“Suede” is often seen as a material for shoes, but do you know specifically what kind of material suede is? It is important to know the characteristics of the material in order to choose shoes that fit your feet and to care for them.

This time, mamian, a shoe professional, will explain the popular material "suede" in detail. Let's check the characteristics of suede fabric and how to care for it so that it can be worn for a long time. If you have suede pumps or are thinking of buying suede shoes, please refer to this article.

What is suede, the material used for shoes and clothes?

Suede refers to leather that has been tanned with short fluff. Soft hides such as calves and kid goats are mainly used for raw hides. It is one of the brushed leathers because it is raised by rubbing with sandpaper.

Suede is a French word that means "Sweden" who invented the technique of fluffing leather. After that, women's gloves "Gaunt de suede" were brought to France, and it is widely believed that the perception that "fluffy leather is suede material" was established.

Suede with short pile and softness is considered to be a high quality fabric, and the highest quality suede fabric is called "silky".

Differences between suede and other materials that are often confused with suede

There are other types of brushed leather besides suede. All of them are characterized by their fuzzy appearance, so many people do not know the difference from suede. Here's a look at the differences between suede and other brushed leathers.

·suede

Since calf and kid leather is used, thin ones are common. It has good color development after coloring, and is a particularly common and widely distributed material among brushed leathers.

・Nubuck

Made of cowhide leather, it has very short bristles and is characterized by its light luster, smooth texture, and elegant impression. Often used for more expensive products than suede. Cospa is high, and color variations are also abundant.

・Velour

Made of cowhide leather, it is characterized by a slightly longer pile than suede. It's difficult to distinguish by appearance, but the surface is rougher and brushed than suede, and many of them are thicker.

・Buckskin

Deer leather is used, and the surface is brushed instead of the back leather. Today goat and sheep skins are also used. It has characteristics such as beauty of appearance, good touch, and suppleness.

How to care for suede shoes

From here, I will explain how to care for shoes that use suede. Suede is said to be more durable and easier to maintain than other types of leather, but if you don't take care of it at all, it can wear out quickly and lose its elegant appearance.

Usually just brushing is OK

Regular care can be done by just brushing. Suede is a material that gives an elegant impression due to its brushed texture, so keep it brushed. When brushing, first stroke the bristles in reverse to remove dust. Brushed leather has short hairs that are fluffy, so it tends to attract small dust and dirt, so it is recommended to remove it frequently after use.

After bristling up a few times, brush along the flow of the bristles. If you press it down, the pile will fall down and it will not look plump and beautiful. Try to apply it gently so as not to press it down.

No moisturizer needed! Brighten up the color with suede spray

Many people have the impression that leather shoes should be cared for by applying moisturizing cream. However, suede is fine as long as you keep it moist with a special nourishing spray. Suede sprays moisturize and nourish the suede to keep it soft and give it a nice color. It is recommended to use a brush with horse or pig hair.

If dirt is conspicuous, use a dirt remover item

For partial dirt, we recommend using a solid type cleaner. If it gets very dirty, or if there are water stains all over, use a special stain remover lotion or liquid cleaner. If it gets wet in the rain, it is also important to remove enough moisture with newspaper before it dries to prevent stains and dirt.

If you want to wear it in the rain, use a waterproof spray

Suede is relatively durable, but it's leather, so it's not water resistant. Therefore, use a suede waterproofing spray to apply an even waterproof coating before use. If there is unevenness, the rain may seep into only a portion of the surface, causing stains or stains to settle.

Also, some waterproof sprays cannot be used on suede, so be careful when choosing a waterproof spray. After you finish spraying, you can keep it looking elegant by brushing it and making it fluffy.

Suede is an elegant and beautiful material! Take good care of it and enjoy it for a long time

This time, what is suede? I introduced the basic information and the care you should take when wearing suede shoes. The suede material is made by brushing the back side of soft calf or kid leather, and is characterized by its unique texture and elegant impression. Even women's shoes are often seen in pumps and loafers. Currently, there are many synthetic leather suede on the market, but the basic maintenance is the same as that of genuine leather. Use this article as a reference and enjoy suede shoes for a long time!