Shoe Care
We carefully select the finest leather and materials, and use quality craftsmanship to ensure that each pair of handmade shoes is built to stand the test of time.
With the right care and proper maintenance, your shoes should get even better with age as they mold to the foot and develop a natural patina with wear.
It is important to clean, condition, and polish your shoes regularly to protect the leather and prolong life and look. We recommend you use a shoe-tree to help reduce creasing and restore the shape of the shoe between wears. Using a shoe bag or shoebox will also prevent dust build up.
Cleaning, Conditioning and Polishing
Calfskin Leather
- Clean off any visible dirt or debris with a stiff horsehair brush or damp cloth
- Apply an even layer of neutral or matching colour shoe cream in circular motions using a clean soft-cotton cloth until the colour and lustre are restored
- Air dry for 5-10 minutes before buffing with a horsehair brush
- To further boost shine and lustre, apply a neutral or matching colour shoe polish using a small brush in circular motions
- Air dry for 5-10 minutes before buffing the shoes using a stiff horsehair brush
Scotch Grain Leather
- Clean off any visible dirt or debris with a stiff horsehair brush or damp cloth
- Apply an even layer of neutral or matching colour shoe cream in circular motions using a clean soft-cotton cloth until the colour and lustre are restored
- Air dry for 5-10 minutes before buffing with a horsehair brush
- Avoid using polishing wax as it can buildup inside the grooves of the grain
Suede
- Apply a waterproofing suede protection spray to protect from stains and water before wearing
- To clean off any dust, dirt, or stains, make sure the shoe is dry before brushing with a suede brush in one direction
- To remove scuff marks, brush the mark back and forth using a suede brush
- For stubborn marks, try using a pencil eraser or a suede eraser
Heel & Sole Repair and Replacement
Over time, our heels and soles will begin to show signs of wear and start to break down. The advantage of handmade or welted shoes is the ability to repair and resole them. Replacing a heel or sole can be done at a fraction of the cost of the original shoe price, and will restore your shoes, further extending their life.
Repairs
Rubber heel caps and rubber half soles are usually the first parts to wear out. These can be easily replaced at your local cobbler in no time. It is important that you stop wearing your shoes until these components have been repaired to avoid wearing into the leather beneath the protective rubber layer.
For other repair concerns, please get in touch so we can better assess and help resolve any issues.
Replacements
We happily replace worn out heels and soles. Although many cobblers may be able to do this work, we recommend bringing them to us for these reasons:
- We have the original forms your shoes were built on, which must be used when restoring a pair of shoes
- We know how your shoe was constructed, so we know how best to deconstruct it
- We know our sole construction, so you will get the same level of quality and craftsmanship as your original shoes.
- We refinish, clean, condition and polish your shoe with the highest quality products to restore the leather’s colour and lustre restore the leathers colour and luster