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Dye suede and nubuck shoes

Categories : Custom Shoes , Shoe Renovation , Tips

Do you want to dye your suede or nubuck sneakers to change the original shade or restore vibrancy to the colors ? Follow our advice to easily dye any type of shoe: sneakers, boots.

Preparing your sneakers for dyeing

To make your dye, first prepare the suede or nubuck for good adhesion. Then create your color using paints suitable for this type of leather.

Brush and clean your sneakers

The first step before dyeing your sneakers is to brush and clean the suede or nubuck in order to paint on a clean surface.

To do this, you can use the brush from our cleaning kit or any other soft suede brush to remove impurities or dust from the surface.

This step will allow you to have optimal adhesion of the paint so that it is completely absorbed.

Prepare your dye

Dyeing suede or nubuck can be done with ready-to-use dye products, or by diluting standard paint with water.

The more water there is, the more you will preserve the softness of the leather. You will just have to put on one more layer. You can dye 4 to 5 complete pairs with 30mL of paint.

How to dye suede ?

To dye your suede sneakers, dilute the paint with at least 50% water, you can even go up to 60 to 80% water if the suede has already lost its softness.

Apply 2 to 3 coats of paint to regain the original color or to have your new color.

Once you have a result that suits you, brush once the paint is dry to regain the softness of the suede.

How to dye nubuck ?

If you want to dye nubuck sneakers, we recommend at least 70% water for optimal results.

When applying the paint, proceed in exactly the same way as you would for staining suede, applying the same number of coats and then brushing it over at the end.

How to dye velvet ?

With SneakArts paint, you can dye suede and nubuck, but also materials like velvet or any other soft-touch leather.

The technique is the same as for nubuck and you will obtain an equally impressive result.

How to protect your dye ?

The biggest advantage of dyeing suede or nubuck with SneakArts paints is that the dye is water-resistant and does not crack over time. But above all, you don't need to add any product after dyeing the material.

To do this, we have carried out numerous tests on these two materials. However, we do not recommend rinsing suede or nubuck with water too often to preserve the original appearance of the surface.

If the color loses its intensity because you are not paying attention to it, you can repeat the same process. But we recommend that you maintain your sneakers with a suede eraser and brush, or even add a little waterproofing.

Now you know how to dye suede sneakers or any other nubuck shoes using special paint. All of our tips also work on clothing and accessories made with these soft leather types.

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