I know what you’re thinking: “Faux suede? That sounds like a joke! How can something so fake be waterproof?” And I get it. So in this article, I’m going to share with you the results of a couple of tests I did.
So is faux suede waterproof? Faux suede is made of polyurethane, polyester, and polyvinyl materials and because these materials are synthetic and not porous, they do not absorb water. In some cases, faux suede will come treated with an additional layer of water-resistant coating.
To learn more about this topic, keep reading this article.
What is Faux Suede Made Of?
I’m going to start off by briefly saying that faux suede is made of polyurethane and polyester. It ’s a manmade material. This means faux suede is mand-made.
Sometimes, people refer to faux suede as “polyester.” While this is technically correct, it can be misleading because there are different kinds of polyester.
Faux suede is made from one particular kind, which means it can be considered a type of faux suede.
What Makes Faux Suede Waterproof
Due To The Materials They Are Made Of
The main thing that makes faux suede waterproof is the material that it’s made of. Faux suede uses a different kind of material from regular suede, which means the two are not comparable.
In order for a material to be waterproof, it usually needs to have plastic or rubber in its makeup. This is true of faux suede, which is made with polyurethane and polyester.
Faux Suede Comes With Vinyl or PVC Coating
Another thing that makes faux suede waterproof is the fact it has a vinyl or PVC coating. Like I mentioned earlier, this helps make it impermeable to liquid.
If you’re looking for faux suede that isn’t waterproof, this is probably not the right fabric for you.
Faux suede that is not waterproof will typically be labeled as “fleece” or something similar to that.
All in all, it’s safe to say faux suede is coated with a waterproof layer, which makes it water-resistant. However, this coating isn’t necessarily one hundred percent waterproof. This is why it’s important to properly care for your faux suede clothing.
In some cases, the coating may wear off. If this happens, you will notice the material absorbs water and becomes wet easily to touch.
How Can You Tell If Faux Suede Is Waterproof?
By Their Look
As I mentioned earlier, there are different kinds of faux suede. Some will be waterproof while others won’t be.
One of the easiest ways to tell if a faux suede material is waterproof is by looking at it. Usually, what you would be looking out for is if the material is shiny or matte.
If the faux suede has a plastic-like shine to it, this means that it has been coated and is waterproof.
If the faux suede has a matte finish with no shine, then it probably has no waterproof coating. This means this kind of faux suede is not meant to be worn in wet conditions.
By Testing It
Another way you can be sure if your faux suede is waterproof is by trying to soak it and seeing what happens.
If you place any part of your faux suede item in water, you will see that the water is not absorbed. This means it’s waterproof and able to keep liquid out!
In some cases, the water may bead up on the material’s surface in which case, it’s still waterproof. This is because the coating on your faux suede is strong enough to let water slide off its surface, which means it’s waterproof.
By Touch
As you may have guessed right, you can also tell the faux suede is waterproof by touching it.
If your hand glides across the material and you feel a smooth, oily-like texture, then it’s not waterproof.
This means whatever material this faux suede is made of will absorb liquid when in contact with it.
This, however, is not the case for faux suede that’s waterproof. If you touch it and feel its surface feels dry, matte, or suede-like in texture, then it’s waterproof.
By Its Label
Another way you can tell if the faux suede is waterproof is by checking its label. If your faux suede clothing or shoes say it’s rain-friendly, then that means it’s waterproof.
This is because rain-friendly usually only applies to items with a water-resistant coating on them, which means they’re waterproof.
On the other hand, if your faux suede item is labeled as “fleece” or “faux fur”, this means it probably has no waterproof coating on it.
If you see any other label saying your faux suede is not meant to be worn in the rain and wet conditions, this means it’s probably not waterproof.
Price
It is very common to see that faux suede that is waterproof will be generally pricier than its non-waterproof counterpart.
If you see an expensive piece of faux suede clothing or shoes, it’s very likely that it’s waterproof.
Faux suede items on the cheaper side are usually not waterproof or water-resistant at all, so they’re not meant to be worn in wet conditions.
But this I will admit can be very tricky as this alone is not an ideal yardstick to tell whether faux suede is waterproof.
How To Protect Faux Suede That’s Not Waterproof
If your faux suede isn’t waterproof, you need to be extra careful when wearing it in wet conditions.
By Waterproofing It With Sprays
If you want to protect your non-waterproof items, one way is by using a water repellent spray on them.
It is possible to make non-waterproof faux suede clothing or shoes waterproof, but doing this requires specially formulated faux suede protector sprays.
These sprays will make your faux suede waterproof and able to repel water from its surface.
This way, when you wear your faux suede item in wet conditions, the water droplets will bead up and stay away from your clothing.
One thing to note is that these sprays are only effective when used on the surface of your faux suede. These sprays cannot penetrate deep into its fabric to make it waterproof all the way.
Keeping It Away From Wet Conditions
Another way you can protect your faux suede is by keeping it away from wet conditions.
If you have a non-waterproof faux suede item, it’s best not to wear them when out in the rain or during a storm.
If you still wish to wear your faux suede in the rain, make sure to bring an umbrella with you. This way, at least water droplets will bead up on the umbrella and won’t get your faux suede wet.
How To Clean Water Stains From Faux Suede?
If your faux suede ends up in contact with water and in the unlikely event that it gets water stains on it, it’s best to clean them immediately.
Faux suede can be a very delicate material and the water stains can be difficult to remove if allowed time to dry on it.
So, as soon as you notice the water stains on your faux suede, it’s best to clean them with a damp towel. Here’s how you go about it;
Things Needed
- Fine Water Repellent Spray
- Microfiber Towel
Procedure
Step 1:
- First, blot the surface of the water stains with a damp towel to remove as much liquid from the faux suede.
- If possible, you should also try and gently pat the water stains with a paper towel to remove as many water droplets from the surface.
Step 2:
- Next, spray some fine water repellent on the faux suede to prevent further stains from forming.
- You can also spray some water repellent onto a paper towel, then apply it to the faux suede material.
Step 3:
- Finally, use a microfiber towel to absorb the excess water repellent from your faux suede material.
Step 4:
- Leave the leather to air dry.