Initially, in the 1930s, the raw material for the production of nubuck was deer or elk leather. Modern manufacturing technology involves the use of an outer layer of calfskin, which is further processed through external grinding. Products made from nubuck are sold at a higher price than leather and suede. This is due to the fact that the outside surface of calfskin has a tougher texture compared to the inside used for making suede, which means the material is much stronger and more durable. This textile belongs to the aniline subgroup, but in fact it is not one. This is one of the rarest leather materials. It stands out with a much lighter shade.
Leather
Genuine leather is a natural material with a centuries-old history. What is it used for making:
- Shoes.
- Clothes.
- Various accessories.
- Furniture upholstery.
Despite the variety of options, leather products do not lose their relevance. The main advantages and disadvantages are presented in the table.
| pros | Minuses |
| Beautiful appearance confirming its solid status | It cannot be called an absolutely unpretentious material. |
| Shows the refined taste of the owner | Avoid exposure to sunlight |
| Small scuffs are a certain charm; experts will never say that a person looks sloppy | Does not tolerate dampness, the result can be very stretched |
| Easy care | High price |
| Long service life | The need to study the rules of competent care |
| Reliability, practicality | |
| Saving money (despite the high cost, things will take much longer to fold |
Genuine leather is different in that it is not sanded . For example, raw cow leather is a high quality material. It is made from leather that has no defects (no tears or cuts).
The most processed option is unsanded leather . It goes through a recycling process. The goal is to eliminate various imperfections that originally existed on the skin. The most common type.
Unpolished leather sandal
Common species:
- Veal . It is durable and soft. Often used when sewing branded products.
- Deer . Often used in the manufacture of men's gloves.
- Sheep . Products are quite difficult to obtain. The reason is high cost. Manufacturers use this material most often for individual orders.
- Goat . This is an excellent option for making branded accessories. The material meets all necessary requirements.
- Alligator skin . Used in the manufacture of exclusive items. This is a very expensive option.
Suede
This is a material obtained from genuine leather of sheep, deer or wild goats. Type of dressing - tanning: fat or formaldehyde-fat. The suede itself is soft, but quite durable. Suede is used for sewing clothing and shoes, making bags and accessories, and in optics (polishing lenses).
The process of suede making (impregnating the skin with fish, whale or seal oil) is quite long and difficult, so products made from natural material are far from cheap. During the manufacturing process, it changes its characteristics and appearance.
Advantages:
- Beautiful, presentable and expensive look. Even scuffs on the surface made of natural material do not look sloppy, but elegantly careless.
- Versatility. Suede shoes go well with various wardrobe items.
- Strength.
The main disadvantage of suede items is the need for careful care using special products. In addition, in rainy weather the material absorbs water and contaminants contained in it, like a sponge. And cleaning, even the most gentle, will lead to the fact that some of the fibers will be erased, and the beauty of the product will be significantly reduced. But if you act correctly, you can maintain the beautiful appearance of the material for a long time. For information on how to do this, see the following articles:
- How to restore suede?
- Rating of the best professional products for suede.
Nubuck
Nubuck is one of the types of natural leather . It is quite widespread. Many people unknowingly believe that it is a type of leather substitute. In fact, this is high-quality, natural-looking leather.
The production technology is as follows:
- Chrome tanning occurs.
- Grinding process. For this, various abrasives (skin or sand) are used. This stage allows you to obtain a material that is smooth to the touch. Important information: nubuck is not suede.
Nubuck is made from cattle leather. This determines the strength of the material.
Scope of application:
- Manufacturing of various footwear (shoes, shoes, boots).
- Manufacturing of bags and various accessories.
- Sewing outerwear (it is durable and warm).
Nubuck shoes
The main advantages and disadvantages are presented in the table.
| pros | Minuses |
| Aesthetic appearance | Need for special care |
| The material is breathable | Should not be worn in wet weather, and should not be worn when there is dirt outside (this can hopelessly ruin things) |
| Acceptable cost | Relatively low strength |
It is important to know how to care for nubuck in order to appreciate all its advantages.
Historical background: nubuck was originally made from elk leather. The material appeared on the American market in the 1930s. Gained popularity thanks to the Duke of Windsor.
Nubuck care products:
- Aerosol sprays . They help repel moisture and prevent contamination. The treatment should be carried out immediately after purchasing the product.
- Special brushes (it is important to purchase exactly those marked “for nubuck”).
Winter care rules
Whatever material you choose, ensure professional and competent care. Well-kept boots made of traditional black leather or faded nubuck boots - the choice is obvious!
Simple rules of care:
- Do not treat shoes with homemade products, wax, or ointments. We recommend purchasing special compounds that are sold in shoe stores. Contains components that provide comprehensive care for shoes. Provide shine, restore color, structure, protect against moisture, and protect against the appearance of deposits.
- Use special brushes and sponges for care. They polish the surface, evenly distribute the composition, lift and straighten the pile (applies to nubuck).
- If your shoes get wet, dry them immediately. Do not place it close to radiators, electric radiators, or leave it near a stove or fireplace. Use special shoe dryers. With them, boots or boots will dry in 30-40 minutes. In this regard, nubuck is better than genuine leather, as it dries faster. The second option is to stuff crumpled newspapers or offset paper inside (to absorb moisture). Leave it like this overnight, placing it at a distance of 20-30 cm from the radiator. In the morning, treat with a brush and protective agent.
- Take care of your shoes not occasionally, but regularly. Then it will last for many years.
To ensure that customers do not freeze in winter, remain stylish, and feel comfortable, the Respect brand has released stylish options for every taste. Look at the catalogs and choose! The shoes come with a warranty. The lineup is constantly updated with original new products.
What are the differences
The differences between the materials are presented in the table.
| Index | Leather | Nubuck |
| Tolerance to various mechanical influences | Well tolerated | Doesn't tolerate well |
| How quickly it wears out | Has a long service life | Not durable |
| Required care | Easy care | Needs special care |
| Ability to absorb water | Does not allow water to pass through | Water-permeable (cannot be worn in rainy weather) |
| Is the product shiny? | Not shiny | Shiny (especially with frequent wear) |
| How quickly it loses its presentable appearance | Maintains an aesthetic appearance for a long time | Quickly loses its aesthetic appearance |
| Can properties be changed using various means? | Possible, but not essential | You can significantly change the properties of the product |
| Air permeability | Does not allow air to pass through | Allows air to pass through |
| Price | High | Lower than leather products, but not significantly |
Required cleaning products
What should you get along with buying a pair? What helpers do we need in the daily care of nubuck?
For
dry cleaning:
- First of all, you need to get special brushes for nubuck.
They will easily remove dust and dirt from your shoes. The choice of such brushes is very large, both in type and in cost. They come in one, two and three-sided types, usually one row of hard bristles to remove dust from the folds and seams of shoes, then rubberized bristles to clean the entire surface of the shoes, and a third row of metal ones for more detailed cleaning. - To remove stains and scratches
, it is better to purchase a special eraser, but a regular eraser will also work.
For
deep cleaning:
- Moisture-repellent impregnation.
Be sure to get this type of impregnation, it will extend the life of your shoes and protect you from getting wet. It is better to choose it to match the color of your shoes; there are a huge number of such sprays. The main thing is not to skimp, expensive shoes need appropriate expensive care! - Shampoo.
It will help you get rid of salt stains during the winter season, and will also help deal with stubborn stains and restore the original appearance of your shoes. - Tint spray.
If you bought colorless impregnation, then tinting sprays will come to your aid; they will quickly return the original color of your shoes. - Don't forget about antibacterial sprays.
If you have acquired artificial nubuck, then this spray will not hurt you. It will relieve you of unpleasant odors and unnecessary germs.
Also, do not forget that proper storage also plays an important role:
- It should be stored in tightly closed boxes
or textile bags to protect it from dust. Don't forget that you can't store shoes in plastic bags! - Be sure to stuff it with paper
to avoid wrinkling and losing its shape. - Before you hide it in a box
, do not forget to thoroughly clean it, spray it and dry it, and only then hide it until the next season. - When it's time to take it out of the box
, it's worth steaming it to keep it looking fresh and ready to wear.
For what purposes are they best suited?
Products made from nubuck look very elegant . But they should be purchased by those people who are ready to take special care of their things. For example, shoes made from this material should not be worn in wet weather. It is also necessary to constantly use special ones.
In terms of appearance, leather is slightly inferior to nubuck. But it is durable and easy to maintain. The most important thing is to avoid serious mechanical impacts and scorching sun. Leather products are ubiquitous and are suitable for people who do not like to take long and careful care of things.
Nubuck and leather are two common materials, each of them has advantages and disadvantages. It is important to learn how to care for your products so that they will last a long time.
ProductsComment
How to clean?
Do you want your shoes to look the same as the day you bought them? Then you should start caring for it from the first day of wearing it!
Since you have decided to acquire a beautiful and expensive model, do not forget to buy special care products for this type of skin. These are all kinds of brushes, sprays, impregnations; without these helpers, care is impossible.
Let's look at the basic rules of cleaning and care:
- You need to clean it very carefully,
do not rub as hard as you can on the surface, do everything gently and carefully. For these purposes, use special rubberized brushes for nubuck. - Before going out for the first time in a new pair
, you need to treat the surface with a special water-repellent impregnation, which you need to immediately purchase along with the shoes, otherwise your new shoes, boots, boots will not last you long! Before you start processing, carefully read the instructions and treat the surface at least three times. Let each layer dry and then apply the next one. This treatment should be repeated after a walk in heavy rain or snow. - Dry cleaning.
On ordinary days, we first clean it with a dry brush, removing all the dust and dirt; nubuck brushes do an excellent job of this. - Wet cleaning.
After dry cleaning, we apply a special spray to the surface. It is important to match the spray to the color of your shoes. It will help you not only get rid of wetness, but also preserve color. - Dry.
After wet cleaning, you should dry it well. If you have time, you can keep it over steam so that the villi straighten out. - In winter,
white traces remain, or as they are called, salt from the snow. It can be cleaned with a regular damp sponge, and then, as always, apply a spray and dry.
Each owner will definitely express a desire to wash it with plain water. But is it possible to do this? Unfortunately no. Nubuck really doesn’t like moisture, and you can’t wash such shoes in the usual way, they quickly lose their appearance, become tougher, and it will be almost impossible to restore them!
Material characteristics
Many “advisers” on the Internet confuse nubuck with suede, velor, genuine leather and even fabric. Let's conduct a short educational program on what nubuck is and how it differs from other materials, what types exist. Often people are looking for an answer to the question of whether it is leather or not.
There have long been several methods of tanning leather. This is done using fat, salt, extracts of certain types of trees (for example, oak), sand and other materials. The main difference between nubuck and suede is the material and tanning method. Suede is made from the skin of small cattle, and nubuck is used from large cattle (deer, elk, yaks). Tanning of suede is carried out using fat and fat-formaldehyde compounds. Nubuck is tanned with mineral salts, most often chrome.
Leather treated in this way is more pliable and wear-resistant. Shoes and furniture upholstery made of nubuck offer excellent resistance to stretching and impact loads.
But it must be remembered that both natural suede and natural nubuck are capricious materials. They are demanding of external conditions and require constant care.
The main advantage of natural nubuck is the aesthetic and tactile pleasure from contact with it. Lying down on a sofa upholstered in natural nubuck is like touching something soft and tender! And shoes made from it look great in any situation and with any style.
Where is it used?
This material has two directions:
- Furniture . Upholstered furniture fabric is used to cover designer furniture, creating surfaces of chairs, armchairs, sofas and beds that are pleasant to the touch and to the eye.
- Shoe. The material protects our feet from overheating, hypothermia, and moisture.
Nubuck is a very beautiful material for shoes, women's boots and designer shoes.
In footwear, natural oiled nubuck is more common, as it has water-repellent properties. A natural analogue is better suited for furniture production - it is more pleasant to the touch.
How to choose blankets 220x240?
Watch the video on how to put European covers on upholstered furniture.
Photo of memory cotton fabric: .
Prices
Nubuck belongs to the premium class of upholstery and shoe materials. Its price is slightly lower than for suede, but higher than for our usual leather without surface treatment.
Natural material can be purchased in specialized stores at a price of 0.7 dollars per 1 square inch. Naturally, the price rises when animals such as yak and elk are taken for its production, and also subjected to fine processing of the front surface.
Synthetic or artificial nubuck for carpets, upholstery and other needs can cost $3-5 per square meter. Depending on the number of layers of polymers, their thickness and structure. Usually it goes in the “Fabrics” and “Artificial Leather” sections.
Nubuck is aesthetics and beauty. It is used to upholster Italian furniture; thanks to it, the surfaces of armchairs and sofas become pleasant to the touch. Of course, there is a huge difference between natural and synthetic material.
Natural is more suitable for the bedroom. It cannot be cleaned and washed very often; it absorbs moisture and is afraid of strong mechanical influences. But its appearance evokes only pleasant thoughts; you immediately want to touch it, lie down on its surface. The tactile sensations when touching it are almost the same as when touching suede.
Artificial is more practical and common. It can be found in car showrooms, on the floors of children's rooms, in living rooms and kitchens. Its water-repellent properties allow this material to be washed and cleaned a considerable number of times. Also read the characteristics of Cordura furniture fabric here.
Color restoration
The special tinting sprays mentioned above will help you restore and maintain the color of your product. And also, often, impregnation for nubuck has a wide range of colors to choose from for your product; buy not transparent, but colored impregnation.
For some, it will always seem too difficult to care for, but in fact, the main thing is to remember a few basic rules:
- Clean every day.
- Treat with moisture-repellent impregnation.
- Wipe only dry and use special brushes for nubuck.
- Do not wipe with a damp washcloth.
Following these simple rules will help you keep it in perfect condition.
Such shoes are an expensive pleasure; they are made from high-quality materials and require attention, but with proper care they will serve you for years!
