Suede Care and Waterproofing

[entertainment]

I would be wary of sprays like Scotchguard, even though I used them many times in the past. They are toxic and the the chemicals are very persistent. Here is the New Yorker article where I first found out.

How 3M Discovered, Then Concealed, the Dangers of Forever Chemicals

The company found its own toxic compounds in human blood—and kept selling them.

www.newyorker.com

And a somewhat technical article about the chemicals and alternatives, though I have no idea how reliable the source is.

Is Scotchgard Safe? (+ Non-Toxic Alternatives)

'Works like magic,' you might say. But is Scotchgard safe? Find out about the “new” formulation of this fabric & carpet protector, plus Scotchgard alternatives.

thefiltery.com

 

[lisarobbert]

There is a lot of information on this forum regarding leather treatment but not much regarding suede finish.

I have a suede trucker and as suede marks quite easily and is not particularly waterproof, what is the consensus on treating suede jackets?

a much needed question.

 

[Jennison]

I did a little research on this issue when looking for something to protect my Thursday boot chukkas. From what I understand most shoe manufacturers have a suede protector and they're pretty much all the same. If used properly, they shouldn't darken the suede much, if at all. The only real rule of thumb I came away with is to stay away from anything with silicone, as this can dry out the leather in the long run. I used a bottle of Red Wing suede/nubuck pump-spray I had sitting around that stated on the front of the label "silicone free." It didn't darken the leather at all. It looked like it would when wet, but when it dried I couldn't see any difference. Just be prepared to apply it regularly if you're counting on any kind of true barrier, and even then it's no magic bullet. Still, if it gives you piece of mind, then it's worth it. Bottom line is, don't get suckered into paying more for the "best (eg Saphir)" Just pick something silicone free. Lots of choices on Amazon.

 

[Cimmerian]

I did a little research on this issue when looking for something to protect my Thursday boot chukkas. From what I understand most shoe manufacturers have a suede protector and they're pretty much all the same. If used properly, they shouldn't darken the suede much, if at all. The only real rule of thumb I came away with is to stay away from anything with silicone, as this can dry out the leather in the long run. I used a bottle of Red Wing suede/nubuck pump-spray I had sitting around that stated on the front of the label "silicone free." It didn't darken the leather at all. It looked like it would when wet, but when it dried I couldn't see any difference. Just be prepared to apply it regularly if you're counting on any kind of true barrier, and even then it's no magic bullet. Still, if it gives you piece of mind, then it's worth it. Bottom line is, don't get suckered into paying more for the "best (eg Saphir)" Just pick something silicone free. Lots of choices on Amazon.

Thank you. This is also helpful. Probably going to try the renapur suede protector and report back when I get a chance

 

[pillepalle123]

You can use a pure leather oil on suede if it really needs heavy conditioning. But it is hard to know when this is the case since the characteristics of suede make i soft even if pretty dry.
This will darken it a little bit, not harm the texture and make it a little more waterproof.

Old school waterproofing would be using aluminium acetate.