Questions and answers

Suede and grooming: As wild as its name suggests?

Posted on by Theresa Habermann
24
Feb

Suede is a type of leather that is made of the underside of an animal skin of wild animals, such as deer, reindeer, kangaroos, antelopes, gazelles, moose, buffaloes or chamois. It has a velvety, soft surface, also known as the “pile”. This typical appearance is created by a grinding process of the animal’s skin, which exposes the rough, fibrous side.

While the texture of suede from the inside of the skin is matt and velvety soft, smooth leather has a smooth, shiny and slightly textured surface and comes from the upper, outer layer of the animal’s skin.

Suede is more sensitive to stains, moisture and wear and tear because it does not have a natural protective surface. For this reason, special care products such as brushes or waterproofing sprays are required so that it is sufficiently protected and also retains its appearance.

Suede is often used for elegant shoes, bags, jackets and accessories as it offers a luxurious and soft look. Smooth leather, on the other hand, is increasingly used in more robust products such as business shoes, furniture and also car seats, where a certain durability is needed.

Because suede is derived from the underside of animal skin and has a fibrous, velvety texture, it is more open-pored and absorbs dirt, water and grease more easily. In contrast to smooth leather, suede lacks a kind of natural sealant as a protective layer.

While there are also many care products such as waxes, oils or other aids for protection for smooth leather, suede remains untreated or can only be impregnated with external care products . For this reason, it is more sensitive to external influences such as moisture, dirt and also UV rays. All of this can quickly discolor or damage the delicate material.

Another reason for the sensitivity of suede is its soft and velvety, rough structure, which is very susceptible to abrasion . Frequent friction, which can easily occur with shoes or bags, can flatten the pile, cause shiny spots or even wear out the material.

Due to its open-pored nature, it also absorbs a lot of moisture, which can quickly lead to stains or hardening . In addition, the pile can deform or stick together.

So, suede is definitely more delicate than other types of leather. However, it is possible to keep it beautiful and functional for a long time with the right care, such as good impregnation and regular cleaning with a special suede brush .

Since suede is a sensitive material by nature, it requires a special care routine with suitable products. Read up on the not-so-wild care jungle of suede here at Tapir.

Dust and light dirt can be easily removed with a suede brush .

For a gentle yet effective cleaning of coarser stains on suede, it is best to use a suede eraser. This has two sides of different hardness, which can be used depending on the degree of soiling. For more stubborn stains, the harder side made of natural rubber is more suitable. Simply rub it gently over the leather to loosen dirt and deposits, which can then be removed with a cotton cloth or a soft brush.

To ensure that the leather generally remains cleaner after cleaning and is less susceptible to dirt, it should be impregnated . So simply apply our leather impregnation for suede, nubuck and suede in the practical pump bottle and let it dry well. Finally, the fibers of the leather must be put back up. The suede eraser can be used again for this purpose.

Fresh water stains should ideally be carefully dabbed off directly with a clean, dry cloth. Rubbing should be avoided at all costs, as this can damage the leather. If your suede shoes do get really wet, you should stuff them with newspaper, which absorbs the water and at the same time ensures that the shape of the shoes is maintained and dried in the air, but never on the heater! After the shoes have dried thoroughly, they should be carefully brushed on with a suede brush to regain the pile.

In principle, suede can also be cleaned wet. This is recommended for stubborn stains, or for dirt that you can’t get out with a brush. Here we recommend the leather cleaner from Tapir.

In the case of oil or grease stains , the application of talcum powder helps, as this can draw the grease out of the leather. After a longer exposure time, it should be brushed out thoroughly but carefully or wet cleaned.

With these simple tips and care instructions, you will enjoy your suede products for a long time.

Short and concise answer: of course. But as always, it is important to pay attention to proper care. Since suede is sensitive to water and absorbs moisture quickly, your suede should be treated with a high-quality water-repellent waterproofing spray to repel moisture and dirt, especially before wearing it for the first time. To ensure protection for a long time, it should be resprayed regularly, especially after it has come into contact with a lot of moisture, such as heavy rainfall or snow.

It is also important to mention here that a skiing holiday, for example, is not necessarily the best choice for suede boots. On such occasions, where it can be expected in advance that extreme wetness such as snow, rain, etc. will definitely occur, it is better to choose an alternative made of smooth leather, for example, or use shoe galoshes or overly pullable rubber protective caps for wet weather.

If the suede does get wet, quickly stuff the shoes or bag loosely with newspaper to maintain its shape. Let the leather air dry and then gently brush it on to restore the pile. Again, please never let it dry directly on heating sources or directly in the sun, as this could damage the leather.

In summary, suede can be used in everyday life, as long as it has been sufficiently protected beforehand with a suitable waterproofing spray and you are prepared for wet conditions. On very rainy or muddy days, however, the suede shoes are better left in the shoe closet. With the right care and caution, nothing stands in the way of wearing suede every day.

Suede is an extremely sensitive material. Therefore, you should be extra careful when cleaning and caring for it so as not to damage it. While some home remedies can help, others can cause harm.

For grease stains , applying a little baking soda helps, as this can absorb the fat. Ideally, leave it on overnight and brush it off with a brush the next day.

To loosen up hardened fibers of the suede, it can help to hold the suede briefly over hot steam (for example from the kettle). Then the leather must be carefully brushed on with a suitable brush .

If the leather is heavily soiled and glued with wax, for example, it can help to remove it very carefully (!), layer by layer with a small knife. Afterwards, the leather can be gently sanded down with a very fine sandpaper at the glued area.

Of course, all home remedies should be tested beforehand on an inconspicuous area so that there are no unpleasant surprises.

Soap, vinegar and normal shoe polish should also be avoided. Shoe care products for smooth leather do more harm than good to suede.

In summary, you don’t need too many home remedies for the optimal care of your suede shoes or bags. However, you are always well prepared if you have the following three things for your grooming routine: a good suede brush, a suede eraser and a special waterproofing spray especially for suede.

Whether suede is really sustainable cannot be answered in general, as it depends on various factors, which will be examined in more detail below. Advantages of suede in terms of sustainability are, on the one hand, its durability, as leather can last for many years as a robust material if properly cared for. So you reduce your need for substitute products, which is ultimately considered more sustainable than the purchase of many short-lived materials. In addition, both suede and smooth leather come from the skin of animals that are slaughtered for meat products. Thus, the leather is recycled as a by-product, so to speak, which prevents the waste of resources . Another positive aspect is that, unlike plastics, which also includes artificial leather, for example, leather is biodegradable unless it has been treated with certain chemicals. Finally, it plays a major role that the leather is quite easy to clean, refurbish and repair, so that its service life can be extended and waste can be reduced .

In addition to the many points that speak for sustainability, there are of course also negative aspects. Firstly, leather is produced in a very resource-intensive way, as it requires a lot of water, energy and often environmentally harmful chemical substances such as tanning agents. Secondly , animal welfare and ethical concerns about factory farming and slaughter play a role. Even though leather is a by-product, the demand for leather indirectly supports the animal industry. The last point to mention is the CO₂ footprint due to sometimes long transport routes. Because leather is often produced in countries where environmental regulations are less stringent and raw materials and finished products are transported over long distances.

In summary, suede can therefore be sustainable as long as it comes from responsible sources , is used for a long time and is well cared for with sustainable products . However, sustainability also depends heavily on the manufacturing conditions and personal use. If you value animal welfare and a lower environmental impact, you could think about plant-based or recycled alternatives.

However, to make it easier for you to choose natural care products for your suede, we can only warmly recommend our Tapir products. Here you can be sure that you have sustainable alternatives in your hands.

Pressure, friction or moisture, which flattens the delicate fibers of the suede, often cause shiny spots on the suede.

However, this can be prevented by preventive measures , which are explained below.

After each wear, simply gently roughen the fibers with a special suede brush by always brushing in one direction. A waterproofing spray especially for suede should be used afterwards. This protects the material from moisture and dirt and thus helps to prevent the leather from hardening or becoming greasy. The spray should be reapplied every few weeks and especially after cleaning or after the leather has come into contact with extreme moisture such as rain or snow.

Another measure is to avoid direct contact with smooth surfaces. For example, you should not run your hands over the leather, as skin oils can smooth it out and make it greasy. Therefore, it is better to use a shoehorn for shoes to avoid these pressure points.

When storing them, you should also make sure that your suede shoes are not close together or rub against smooth surfaces. The use of shoe trees helps to maintain shape.

Suede jackets are best hung on other jackets without friction on a wide, padded hanger.

However, these preventive measures are of no use if your suede is already shiny. In this case, it makes sense to hold the suede briefly over hot steam (e.g. from a kettle) and then roughen the structure of the leather again with a special suede brush. A suede eraser can also help to remove shiny areas. It can also help to apply a little baby powder to very shiny areas, which absorbs excess oil. Then the powder should be removed and the shoes brushed well. When using the powder, as with other home remedies, please test it on an inconspicuous area beforehand.

In summary, it can be said that regular care is the best protection against shiny spots. If it does happen, simple home remedies such as brushes, steam or a suede eraser can help to restore the original structure.