Caring for Special Types of Leather Shoes

Exotic Leathers
Exotic leathers such as ostrich, shark, crocodile and lizard are particularly popular among women’s shoes as well as men’s and women’s cowboy boots. Most of the leather comes from animals raised on farms in South Africa and Southeast Asia. Ostrich leather is particularly coveted because it is extremely soft and easy to shape. This also means that ostrich leather is extremely delicate. A pair of shoes made from ostrich leather will require regular maintenance. It is very important to keep ostrich leather shoes dust free. Use neutral leather cleaner and conditioning cream polish on a regular basis. Lizard, crocodile and snake leather tends to be drier than most other types of leather. This means that you will need to apply conditioner more often than you would to other types of leather shoes. Be careful that conditioner residue and dust don’t collect between the scales.

Nubuck
Nubuck is one of the softest, silkiest leathers out there. It is made from cow leather that is buffed to produce a velvety soft surface. (Leather treated in this way is called napped or buffed leather.) Despite its softness, nubuck is extremely durable. It is easy to clean; simply brush dust off the shoes every so often.  Use a leather conditioner and waterproofing spray as needed.

Suede
Suede, like nubuck, is made from split leather. But whereas nubuck is made with the more durable outer side of the leather, suede is made from the inner side of the hide. Suede, like nubuck, is napped leather; the “fuzzy” texture is achieved by buffing or brushing the leather to make the grains stand up. It is a good idea to apply several, thin coats of non-silicone protective spray. To clean suede leather shoes, use a nylon brush and suede cleaner. Some people also recommend using cornmeal to clean suede shoes. Rub cornmeal into the surface of the shoes, let stand overnight and then brush off the cornmeal in the morning.

Smooth Calfskin Leather
Vitello and Napa are both smooth, high-quality, calfskin leathers. Do not use a brush to clean these leathers! A soft cotton cloth should be used to gently wipe the shoes free of dust. Be sure to use a neutral cream conditioner to keep the leather feeling velvety soft. Polish should also be applied with a cloth rather than a brush. (Vitello and Napa are both high-quality shoe leathers; standard calfskin used to make shoes is usually referred to as full-grain leather.)