SUEDE CARE

How do I best care for my suede shoes?

Caring for a shoe always starts with the cleaning process. Special suede brushes are suited to cleaning suede leather. These usually feature one side with a stiff brush (natural bristles partly on the outside and metal bristles on the inside), which can be used to clean dirt, and a soft rubber brush on the other side, which is used to finish off the process. After this, it is time to impregnate the shoes.

Impregnation spray offers the shoes protection from moisture and dirt. This really is crucial for suede, as the porosity of material makes it highly susceptible to absorbing and storing water. Suede is often a popular option due to its beautifully pigmented colours and stains on materials like this are particularly bothersome. In order optimally maintain the suede leather, it is recommended to use a small bottle with an integrated sponge applicator to massage in the product rather than a spray. It is also worth mentioning that impregnating agents settle on the material in such a way that the end of the individual molecular rods bind to the fibres in the leather, allowing the hydrophobic (water-repellent) ends to point outwards, thus protecting the suede shoe from moisture. The breathability of the leather remains unaffected.

Our tip: if you wish to use a spray, we recommend using it in front of the door or on the balcony as they contain aerosols and will otherwise release substances into your home. Since you do not want to dry out your tiles or other flooring at the same time, we recommend placing down newspaper before carrying out the impregnation process. This will not be an issue, of course, if you use the impregnation tool that we recommend, i.e. an impregnating agent with a sponge applicator attached.

As it goes, there is an old wives’ tale that it is best to treat the suede shoes with a powdered substance, so that the shoe is protected from dirt and moisture from the outside. We don’t agree with this. Powder does not offer sufficient protection since it only settles superficially on the surface of the suede and is therefore not firmly rooted in the material. Using powder also dates back to times when current application methods such as aerosols or sponge dispensers were not available.

What can cause damage to suede shoes?

As mentioned earlier, moisture from the outside surroundings poses the biggest risk to your high-quality leather shoes becoming damaged. This is particularly the case for suede shoes which is why it is crucial that you use the correct care product when maintaining them. If you expose the leather pile of your suede shoes to the incorrect product, then it will become permanently damaged. This is why you should never treat them with polish or wax. Firstly, the surface of the suede becomes greasy, smooth and shiny. As a result, the suede shoe loses its distinctive appearance. In addition to this, suede also loses its breathability when treated with polish or wax due to the pores becoming clogged. Something that should be avoided at all costs is contact with salt water. Water marks caused by salt water are difficult to completely remove, even if the shoe has been well impregnated. Do you need an excuse to enjoy walking barefoot on sandy beaches anyway?

What do I do after applying my care products?

It is most effective to leave the impregnation agent (either spray or even better, sponge applicator) to work into the leather for a while after treating it. This should not take longer than an hour, generally speaking.

How often do I need to treat my suede shoes?

The impregnation treatment will wear off after a certain period of time due to the bending and movement of the shoes when walking and the creases that result from this, causing the suede to start absorbing water more easily again. This is why it is important to regularly impregnate your shoes. Suede shoe should be treated more often during winter due to the dampness and dirt outdoors and the stress that this causes to the shoe. With this in mind, the shoes can be treated less often in summer. It is also highly dependent on how often the shoes are worn, of course. If your favourite pair of shoes is one of our suede shoes, which you wear all the time, then you should devote much more care and attention to them. Just as you can only maintain friendships by taking the effort to do so, the same goes for your shoes. That way you can guarantee they will be by your side come rain or shine. We recommend caring for your shoes once a month in the winter. It suffices to only do this every three months during summer.