Dyeing Suede & Nubuck

The dyes are great at returning suede & nubuck back to new.  There are 3 colours available on this website;  dark brown, navy and black.  The colours vary in shades and the original colour of the shoe plays a part in the end result. So it's important to note that often you cannot determine the exact shade of colour until completion. When choosing your colour remember that you can only dye from a light to darker colour.

To get started follow the steps below.

Step One: Preparing

• Brush the surface with a suede brush to remove dirt and to bring the nap up.
  For dirty shoes view full cleaning instuctions in the Caring for Suede & Nubuck page.

Step Two: Dying

• Use the brush provided with the Leather Dye and apply the dye in long, even strokes across the surface. Make sure that the colour remains even.
• Let the first coat of dye dry for 1 - 2 hours.
• Apply second coats until you achieve the desired shade.

Step Three: Brushing

• Allow to dry thoroughly, and then use a suede brush to bring the nap back up.
  

Shoe Dying Tips

• The more time you spend preparing your shoes the better the results will be.
• Each time you apply dye to your shoes make sure that they are completely dry before applying next coat.
• Stuff paper in your shoes or place them on a shoe tree for easier application.
• Try not to apply to many coats (4 or more) as this may tend to dry the leather out.
• Red suede & nubuck can sometimes be very difficult to dye, even to black. Not sure why, but in our experience the red still seems to show through, sometimes.
• When choosing your colour remember that you can only dye from a lighter to darker colour.