by your shoe size. If the insole is longer than the inside of the shoe, you can trace the outline of the original insole and trim along it, leaving a little extra at first and trimming in small steps to be safe.

**How often should insoles be replaced, and can they be washed?**
There is no fixed answer, and it depends on how long you wear them, how breathable the shoes are, and how you wash them. Thin charcoal types usually fill up faster. Foam types can be washed as the seller says, and the usual advice is to hand wash gently and air dry, avoiding sun and high-heat drying. If the insole loses its shape, goes flat, or the smell will not wash out, replace it.

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選品索引 ChoiceIndex — we help you compare before you buy. We are not a paid endorsement.
[中文版](https://choiceindex.tw/guides/deodorizing-insoles/)