How to Care for Vegan Shoes: The Complete Guide
Nae Vegan ShoesDeel
Vegan shoes don't need to be babied, but they do need to be understood because they're crafted from several different materials which are innovative. A lot of the care advice floating around online was written for leather, and half of it simply doesn't apply to the materials in your wardrobe now.
Get to know what your shoes are actually made of, the features of each kind of material and the care you have to apply — once you know the basics, this will be easier and quicker than leather care ever was.
Let's go through it properly.
Why vegan shoe care is different (and sometimes easier)
Leather has a single, well-known care routine built up over centuries: conditioners, saddle soap, specific waxes. Vegan materials are newer and more varied, so there isn't just one method. However, many of them are genuinely low-maintenance. Recycled PET and OEKO-TEX certified microfibre, for instance, are usually more resistant to daily scuffing and water than animal leather, and allow a quick clean far more easily. Others may be easy and quick to clean but demands a more gentle treatment.
So, the first rule that matters is: check the material before you clean or store anything. Treating cork like leather, or apple leather like canvas, is the fastest way to shorten a shoe's life.
Know your material first
Most modern vegan shoes are made from one of a handful of materials, each with its own properties. If you want the fuller picture of what goes into a genuinely vegan shoe — not just the upper — our piece on what makes a shoe truly vegan is worth a read first. For care purposes, here's what you need to know:
- Piñatex — a textile made from pineapple leaf fibre, a by-product of the pineapple harvest. Breathable, with a natural, slightly textured finish, but less water-resistant than synthetic leathers, so it benefits from a protective spray.
- Apple leather — made using fibre left over from apple juice and compote production, bonded with a polyurethane coating. Handles moisture well, with a look closer to conventional leather than most plant-based materials.
- Cork — naturally water-resistant and antimicrobial straight out of the box, since it's literally tree bark.
- Recycled PET — recovered plastic, usually bottles, spun into a durable textile. Machine-washable in many cases, though always worth checking the specific shoe.
- OEKO-TEX certified microfibre — a synthetic leather alternative tested for harmful substances under the OEKO-TEX Standard 100. Durable, easy to wipe clean, and very versatile (check the specific type of microfibre).
Habits
Most of what keeps shoes looking good has nothing to do with special products. It's a matter of simple habits:
- Wipe off dust and dirt with a soft, dry cloth.
- Let shoes air out a little between wears — this helps avoid moisture retention.
- Use a shoe horn to keep the shape on the heel and back seam over time.
- Rotate your pairs if you can. Giving materials 24 hours to fully dry extends their life.
Cleaning leather-like materials
For apple leather, cactus leather, and OEKO-TEX microfibre, a damp microfibre cloth and mild soap will handle most marks. Work in small circular motions, avoid soaking the material, and let it air dry away from direct heat or sunlight — radiators and direct sun can cause them to crack, stiffen or lose colour over time.
If you want to add an extraordinary touch, a small amount of coconut oil or a dedicated vegan-leather balm, applied sparingly, can keep these materials supple, though it's rarely necessary more than once every few months.
Cleaning Piñatex, cork and similar
Piñatex and cork prefer a gentler touch. A soft brush and a barely-damp cloth are usually enough. Avoid submerging cork in water — it's water-resistant, not waterproof, and prolonged soaking can affect the surface over time.
Cleaning PET
Recycled PET textiles are the most forgiving of the group; many can go straight into a mesh laundry bag on a cold, gentle cycle, though it's worth checking the specific product first. Even though PET itself is very resistant, the whole shoe may not be.
Waterproofing: what actually works
Not every vegan material needs a spray, but Piñatex, suede-like microfibres and canvas-based uppers benefit most, since they're the least water-resistant. Look for a water-repellent spray specifically labelled safe — some traditional leather protectants contain waxes or oils that can leave residue on non-leather surfaces. Apply outdoors, in light, even coats, and let it fully dry before wearing.
Odour prevention
The inner materials have improved their breathability and antimicrobial condition. Nevertheless, you can use a spray to enhance or help with this. Apply it outdoors and let the shoes dry naturally, away from direct sunlight.
Storage
Good storage prevents most of the damage that "bad materials" get blamed for:
- Keep shoes somewhere dry and out of direct sunlight — UV exposure fades and weakens most materials.
- Use shoe trees or stuff toes with paper to help them keep their shape when not worn for a while.
- Avoid airtight plastic bags for long-term storage. A breathable cotton bag or box is better — trapped moisture is a bigger risk than dust.
Dealing with scuffs and stains
Scuffs happen — a curb, a bike pedal, a doorframe you misjudged. On microfibre and apple leather, most light scuffs buff out with a dry microfibre cloth and a bit of friction before you reach for anything wet. For deeper marks, a tiny amount of mild soap on a damp cloth, worked gently rather than scrubbed, usually does the job. On Piñatex or textile uppers, a soft-bristled brush lifts dried mud far better than a cloth, which can just push it further into the weave.
Stains from oil or grease are the trickiest across almost every material. Blot immediately rather than rubbing — rubbing spreads the oil rather than lifting it. A light dusting of cornstarch or talc left on the mark overnight can help draw grease out before you clean the area properly the next day.
What about the soles?
Soles get less attention than uppers, but they're doing more work. Most NAE soles are made from natural or recycled rubber, which is genuinely easy to maintain: a quick scrub with an old toothbrush and soapy water keeps the tread clear, and clear tread means better grip in wet weather, when you need it most. If you walk a lot on hard pavement, keep an eye on wear at the heel strike point — it's the first place any sole shows its age, and resoling is often more sustainable than replacing the whole shoe once the upper still has life left in it.
Be careful with the torsion on the metatarsus and heel zone. This is where the sole often starts to separate from the upper or wear down.
A small kit of the basics — soft brush, microfibre cloth, mild soap, a suitable protective spray — covers almost everything above. You'll find the essentials in our care collection.
In brief
- Know your materials
- Keep the shoe dry rather than wet
- Clean little and often rather than waiting for a deep clean
- Store shoes somewhere they can breathe and aren't exposed to heat
None of it is complicated — it just isn't the same old routine. The materials have genuinely improved over the past decade, and proper care is most of what stands between a couple of seasons and years of wear.
