Suede & nubuck shedding
Why does leather shed lint?
Suede and nubuck are very fibrous leathers and therefore tend to shed some lint in use. This is not a major issue in shoes but quite common and unsightly on leather handbags and leather jackets. Leather clothing with a suede lining can also accumulate lint.
Linting leather.
In the production of suede, the leather is split in layersand is later levelled by sanding. Subsequent processes during production in the tannery do not remove all lint. Also, the flesh side of any leather is suede. Usually, leather is used in such a way that the back is hidden. Therefore, the tanner does not pay particular attention to back side. Only if the customer directly indicates this, the tanner will be able to reduce the lint. As suede has a velvet like surface on both sides, the manufacturer is unaware which side of the suede will be used as the contact side.
Nubuck almost has a smooth surface and the fibres are not as long as suede making them less prone to lint.
Masking tape test on nubuck: Barely any lint sticks to the masking tape.
Masking tape test on suede: Higher amount of lint accumulates on the masking tape.
How to remove lint from leather
Firstly, check whether it is really lint or dye transfer. For this purpose, glue a masking tape in a hidden area and peel it off. Any lint will adhere to it and can easily be recognised. If you are unsure or suspect it may be dye transfer or other form of stains, simply take a moist cloth and rub it ten times over the leather and see if the cloth becomes discoloured or only lint is caught. If in doubt, take a close up photo and check if lint is recognisable. Sometimes there are both phenomena. Lint and discolouration.
In the first picture, the leather has a dye transfer problem. The second picture shows linting leather. The main problem is the discolouration.
Firstly, lint on leather should be brushed. Aggressive brushing or heavy pressure can enhance the effect. For this purpose, the leather can also be blown off with compressed air or vacuumed with a vacuum cleaner. None of these methods will treat the problem entirely and should be considered as preparatory work.
If dealing with minor traces of lint, it is often sufficient to waterproof the surface with a spray can product. Apply at least 2 to 3 layers and let dry. Spray from 30 cm distance to avoid stains.
This should reduce over time but pay close attention to it over time.
Use of masking tape is good to identify the issue but alone may not always provide satisfactory results. It may help in removing minor lint but does not stop the leather from shedding further.
Applying multiple coats of a strong hair spray followed by ironing the surface has proven to reduce shedding on surfaces. Ensure you put teflon paper in between and do not iron too hot! Leather can shrink! It is also important to note, the surface may not look uniform if this method is used. .
Commercial applications spray Napalan Finish using a spray gun on such surfaces and then iron. In both methods, the leather fibres are glued without significantly altering the surface structure.
All methods must therefore be tested first in an inconspicuous area.
Additional information
a kotori web solution