Product Care

SOCKSHOES:

MAINTENANCE

Allow Skinners to dry and air out after each use. We recommend washing them in a laundry bag at a maximum temperature of 30 °C, or by hand. Do not use a spin cycle, dryer or fabric softener.

MANIPULATION

To preserve product life, take Skinners on and off carefully, we recommend handling them by hand. At the same time, please do not try to separate the sole from the knit. Defects caused by mechanical damage are not covered by the warranty.

FOOTWEAR:

THE MATERIAL USED, ITS MAINTENANCE AND TREATMENT

A large number of materials are currently used. Basic knowledge of the materials used, together with proper care and careful maintenance, prolongs the life of your footwear.

Leather – the most commonly used, natural material with ideal properties for shoe production. The leather is breathable, soft, has very good absorption properties and is able to adapt to the individual shape of the foot to a certain extent. The leather is characterized by its variable face pattern, which confirms its natural character and distinguishes it from synthetic materials. The leather is only partially resistant to moisture, both from the outside (climate effects) and from the inside (sweat). Therefore, leather shoes need constant care.

We recognize several basic types of leather:

Smooth leather - is leather with a finely textured surface with small pores. Remove dirt from the shoes with a suitable brush or a soft damp cloth and wipe dry. Use impregnation and a suitable cream of the desired shade and polish. Self-polishing sponges can also be used for occasional maintenance (e.g. at work, during travel) - however, they only add shine to the leather and cannot replace regular treatment with a suitable cream.

Lacquered leather - leather with a smooth, shiny surface, which is achieved by lacquering the leather. Its surface is very sensitive to mechanical damage, chemical influences, soaking and frost. Remove impurities from the leather surface with a soft, damp cloth, treat the surface with products for patent leather.

Coated leather – leather that has a layer of foil or plastic applied or attached to the surface. It has similar properties to patent leather. Wipe this material with a damp cloth and wipe dry or use products intended for the treatment of synthetic materials.

Nubuck, velor (suede) – is leather sanded on the face or on the back. Treat shoes made of this material with a rubber brush and products intended for hair leather. These preparations revive the color and can be colored or colorless. It is important to treat the fur with a suitable impregnation that increases water resistance. Never cream these leathers.

Other leathers - there are a number of other types of leather that are characterized primarily by color effects and a variety of surface treatments. A characteristic feature of most of these leathers is that their appearance "evolves" during use. An example is leather with a brushed treatment, where the original color of the leather is covered with another, often contrasting color. This contrasting color rubs off when worn on the most stressed areas and the original color shines through. Another variant is leather with a mechanically damaged face, where the face of the new shoe is cracked, a different color of the leather structure is visible. During wear, the cheek continues to crack, in the most stressful places it completely peels off and the material structure is exposed. The fundamental changes described occur very quickly and deepen with continued use. Footwear quickly acquires a patina and a characteristic "used" look. These changes are desirable, in no case are they a manifestation of a defect. Do not cream or polish these leathers under any circumstances. For treatment, use impregnation sprays that let dry on the surface of the shoes. The impregnation partially protects the shoes against moisture and soiling, however, avoid significant soiling of the shoes, it can be very difficult to remove from the surface.

Textile – used for lighter, often summer or home footwear. Treat textile footwear when dry by brushing and using appropriate textile products that clean, impregnate, revive colors and partially prevent soiling. Do not use textile shoes in a humid environment - they are not resistant to external moisture.

TencelTM – a natural fabric made from cellulose fibers of eucalyptus. It has a double thermoregulatory effect, depending on the season. In the warm months, it excels with its excellent cooling abilities, on the contrary, it warms pleasantly in the winter.

Synthetic materials - plastics, leatherettes, poromers - these materials often resemble leather in appearance, but their properties do not reach the quality of natural leather, e.g. they have limited breathability, thus causing higher sweating of the feet. These shoes are very easy to maintain. Plastic parts of shoes that are painted on the surface are very susceptible to mechanical damage caused by e.g. tripping. With this damage, the color on the surface fades and the original color of the material shines through. Wash it with a damp cloth with added detergent and wipe dry.

Rubber - wash the shoes with a damp cloth with added detergent and wipe dry. Waterproof membrane – special membranes of this type ensure waterproofness and breathability of the footwear. First clean the shoes of coarse dirt using lukewarm water and a sponge or brush. After the shoe surface has dried, impregnate it with a suitable impregnation agent - use only products recommended by the manufacturers of these membranes.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR MAINTENANCE AND TREATMENT OF SHOES:

When putting on shoes, especially with a closed heel, use a shoe spoon. After taking off the shoes, tighten them with appropriate size shoelaces. Change your shoes often, especially in humid environments (we don't recommend wearing the same shoes every day). The shoes must be allowed to dry thoroughly and air out after each use (even with the insole removed) - even after a short use, the inside of the shoes becomes wet due to sweating of the feet. Using insufficiently dried footwear causes excessive wear (especially insoles and linings). Do not dry the shoes near heat sources (e.g. radiator, direct sunlight, fireplace, etc.). The surface must dry slowly, otherwise the surface will crack and harden, reducing the life of the shoe. Before the first use, impregnate and treat the shoes with suitable treatment agents, then carry out as necessary. Avoid soaking the shoes, which damages the appearance of the finish and deforms the shape of the shoes. No footwear is indefinitely resistant to moisture – suitable impregnation only increases its resistance to external moisture – rain, snow. The only type of footwear that resists the effects of moisture without negative changes is all-plastic and all-rubber footwear. Stuff the soaked shoes with newspaper and gradually dry them away from the source of increased temperature. The effect of dusting materials, which are used to treat roads in winter, has a very negative effect on the appearance of footwear. Aggressive chemical substances contained in sprinkles disrupt the structure of the material, cause swelling and the appearance of characteristic light spots. Try to limit the effect of these substances on the footwear. After use, wipe off any remaining snow or moisture. Treat your shoes regularly, properly treated shoes are better able to withstand these negative effects. Footwear damaged in this way cannot be claimed. All sewn joints and perforations break the integrity of the material and thus limit the footwear's resistance to external moisture. Saturated and dark shades of sanded leather (e.g. red, dark blue) may partially bleed. In case of increased sweating or when the shoes get wet, the inner equipment of the shoes may sink the color to a certain extent. A natural property of soles made of smoked rubber, so-called raw rubber, is a characteristic smell after smoking. The foot must be sufficiently secured in the footwear with laces, fastening straps, etc. Take extra care when tightening the laces more strongly to avoid damage or tearing of the upper. Insufficient fastening of the foot in shoes can be the cause of excessive wear of linings and insoles. Most common soles are not resistant to gasoline, diesel, oils and similar substances. If these substances come into contact with the bottom of the shoe, the sole is damaged. Soles made of raw rubber, so-called crepes, are particularly susceptible to this damage. The rich and pastel colors of the upper materials may lighten during use. The color change can be mitigated by regular maintenance with a colorless cream. White materials may yellow to some extent during use. Do not use shoes purchased in our stores as work shoes, as they require special standards - any complaints will not be accepted.