Nubuck and suede

Taking care of nubuck and suede

At Wolky, we’re big fans of nubuck and suede, and not without reason. Both types of leather have a luxurious look and feel and are good for your feet. Although nubuck and suede are by no means the same, you care for them in the same way. We tell you how to care for nubuck and suede shoes here. See below to find out more about the difference between these two types of leather.

Protect

Nubuck and suede have an open structure, so it is very important to protect these materials against moisture and dirt. We recommend a high quality protection spray. These sprays provide high-performance impregnation, ensuring your shoes remain beautiful for longer.

Care

The colour on nubuck and suede items can lose intensity over time. You can revive the colour of the material using Nubuck + Textile. This product contains colour pigment which freshens up the colours of suede.

Tip: If you are not sure which colour to use, go for the colourless option. This spray contains a colour activator which will restore the original colour of the material

Clean

Besides protecting and caring for nubuck and suede shoes, it is important to clean them from time to time. The first step is to clean your shoes ‘dry’. For this, we recommend the Collonil Suede Nubuck Box. After the dry stage, you can ‘damp’ clean them. Clean these shoes with Carbon Complete, applying it with the sponge provided. Your shoes will look as good as new in no time! Clean the soles with a damp cloth.

The difference between nubuck and suede

As we’ve already read, nubuck and suede are cared for in the same way, but that doesn’t mean that these types of leather are the same. Quite the contrary, in fact. The big difference is in how the leather is worked. Suede is made from the underside of the hide, while nubuck is made from the outside layer. To produce nubuck, the outside layer is sanded, creating a nap of fine fibres which give nubuck its luxurious, slightly rough look. When properly cared for, nubuck is also very strong.

Suede, on the other hand, is much more delicate. The fibres on the inside of the hide which create the typical suede nap are very fragile. If suede is not maintained properly, the fibres can easily be damaged. So why choose suede? We believe that suede is the warmest, most luxurious type of leather. With proper care, your shoes will continue to look good for a long time.