What is Goat Suede?
Suedes are a subtype of leather. Suede which is made from Goat Hides is called Goat Suede. Suede is made from the inner surface of animal skin while the full-grain leather is made from the outer side. The inner side of the animal skin is more flexible and is further processed to produce a velvety and soft texture.
Although Suede is considered softer, silky, and more comfortable than full-grain leathers, it is less durable and requires more maintenance. One must regularly brush away dirt that may be attracted to the suede’s surface with a brush that has soft bristles.
Did you know that water can leave stains on Suede? In that case, make sure you apply waterproof sprays directly on the suede at least once a year. If you use the suede item more often, increase the frequency of application of the waterproof spray. Before applying any waterproofing spray, test it n an inconspicuous spot for discoloration.
Goat Suede durability research
There are several types of research related to Goat Suede and goat leather in the last several years in the Journal of Engineering Research and Application. Researches showed that the goat leather (goat suede as well) has more stretchiness and more tendency of deformation under stress than the cow leather.
Goat Suede durability is much different for shoes and for clothes and depends on how much clothing or footwear is worn, in what environment. The obtained grain crack loads are 23 kg for the Goat Suede shoes. The water vapor permeability value of the goat suede lining leather was 25.772 mg/cm2-hrs. Itis very important to keep goat suede shoes and clothes away from rain and water. Goat Suede clothes durability can be several decades if the clothes are not in contact with water. Goat suede durability for shoes is up to 1-2 years (everyday walk).
In all researches, we can see that goat leather is worse than cow leather (please read science research Comparative Study on Physical Properties of Different Types of Leather)
Are you suede products already damaged and you are coming across this article now?
Don’t worry! There are numerous methods of recovery.
Rub the surfaces of the product with water/ vinegar to smooth out spots of discoloration. If the shoes/ clothes get terribly wet, lay them out in the sun for drying. Nonetheless, the ideal way to recover damaged suede is to seek professional help.
It might be heavy on your pocket but will ensure the best results and prolong the life of the suede.
Goat Suede is equally expensive like leathers. The quality of the Goat Suede is directly related to the health of the skin and will influence the price accordingly.
If you are willing to purchase Goat Suede, it is better to splurge on a higher quality item. Less expensive suedes are usually made out of split skins and are likely to rip or tear within a short span.