These sneakers will generally age very well: if you take your shoes off properly (NOT by using your other foot), the sole won't come unglued, and if you look after them well, the leather will soften and mould to your foot. Someone who walked 600 km in these sneakers even wrote to us: "this thick leather has now softened up nicely, it's like the seat of an old luxury car, it's beautiful".

The three main signs of ageing are the following:

• On the white version, scuffs may appear faster than on some mainstream sneakers with plasticised leather (which will crack faster along the creases and ultimately last a shorter time). So you'll need to look after them regularly by following our care guide, and don't hesitate to use "white restorer" (which we sell here). 
• The sole will yellow slightly. This is due to a change in the chemical structure of the rubber over time: it happens with all synthetic rubbers and there's unfortunately not much you can do about it.
• The sole will wear down through abrasion. This shouldn't happen right away, but if one day you need to replace it, you can go to a specialist cobbler (a few ideas here).

Before you start, the tips of the laces have sometimes left a few marks on the white sole from prolonged contact inside the shoebox. No need to worry: rub with the back of a sponge (with washing-up liquid if needed) and it'll come off.

And if you're wondering whether your sneakers are the right size, know that it's better for them to be slightly too big than slightly too small (they won't be able to stretch...). And if, for example, you notice a very slight lifting at the heel, know that it will ease off once the sneakers have moulded to your feet.

Now let's move on to the care tips: leather that isn't looked after will inevitably dry out, crack or lose its shape sooner or later. And after that, it'll be done for: there's no going back, even if the leather is of excellent quality. On the other hand, if you spend a little time on it, you'll be able to keep your sneakers for years.

The fundamental thing to understand is that leather is made up of around 5% fat – it's what gives it its suppleness, its durability and its water resistance. If it escapes, the leather dries out. So your goal is simple: keep the leather greased.


Here's how to do it:
-> You need to "feed" it regularly, at least once every 6 months. Ideally with a special product such as beeswax like this one, very rich in fat (avoid bathroom moisturisers, which contain too much water and could therefore end up doing the opposite: driving out the fats and cracking the leather).
-> If your sneakers get soaked, let them dry in the open air and then feed the leather. That's right: moisture drives out fats (something you'll know if you've ever made a vinaigrette: watery vinegar doesn't mix with oil).
-> Avoid wearing them two days in a row, especially if you tend to sweat or if the weather is rainy. This will give your sneakers time to release the moisture.

If you bought the sneakers in white:
The second thing to understand is that white shows dirt, and you'll spot little stains and scuffs more easily than on a dark colour. In fact, on our full-grain leather, these scuffs may appear a little faster than on some white sneakers whose leather is coated in plastic (like those from a famous three-stripe brand) but which will crack faster at the creases and ultimately last less long. To clean white leather, plenty of tutorials are available on YouTube, but to be sure we're giving you advice that actually works, we tested (almost) all of them for you: here's at this link the before/after result on Loom sneaker prototypes.

And here's the method we recommend:
1/ First, remove the laces: you'll put them in your next wash. If they seem really dirty, you can first let them soak for a few minutes in water with a whitening agent you have on hand (e.g. hydrogen peroxide / bleach / sodium percarbonate).
2/ Next, remove the marks and dirt from the leather and the sole. To do this, mix a little soap (ideally black soap) into some lukewarm water, then scrub it all over your sneakers with an old toothbrush (just be careful not to get your sneaker too wet, see our tips above).
3/ If there are stubborn stains around the edges of the soles or on the leather, scrub them with a... magic sponge (the ones sold in the DIY aisle, with an abrasive foam). Wet it a little and it works like a charm.
4/ Finally, all that's left is to hide the little scuffs and revive the white of the leather. Once your sneakers have dried, take a cloth and apply a "white renovator" for sneakers (they contain the same types of white pigments that were used to dye the leather of your sneakers, and honestly it's essential to buy one — and as luck would have it, we sell one at Loom here). Let it dry for 30 minutes, and reapply a second time if needed.

And finally, to whiten your soles again (which will inevitably end up yellowing), you can apply hydrogen peroxide to the sole with a paintbrush (or a toothbrush), cover it with cling film and leave the sneakers in full sunlight for a few hours. It'll whiten them again :-) Even more effective: replace the hydrogen peroxide with a renovator from the Tarrago brand! More information in this article.