Your Company

How to care for your shoes

Soft and buttery, our leather is reliably hardwearing, yet as a natural material it can be sensitive. Good shoes are an investment, and taking care of yours will greatly extend their lifespan. As part of our commitment to more sustainable choices, all our shoes are made using high-quality LWG-certified leathers. Slight variations in colour and texture are natural characteristics of leather and make each pair unique.

We love our shoes and want to help preserve yours. To keep your shoes looking their best for a long time, here are some tips we've learnt along the way:

care better, wear longer

WATERPROOF

Before your first wear, spray your shoes with an all-season leather protector. If your shoes get wet, water will be repelled, not absorbed. Repeat this every few weeks during the rainy season.   

While getting caught in light rain once or twice isn't the end of the world, repeated exposure will affect the integrity of your soles and can irrevocably damage leather shoes. If you do get caught out in the rain, just make sure your shoes are dry before you wear them again.  

Remember to always dry them naturally, with soles facing upwards and away from any direct or strong heat source.

SOLES

If you do one thing for your leather-soled shoes, add a thin rubber sole protector. It prevents lasting damage and extends the life of your footwear. If your shoes don’t come with reinforced soles, your local shoemaker can add them—rubber soles are water-resistant, skid-proof, and durable.  

Replace the top lifts* before they’re too worn down. Once they’re overly damaged, repairs become impossible and the heel can become dangerously slippery. *Top lifts are the rubber tips on the heel that make contact with the ground.  

There’s no set rule for how often you should resole your shoes - frequency of wear, type of use, water exposure, and even your stride all play a role. When wear becomes clearly visible, it’s time. A specialist can replace the front and heel, even out the edges, and add a new rubber sole.

TIP #1

While salt stains not only look unpleasant they can also cause damage to your shoes. Salt stains can be reduced or removed completely by mixing water together with a few drops of lemon  or special agent and applying with a cloth or sponge. After your shoes have dried, treat with shoe polish or spray.

TIP #2

After natural wear and tear you may want to revitalise the colour of your shoes. This can be done with specialist creams or sprays, which have a similar tone to your shoe leather. We recommend making a trial on the inside of the shoe beforehand to ensure a perfect match and avoid any unwanted colour change.

TIP #3

To preserve the original shape of your favourite shoes we suggest you insert shoetrees each time after use.

TIP #4

In order to avoid damaging the back of your shoes, we suggest you use a shoehorn when putting your shoes on.

TIP #5

When your shoes become wet, dry them with a soft, clean cloth and let them dry in natural/warm environment. If your shoes are  so wet that they are damp on the inside, we recommend packing the inside of the shoes with newspaper to help absorb water. Leather should always dry naturally, so avoid fires and heaters.

Overheating will literally cook the leather and cause it to become stiff and brittle. When drying, avoid contact with darker materials as this may cause some colour to leak or transfer onto the shoes.

TIP #6

Fix frayed shoe laces by dipping the ends in clear nail polish. This will make them easier to lace.

TIP #7

Give your shoes a rest. Leather shoes should have one full day to dry out from natural foot perspiration.

MAINTENANCE

Regular cleaning will help to extend your shoes’ life. Every few months, we recommend using a moisturising leather cleaner to remove dirt and restore oils. Over time some softer leathers may become dry and lose some of their natural finish. To overcome this we recommend that you regularly apply a thin layer of nourishing cream and buff lightly with a cloth.

Always test new products on a hidden spot first. For scuffs or scratches, use matching or neutral polish, then buff and reapply leather protector.

LEATHER CARE

SMOOTH OR GRAINED LEATHERS

Smooth or grained leathers should be cleaned with a soft and dampened cloth. Once the leather is dry you can polish it in circular strokes using a high quality colourless cream and a soft cloth.

NAPPA LEATHERS

Nappa leather is a very soft material and shoes made from this material will stretch with time, so please keep this in mind when selecting your size. Nappa is naturally very porous, so please avoid coloured creams and moisturising agents, as these may leave watermarks, which are very difficult to remove.

CALF LEATHERS

Calf is relatively strong leather, but it can get marked with wear and does require occasional maintenance. A leather protection cream can be used to maintain the leather. Any loose dirt can be wiped with a soft damp cloth and dried away from direct heat. Classic calf leather is very absorbent, so we suggest applying a leather protector before wear to prevent irreversible staining or watermarks. Over time and with exposure to light, this leather will gradually become darker in colour. This mellowing effect is a natural feature of the material, and is not a defect. Light scratches on the leather can be buffed away using clean fingers to rejuvenate the natural oils on the leather.

PATENT LEATHERS

Patent leather is made from real leather finished with a mixture of acrylic and polyurethane, which gives a longer lasting, durable finish. Any loose dirt to can be easily removed with a damp cloth using lukewarm water and plain soap or Windex. You can enhance the shine with a smooth soft cloth. With wear, patent leather may eventually lose its glossy finish. Patent will easily absorb ink or pigments so we recommend avoiding contact with dark or heavily printed materials. Please also avoid contact with alcohol or any type of solvent.

SUEDE LEATHERS

For suede shoes, apply a waterproofing spray every other month to protect them from stains and water. Brush the hide carefully with a suede brush before and after spraying, always going with the pile direction.If you get mud on suede, let the mud dry overnight and brush it off. Wipe any remaining dirt off with a clean damp cloth or use a suede eraser.

SHOE CARE

The Leather Cream

$35

The Protector

$35

The Shoe Cleaning Set

$55

The Ultimate Shoe Care Kit

$115

SHOP NOW

SHOE CARE

Single-use? No thanks.