Saphir Mid Brown Suede Spray 37 – 200ml Renovetine Colour Reviver

Description

Saphir Mid Brown Suede Spray 37 – 200ml Renovetine Colour Reviver – puts the depth back into suede that has gone grey at the toe

Suede fades in a way that smooth leather does not. It does not scuff or crack so much as go grey, evenly and slowly, starting at the toe and along the flex where your foot bends. A pair of mid brown desert boots two winters old will still be perfectly sound and will still look tired, and no brushing will fix it because the colour itself has gone.

A mid brown suede spray is what puts it back. Saphir Renovetine is a 200ml aerosol designed to refresh, protect and care for suede and nubuck, and shade 37 is the mid brown that sits between the light tans and the dark chocolates.

It does more than recolour. The formula feeds the fibres so the material keeps its natural softness and its matte finish, and it leaves light protection against dirt and moisture behind.

Why choose this mid brown suede spray?

• Restores colour that has genuinely faded. Greying suede has lost pigment and only pigment will bring it back, which is why brushing alone never quite does the job. One even coat over a whole boot is usually enough to make a pair look years younger.
• Feeds the fibres as well as colouring them. Suede that has dried out feels rough and looks patchy, so the nourishing side of the formula is what keeps the nap soft afterwards. Rough dry suede also picks up dirt faster, so feeding it pays off twice over.
• Keeps the matte finish suede should have. A good reviver leaves suede looking like suede rather than glazed or shiny, and that is the difference between a repair you notice and one you do not. Glazed suede is the classic sign of a job done with the wrong product entirely.
• Light protection against dirt and damp. It is not a heavy waterproofer, but the residual protection helps a refreshed pair stay looking fresh for longer between treatments. For serious weather I would still add a dedicated protector on top.
• An aerosol, so coverage is even. On a plain suede boot a spray gives a more uniform result than any hand applicator can, which is precisely what a large faded panel needs. Working by hand on a large suede panel almost always leaves visible streaks behind.
• Two hundred millilitres from a house that knows suede. Saphir have been making leather care in France since 1920 and Renovetine is their suede and nubuck reviver, at a size that will do several pairs. One can will comfortably refresh three or four pairs, so the cost per pair is small.

How to use the Saphir Mid Brown Suede Spray 37 – 200ml Renovetine Colour Reviver

This is a five-minute job on a clean dry pair and a frustrating one on a damp or dirty pair, so do the brushing first. Spray evenly from a short distance, let it dry properly, then bring the nap back up with a brush.

1. Brush the boots or shoes thoroughly with a suede brush to lift the dirt out of the nap.
2. Check they are completely dry, and let them dry at room temperature if not.
3. Shake the can, then spray evenly from a short distance in steady passes.
4. Cover the whole panel rather than spot-treating the faded areas.
5. Leave them to dry fully, out of direct heat.
6. Brush the nap lightly to restore the texture and even out the finish.

My tip as a shoe specialist

Brush before and brush after. That is the whole secret with any suede reviver and it is the stage everybody skips. Brushing beforehand gets the ground-in dirt out so you are colouring suede rather than colouring grime, and brushing afterwards lifts the nap back up so the finish looks natural instead of laid flat. Do the whole shoe in one go, too. Spot-treating just the grey toe leaves you with a boot in two shades, which looks considerably worse than the even fade you started with. And if the pair is very tired, a second light coat after the first has dried beats one heavy pass.

Specifications

Specification summary

• Volume: 200ml aerosol
• Colour: Mid Brown 37
• Also listed as: Medium Brown 37 and Middle Brown 37
• Type: Colour reviver and conditioner for napped materials
• Range: Saphir Renovetine
• Suitable for: Suede and nubuck shoes, boots, bags and accessories
• Not suitable for: Smooth leather and patent leather
• Applicator: Aerosol, plus a suede brush before and after
• Brand: Saphir, France, founded 1920
• Price: £14.99

Frequently asked questions

Will it change the texture of my suede?

It should not, provided you brush the nap up once it is dry. The formula is built to keep the soft matte finish, and the brushing afterwards is what lifts the fibres back into place.

Should I treat the whole shoe or just the faded part?

The whole shoe, every time. Spot-treating a grey toe leaves a two-tone boot, whereas an even coat over the entire panel blends the refreshed colour into what was already there.

Is it waterproof afterwards?

It gives light protection against dirt and moisture, which is helpful but not the same as waterproofing. If you wear the pair in real winter weather, follow up with a dedicated suede protector once the colour has dried.

Where can I buy the Saphir Mid Brown Suede Spray 37 in the UK?

The Saphir Mid Brown Suede Spray 37 is on the shelf at Shoespecialist.co.uk. Orders over £50 are delivered free of charge, we dispatch the same day when you order before 5pm, and a 60-day return policy applies throughout.