THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO CARING FOR YOUR SUEDE SNEAKERS

HOW TO CLEAN, PROTECT AND MAINTAIN SUEDE LEATHER SNEAKERS SO THEY LAST FOR YEARS

SUEDE HAS A REPUTATION FOR BEING DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN. IT IS UNDESERVED. SUEDE REQUIRES DIFFERENT CARE FROM SMOOTH LEATHER. NOT MORE. DIFFERENT. THE CORRECT ROUTINE TAKES MINUTES AND RESULTS IN A SNEAKER THAT HOLDS ITS CHARACTER AND TEXTURE ACROSS YEARS OF SERIOUS WEAR.

BEFORE FIRST WEAR

APPLY A SPECIALIST SUEDE PROTECTOR SPRAY BEFORE THE FIRST WEARING. HOLD THE CAN 20 TO 30CM FROM THE SURFACE AND APPLY AN EVEN COAT. ALLOW TO DRY COMPLETELY, AT LEAST AN HOUR, BEFORE WEARING. THIS CREATES A PROTECTIVE BARRIER AGAINST MOISTURE AND SURFACE STAINING WITHOUT ALTERING THE TEXTURE OR COLOUR OF THE SUEDE. REPEAT EVERY FEW MONTHS OR AFTER ANY SIGNIFICANT WETTING.

DAILY MAINTENANCE

AFTER EACH WEARING, BRUSH THE SUEDE WITH A DEDICATED SUEDE BRUSH IN THE DIRECTION OF THE NAP. USE BRASS OR STIFF NYLON BRISTLES, A FINER BRISTLE FOR DELICATE SUEDE AND A FIRMER ONE FOR STANDARD NAP. THIS PREVENTS THE SURFACE FROM MATTING AT POINTS OF CONTACT AND MAINTAINS THE CONSISTENCY OF TEXTURE ACROSS THE WHOLE SNEAKER. IT TAKES TWO MINUTES. IT MATTERS MORE THAN ANY OTHER ELEMENT OF SUEDE CARE.

DEALING WITH MARKS AND STAINS

DRY MARKS AND SCUFFS RESPOND TO A SUEDE ERASER OR CREPE RUBBER BLOCK, APPLIED WITH LIGHT PRESSURE IN THE DIRECTION OF THE NAP. WORK ON DRY SUEDE ONLY. MOST SURFACE MARKS THAT APPEAR PERMANENT RESPOND TO THIS METHOD IF ADDRESSED BEFORE THEY HAVE SET.

WATER STAINS ARE BEST ADDRESSED BY DAMPENING THE ENTIRE SURFACE OF THE SUEDE EVENLY AND ALLOWING IT TO DRY NATURALLY WITH A SHOE TREE INSERTED. THIS PREVENTS TIDE MARKS BY ENSURING THE MOISTURE DRIES UNIFORMLY. DO NOT USE A HEAT SOURCE TO ACCELERATE DRYING.

STORAGE

STORE SUEDE SNEAKERS WITH CEDAR SHOE TREES INSERTED AND IN A BREATHABLE DUST BAG OR BOX. AVOID PLASTIC WRAPPING, WHICH TRAPS MOISTURE AND ACCELERATES DETERIORATION. DO NOT STORE IN DIRECT SUNLIGHT, WHICH FADES THE COLOUR OF SUEDE UNEVENLY OVER TIME.

SUEDE MAINTAINED CORRECTLY IS A RESILIENT AND REWARDING MATERIAL. THE REPUTATION IS WRONG. THE CARE IS SIMPLE.