Suedes, Vinyls & Pleather

Spotlight's Guide to Faux Suede!

Faux suede is a wonderful material to work with as a crafter. It has a soft texture that has some suppleness, making it suitable for fashion projects as well as upholstery and home decor. To learn more about faux suede, its applications and its benefits, please read on.

What Are The Benefits Of Faux Suede?

There are many benefits of faux suede. One of the major benefits is its overall pleasant feel, which explains why many crafters like to work with this material. Faux suede can also come in the form of so-called micro-suede, which is even more affordable than regular faux suede.

What Should I Be Considering When Sewing With Faux Suede?

Even though faux suede has some suppleness, it is important to remember that the stretch this material has is quite limited. So, do not stretch the material to much when you start sewing. On the flipside, faux suede does not start fraying easily, so beginners will have little problems working with this kind of material.

Like most suede materials, you must consider the nap of faux suede. While it is not as pronounced as with real suede, the nap needs to be considered before you put the scissors on the fabric.

If you decide to work with a sewing machine, it is always recommended to use a slightly bigger stitch for suede. Bigger stitches can prevent tearing by making less holes in the fabric and this is definitely something that is important for faux suede.

How Do I Maintain A Faux Suede Fabric?

Faux suede does need some special maintenance. Even though it isn't real suede and is therefore less susceptible to different kinds of damage, there are still some things you need to do to keep the material in pristine condition.

Get a suede brush - One of the absolute musts is obtaining a suede brush. With a suede brush, you can remove most dirt and debris from the fabric. While you may use some different techniques for persistent stains, the suede brush is always your first choice before trying anything else.

When it comes down to dirt and debris on faux suede, it is best to remove it with a suede brush as early as possible. Some crafters will maintain their faux suede on a weekly or monthly basis to keep persistent stains at bay. It all depends on your personal preferences and the time you have available for this maintenance task.

Cleaning method for persistent stains - For more persistent stains, you may need an alternative cleaning method. In some cases, you can remove the stain with something as simple as a slightly damp microfibre cloth. When you use this method, please make sure the cloth is not completely wet, as this can cause damage to the faux suede.

When the stain cannot be removed with a damp cloth, you can use a specialist synthetic cleaner for faux suede. If the stain is rather oily in nature, you can use a mild, degreasing dish soap.

For crafters who have worked with a dyed faux suede, it is recommended to apply the cleaning product to an inconspicuous spot first. While most cleaning projects are safe to use, some may discolour dyed faux leather.

Blot stains - When cleaning stains from faux leather, it is important to blot and not wipe. Wiping the stain can cause the stain to become embedded in the faux leather. So, blot the stain one little bit at a time.

Protective spray - To prevent the faux leather from getting dirty in the future, or to protect it against common signs of wear and tear, you can acquire a protective spray for the material. You can find multifunctional sprays for faux leather these days, which will protect the material against water and dirt.

Faux Suede And Other Fabrics At Spotlight

At Spotlight, crafters can find a large collection of fabrics for all their crafting projects. The faux suede category is just one of many categories in our catalogue, so we urge you to check out the other fabrics we offer by the metre. Be sure to stop by at our sewing accessories and sewing sections too, where you can find affordable accessories and tools.