Care
We believe in repairing, repurposing and thus prolonging the life-cycle of the shoes we create for as long as we possibly can. We create footwear to last and the materials we use, such as kangaroo leather and vegetable tanned leather are incredibly strong and actually wear-in and look even more beautiful over time. They do however require some TLC to last as long as possible!
In the (very rare!) event a fault does happen with your shoes that could be attributed to the design, materials or craftsmanship, we promise to repair them so you can continue to cherish your handcrafted shoes, saving them from the depths of your wardrobe, or - even worse - landfill. This falls under the Returns and Exchanges policy which you can read through here.
For any things outside of our control, such as soling naturally wearing through over time, spills, damage caused by misuse, general wear etc - we can repair, customise or replace things for a reasonable fee or you can opt to visit your local shoe repairer making sure to take with you the materials tag so your shoe repairer knows what’s what! If you’re not sure what to do, just get in touch at donebymatea@gmail.com
Find your style or material below for instructions on best care practices:
Style - Patchwork Kelp Chopine Boots
The uppers are made from a mix of chrome tan and vegetable tanned leathers and the platform is covered in a chrome tanned leather, with a rubber sole. To seal and condition these you can use a scotchgard or silicone based spray over the upper and the covered platform.
If scuffs appear over time you can take them to a cobbler, who will colour match the scuffed area and cover with an acrylic sealer.
Style - Crude Oil Chopines
These are made using a high gloss patent leather, with a rubber sole. To clean - use a slightly damp cloth and dry immediately.
Style - Frangipani Seahorse
This style features metallic silver leather, and vegetable tanned leather soles. Care should be taken to avoid rough surfaces as it will scuff fairly easily. For minor marks - it can be cleaned with a damp cloth and dried immediately. Scuffs can be camouflaged with silver leather paint.
The frangipani flowers are made from vegetable tanned leather that has been painted and sealed. Please avoid getting moisture on the flowers as it may cause them to deform. To clean the flowers, use a small clean, dry brush to rub any marks off. For more stubborn marks, you can use a cloth with a tiny bit of water on it, making sure to dry immediately.
Style - Coral Clogs
These uppers are made from a high shine satin and should be sealed with a fabric sealer or silicone based protecting spray. This should be done every few months.
Make sure to spray lightly and from a distance.
The solid pine wood base has been sealed and can be cleaned with a slightly damp cloth.
Style - Toes in the Sand
Colour - Sand: These sandal uppers are made using a soft vintage look chrome tanned leather. The finish is designed to rub and slightly flake off over time - like sand - and for the leather to soften.
To ensure longevity, please make sure to seal these with a fabric sealer such as Scotchgard, and re-seal them regularly depending on frequency of wear.
If you are concerned with the level of wear on the uppers, you can use this product to repair any small areas that are scuffed. Simply dab the provided sponge in the paint, and apply gently to the scuffed area, making sure not to apply too much at once. You may want to practice on a piece of paper first.
Colour - Seaweed + Tar: These sandal uppers are made using a soft vegetable tanned leather. They will soften over time. Being vegetable tanned leather they should not be sealed with any kind of scotchgard or silicone spray, or cleaned with water.
Instead condition them every 3-6 months with a leather conditioner such as this. This will ensure the leather doesn't crack, and stays water repellent.
Style - Surface Tension Sandals
These uppers are made from a high shine satin and should be sealed with a fabric sealer or silicone based protecting spray. This should be done every few months.
Make sure to spray lightly and from a distance.
The heel is solid pine and has been painted and sealed. To clean, use a slightly damp cloth and dry immediately.
Style - Bleached Reef
These sandal uppers are made using a soft vintage look chrome tanned leather. The finish is designed to rub and slightly flake off over time, and for the leather to soften.
If you are concerned with the level of wear on the uppers, you can use this product to re-seal and re-dye any overly light or worn areas.
Style - Rippling Water Ballet Flats
These uppers are made from a high shine satin and should be sealed with a fabric sealer or silicone based protecting spray. This should be done every few months.
Make sure to spray lightly and from a distance.
Style - Seafoam Mules
These uppers are made from a vintage poly-cotton blend canvas, and sheer organza. They should be sealed with a fabric sealer or silicone based protecting spray. This should be done every few months.
Make sure to spray lightly and from a distance.
Style - Frangipani Choker
The frangipani flowers are made from vegetable tanned leather that has been painted and sealed. Please avoid getting moisture on the flowers as it may cause them to deform. To clean the flowers, use a small clean, dry brush to rub any marks off. For more stubborn marks, you can use a cloth with a tiny bit of water on it, making sure to dry immediately.
Vegetable Tanned Leather Soles
Leather soles are a lovely traditional material that is hardwearing and natural. When you first receive your shoes, the soling leather may be very smooth, so you can opt to rough them up on cement or gravel to give a bit of extra grip to the soling.
With time leather soles will naturally wear down and require replacing. Keep an eye on the rate of wear, and make sure to get them resoled before they fully wear through a layer - ie you can see a hole to the next layer of shoe (uh oh!).
Rubber Grip Soles and Heel Toppers
Your shoes may come with rubber grip on the forepart (toe area) of the shoe, the bottom of the heel, or through the whole sole. Rubber requires no special care, just a quick clean with a damp cloth or brush to get rid of any dirt.
If you notice the rubber wearing down, as it will do naturally with wear, make sure to get it replaced before it wears through the entire layer.
