Greased or waxed leather is the most robust type of leather and is always used when it is exposed to high stress. It is also very easy to care for. We use it for our ZAQQ outdoor and hiking shoes.
What is greased/waxed leather
As the name suggests, the leather is coated with a layer of fat. This makes it particularly resistant without losing its suppleness. It is usually smooth leather, but nubuck or suede leather can also be used, which will be waxed. It is difficult for the layman to recognise whether it is greased leather. It can look shiny like smooth leather, but also matt like suede.
The best way is to do the fingernail test. Run your fingernail over the surface. If there is a clear line, it is a greased leather.
Greased leather is also used for vintage looks. The scratches and creases that are easily worked into the leather give the material a typical vintage look.
QUINTIC Winter Velours Brown Waterproof
ZAQQ outdoor barefoot shoes made from waxed leather
Of course you don't have to do the fingernail test, you can also simply look under the respective material description. We offer greased suede and waxed nappa leather.
Cleaning, caring for and waterproofing greased leather
Caring for greased leather shoes is not at all complicated. The best way to clean them is with a soft brush or a damp cloth. The shoes are then impregnated. The Active Biwax Spray, which already contains care waxes, is best suited for this.
If you want to treat the leather even more or repair scratches or abrasions, you can apply a shoe polish containing wax after drying. Make sure that you use a colourless product. As the shoe polish merely repairs the existing layer of grease, it does not penetrate deep into the leather but remains on the surface as a protective film. If you use coloured shoe polish, the shoes may rub off on the edge of your trousers.
Before you treat the entire shoe with a wax-based care cream, test it on a small, concealed area first. We recommend the colourless Rustical Tube shoe polish.
