TRG Medium Brown Suede Dye 139 – 50ml Penetrating Dye for Suede and Nubuck

Description

TRG Medium Brown Suede Dye 139 – 50ml Penetrating Dye for Suede and Nubuck – a proper recolour for tired brown suede, not a refresh

There is a point at which brushing and spraying will not save a pair of brown suede boots. The nap has gone shiny at the toe, the shade has washed out unevenly across the vamp, and what they need is not a top-up but a proper recolour. That is exactly the job this bottle does.

TRG the One have been making leather chemistry in Spain since 1940, and their suede dye is a penetrating dye rather than a surface coating. It soaks into the nap so the new shade reads as the suede’s own rather than a film sitting on top, and it survives brushing and wear instead of rubbing off onto your hands and trouser hems. Every 50ml bottle comes with an applicator brush in the box.

Shade 139 is medium brown: the warm, middle-of-the-road brown that the majority of suede chukkas, desert boots and brogues start life in, and the single most useful shade in the range. It is deeper than a tan and lighter than a dark brown or chocolate. A medium brown suede dye like this is also the sensible way to rescue pale beige, sand or stone suede that has stained beyond cleaning, because the one iron rule of dyeing is that it only ever works from light to dark.

Why choose the TRG medium brown suede dye?

What a penetrating dye gives you that a colour spray simply cannot.

• It soaks in rather than sitting on top. The dye works into the nap itself, so the new brown survives brushing, rain and a full winter of wear without transferring onto your socks or your jeans.
• Even, deep coverage. Two or three thin coats give a uniform medium brown right across the shoe, including the scuffed toe cap that a spray would always leave looking patchy and a shade too light.
• Applicator brush included. The brush in the box handles seams, welt edges and the tricky area around the eyelets neatly. For large flat panels a sponge or a wool dauber is faster.
• Suede and nubuck alike. Boots, shoes, bags and jackets all take it, as long as the material is a genuinely napped leather rather than a smooth or coated one.
• Made by a specialist house since 1940. TRG dyes are used in repair workshops right across Europe, and the pigment strength is why. A 50ml bottle goes a very long way.

How to use the TRG medium brown suede dye

Treat the whole shoe rather than spot-dyeing. Suede shows every edge where a coat stops.

1. Brush the suede all over with a suede brush to lift the nap and remove every trace of dust and dried dirt.
2. Mask the sole edge and any smooth-leather trim with tape, and stuff the shoes with paper so they hold their shape while you work.
3. Shake the bottle thoroughly. The pigment settles and an unshaken bottle gives a weak, uneven first coat.
4. Start at the seams and around the sole where dye tends to pool, then work outwards across each panel with the brush supplied.
5. Apply the dye in a thin, even coat over the whole shoe. Suede almost always needs two coats for an even tone, three for a real shade change.
6. Let each coat dry thoroughly before you apply the next, and allow around twelve hours for the final coat to dry completely.
7. Brush the nap up firmly once everything is dry to restore the velvety texture and lift away any loose pigment, then finish with a suede protector spray.

My tip from behind the counter

Do both shoes of the pair on the same day, from the same bottle, in the same light. Brown is the shade where a small difference in coat thickness shows up most, and if you leave the second shoe until next weekend you will spend the rest of the boots’ life noticing that one is a touch warmer than the other. Half an hour now saves that.

Specifications

• Volume: 50ml
• Shade: 139 Medium Brown
• Type: Penetrating dye for napped leather, applicator brush included
• Suitable for: Suede, nubuck and velour – shoes, boots, bags and jackets
• Direction: Light to dark only; a dye cannot lighten leather
• Drying time: Around 12 hours for the final coat
• Brand: TRG the One

Frequently asked questions

Can I dye dark brown suede back to medium brown?

No, and this is the one rule worth repeating. Dye only ever works from light to dark, because you are adding pigment rather than removing it. Medium brown will happily go over beige, sand, stone, light grey or a faded tan, but it cannot lift a dark brown or a black.

Will it leave the suede stiff?

Not if you keep the coats thin. Because the dye penetrates the fibres rather than forming a film, the nap stays soft. Stiffness comes from laying the dye on too heavily, which is why two thin coats always beat one wet one. Brushing firmly once it is dry restores the texture.

Do I need a protector spray afterwards?

Yes, I would always finish with one. The dye restores the colour but it does not waterproof the suede, and freshly dyed napped leather is thirsty. A suede protector spray once the dye has fully cured keeps rain and road salt out of the work you have just done.

Where can I buy the TRG medium brown suede dye in the UK?

You can order the TRG medium brown suede dye directly from Shoespecialist.co.uk. We offer free delivery on orders over £50, same-day dispatch when you order before 5pm, and a 60-day return policy.