Caring for your shoes
At Bronwyn, our focus is on creating elevated leather footwear to carry you through your everyday needs. Our shoes are designed to be lived in and loved for seasons to come, and taking care of your footwear well is key to giving them a longer and more beautiful life.
The following general guidelines are to help you understand how to better care for your shoes. We use premium, ethically sourced materials and components in our footwear, and like all leather footwear, there is an element of care that needs to be taken with each purchase. for a full repair or professional treatment, we recommend supporting your local shoe repairer or cobbler.
Always store your shoes when they are clean and dry in a well ventilated, dry area. Do not store your shoes when damp or dirty. If your shoes need to be cleaned after wear, use a soft cloth to gently wipe away any excess dirt. If you need help cleaning your shoes / lifting excessive dirt, we recommend using a lightly dampened, soft cloth (be sure to test on an inconspicuous area first, especially for coloured leathers) or a leather conditioner to help aid the process. Never use excessive water to clean your shoes, and always dry your leather shoes out of direct sunlight. The humble baby wipe can actually give your shoes a thorough and gentle clean, removing any dirt - be sure to use a sensitive or fragrance-free wipe - water wipes are best, and test on an inconspicuous area first.
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Practise good shoe care by investing in a leather conditioner and water protector spray. These can be purchased from your local shoe cobbler or from our website or our Auckland store. It is recommended that you apply the protector spray before your first wear.
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Where possible, store your shoes in the dust bag provided to better protect your footwear, once clean and dry. Always store away from light and heat, and in a dry environment.
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Any abrasive surface such as sand / concrete or other, can damage the leather upper, insole or outsole of your shoes. Take care when walking on or near abrasive surfaces.
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Avoid contact with chemicals such as perfumes / sunblocks / fake tans and oils on both the leather upper and the soles of your shoes. Please put your footwear on after you have applied your product and it has had ample time to dry.
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Driving in shoes, especially heeled shoes, can damage the heel of your footwear and can, in some extreme circumstances loosen the top piece of the heel. We recommend that you do not drive in shoes, particularly heeled shoes or shoes with a chunky outsole that may be trickier to operate a vehicle with. Always practise safety and common sense and if you remove your footwear please place it in a safe place away from your pedals.
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Shoes love rain and dirt about as much as we do. Leather shoes including leather outsoles / rands and uppers are subject to water damage so please take extra care on rainy days and try to avoid walking in or submerging your shoes in water and where possible, dry immediately. Rain makes leather soles soft as they are a natural material. Please exercise extreme caution or avoid wearing leather soles in wet weather.
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Leather soles are a premium product and provide extra comfort but can be more susceptible to damage. We recommend that you take them to a cobbler after a few wears who can fit an additional rubber forepart layer on the sole for increased wear and protection.
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Please always take care when walking on wet surfaces, tricky terrain or up or down stairs. Also be careful when walking on slippery surfaces, especially when wearing higher heels or chunky outsoled shoes.
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In need of some protector spray? Grab yourself a can now.