How Does Suede Feel Like? (How to Soften Hard Suede Easily)
How a fabric feels against your skin helps you make that decision to buy it. It doesn’t matter if it comes by the yard or already sewn into a clothing item, the feel of the fabric is what convinces most people to make a purchase.
How does suede feel like? Once you put your hand on suede you can feel there is something special about that fabric. It comes with a luxurious feel to it. To keep that feeling, you can soften the suede by brushing it in different directions to raise the nap. Then spray some conditioner on the fabric to make sure it remains or returns to being soft.
To learn more about suede, how it feels, and how it softens just continue to read our article. It lets you know all about suede and how to keep that luxurious feel. After all you bought suede to feel good and special.
Suede Feel 101
What is Suede Made Of?
It is possible you may not like the origin of suede. It is not the prettiest or most romantic spots you can get fabric from. But once you try suede on you are glad they get that fabric regardless of its origin.
Suede is the soft fuzzy underside of a hide. That hide can come from a pig, cow, deer, and other animals. You will find suede on the innermost layer of the hide and it is split off from the leather those hides create.
When it is cut off, suede is a thin layer that is very soft. This fabric does not have to be cut off but if it was left where it was, it would not be as pliable and be very thick. You may not get the comfort from suede if that were the case.
There are a lot of factors that determine how suede gets its quality and look.
What Does Faux Suede Feel Like?
One of the key characteristics of fake suede is it has to mimic the real fabric almost to the point where you can’t tell the difference between the two. Fake suede is made from plastic and it comes with a very soft feel about it.
Plus, it has a matte finish with a very defined grain. What that latter point means is that you get one look if you brush fake suede in line with the grain and another look if you brush it against the grain.
Because it is made of plastic, the care for faux suede products is simple and very easy. That care does not take away any of the soft nature or feel of the product. It is okay to use soap and water on faux suede when it gets dirty.
That cleaning style should still keep the softness of faux suede intact.
What Does Microsuede Feel?
This is another man-made product that comes from a form of polyester. Its construction creates many fibers that are knit together to also mimic the feel of real suede. The dense fibers are very soft when the process to create this fabric is over.
That means that microsuede should feel as soft as real suede does. If not softer. Also, this fabric is easier to clean because of the polyester it is made from. Then this fabric is more pliable than real suede which makes it a great choice for upholstery on furniture.
The main drawback to this fabric is that it is not known to be colorfast. Dyes can wash out of it very easily if you are not careful. To purposefully get rid of the dye, just place it under a faucet with the cold water running. Then let it dry before using the fabric in any craft project.
How To Tell if Suede is Real?
One way to tell before you purchase the shoe or clothing item you think is made from real suede is to check the back of the item. If the back has a fabric-like backing then it is not real suede.
Then you just have to smell the item you want to buy. If it does not have that leather fragrance then it is not suede. Next, check the pores on the hide used to make the product you want to buy. If the suede is real those pores will be irregular in shape, size, and order. Fake suede will have consistently looking pores.
If you still can’t tell which is real or which is fake then the next step is to use your hands. The fake suede will feel smoother and harder than the real thing. Finally if you can get away with it, use your fingernail. The real suede will have an imprint on it that does not go away that quickly. The fake leaves no imprint.
Suede vs Leather
One of the differences between these two products made from the same animal is that to get leather smooth it has to go through a tanning process. Because leather comes to form the outer part of the animal’s hide it is tougher and more durable than suede.
Suede is also more delicate than leather is. That is why you need special products and tools to clean the fabric. Leather is tougher but you can’t use those cleaning products that will strip away the natural oils that are still a part of the leather fabric.
Then the leather is thicker and a lot shinier than suede normally is. The suede generally looks and feels better and softer than the leather will unless the leather has gone through any special processes to make it very soft.
If not treated properly in the manufacturing process, both fabrics may rot on you.
How To Restore Suede Texture
The first way you can do this is to remove the laces from the shoes, if they have them, then place shoe trees inside those shoes. Then you take a suede brush, make sure it has soft bristles, and bush the fabric in both directions.
On the final pass brush only in the direction of the nap keeping the fibers pointing in the same direction. The second way is to clean up as many stains as quickly as possible. When they are moist stains you can’t delay in absorbing the excess moisture.
Next you need to dab some vinegar on the stain with a clean cloth. Let dry and then erase the stain with a common eraser. Or you can use a suede eraser if you have one. If that doesn’t do the trick then grab some very fine grit sandpaper and gently sand the stain away.
There are other methods but these two should get the suede looking great again.
How To Make Hard Suede Soft Again
If your suede coat has become hard and very uncomfortable to wear there is a way to make it soft again. The first step involves a little money though. You should send it to the dry cleaner’s first and get it nice and clean.
Next, you take a suede brush and brush it in different directions. This will lift the nap and help the material get softer. After you have done this part, grab some spray conditioner. Make sure it is the one for suede and not hard leather.
Now spray the conditioner over the coat keeping the layer nice and even. Once all this is done, you can aim some harm air towards the quote using your hairdryer. Then let the jacket sit in a warm spot for about an hour.
Finally, brush the coat one last time and you should have your soft suede coat back.
Softening Hard Suede Shoes
The cheapest way to soften suede shoes is to wear them often. Once you get through the break-in period your suede shoes should be nice and soft as they conform to the shape of your feet.
If you do not want to go through that pain and agony, then you can follow the same procedure as described above. Brush the shoes for a while then spray some conditioner on them. Use a blow dryer to send warm air towards the shoes so that they absorb the conditioner better.
Then let the shoes dry in a warm spot that is not in direct sunlight. This time you want to leave them for 24 hours before you wear them. A final brushing f the fabric can be done after that 24 hour period has expired. Once this is done your suede shoes should be soft as well as more resistant to water.
How To Make Suede Less Sticky
Normally freezing is not a recommended cleaning option as you may crack the suede if the freezing is not done correctly. But in some cases, like gum and other sticky products, you may need to freeze the gum and chip it off before doing the next cleaning steps.
After freezing and chipping are done you should brush the sticky area. Use a suede brush as that tool is made to handle the fabric the best. Once you get the material off your shoes or other suede products spray a little protection on the material to avoid having this situation arise again.
It's not hard to remove the sticky element but most people say that instead of risking a permanent stain, send the suede item to the cleaners and let them handle it. The professionals have the best tools and chemicals to use on these stains.
Does Suede Pill?
Generally all fabrics pill at some point in time. The tighter the twist of the fabric or weave the less likely it will pill. With suede it is hard to know if it will pill or not. While it is a smooth fabric it can pill at some time.
Then there may be the case where you won’t notice the fabric pilling as this action is more noticeable on man-made fabrics than it is on natural ones. Since laundry methods create a lot of friction you will notice pilling on those fabrics than suede.
Suede is not put through the washing machine or dryer so it does not experience that friction. That means your suede items should pill less than your other fabrics. Pilling is not a sign of a default or a defect in the fabric. It is a natural thing that takes place.
How To Make Suede Less Hairy
If you want to risk it, you can try using a blow torch. Not only will this method get rid of the hair, but it will also remove the nap from your suede shoes. Once the procedure is done you won’t have any hair left on your suede items.
You also won’t have any nap left to brush either. It will be gone with the heat and flame. The positive side of this process is that the suede won’t burn and it won’t look burnt.
A safer method is to simply brush the suede to get all the hair off. Brushing is the go-to cleaning method and it is always the first thing you do when needing to get hairs or stains off your suede items.
Some Final Words
Suede is a popular fabric because it feels so good. That luxurious feel is hard to describe and it is hard to duplicate. That is because suede comes from the underside of an animal's hide that tends to be softer than its outer side.
With the right care you can maintain that soft feel. When you lose it, all you have to do is use a brush and some conditioner to get it back again. Suede is something you do not want to wear all the time as the weather won’t permit it but when you do, you should feel special.
