Suede or Leather? Men's Boat Shoes and Loafers Wholesale for Summer

Every summer, the same question: suede or leather? In boat shoes and loafers the two materials look alike from a distance — same shape, same use, same season. On the shelf, though, they behave differently, and the right mix depends less on taste and more on where your store is.

What suede does well

Suede is the material of summer style. It is soft, warm to the eye and holds light and bright colours particularly well — which is why our most summery colours are in suede.

• The beige suede of the 020 boat shoe is the most "holiday" colour in the range and works well in tourist areas.
• The 020 in taba is the richest-looking colour of the summer range — put it at the front of the window.
• The 021 in blue is the most recognisable boat-shoe colour: customers ask for it by name.
• The 021 in beige is neutral and easy — the best choice if the store takes just one box of boat shoes.

Suede's drawback is well known: it needs more care. Water, salt and sand mark it more easily than leather. A suede brush and a protector spray at the till are a small add-on sale that also protects customer satisfaction.

What leather does well

Leather is the more practical choice. It stands up better to wear, cleans more easily and ages with use rather than wearing out.

• The YKT06 leather boat shoe holds up better than suede by the sea — use that as a selling point. In brown it also has a longer selling season than the blue, carrying on into autumn.
• The 1013 loafer is the most versatile style in our catalogue and sells all year. In black it is a safe buy for any store, wherever it is; in beige it is in strong demand in tourist areas.
• The 035 leather espadrille is a leather take on a canvas classic, which is why it supports a higher retail price. The brown is more practical than the beige because it doesn't show summer wear.
• The 692 loafer has a unisex cut: one box covers two markets, with less risk of leftover stock.

Seaside store or city store?

This is where the choice is made.

In a tourist or coastal area, customers are buying for their holiday and want colour. Light suede boat shoes (beige, taba) catch the eye, while the leather YKT06 covers the customer who will wear it on a boat or at the beach. A good mix: one suede boat shoe in a strong colour, one leather boat shoe and one espadrille.

In a city store, customers are buying something to wear to work and at the weekend. Here leather wins: the 1013 in black or brown, a YKT06 in brown that keeps selling into autumn, and one suede boat shoe in blue or beige for the summer look.

Boxes and sizes

Every style ships in one fixed, full size-run box. For the styles in this guide:

• 10-pair box (EU 40–45): the 020 and 021 suede boat shoes, the YKT06 leather boat shoe and the 035 espadrilles.
• 8-pair box (EU 40–44): the 1013 and 692 loafers.

The minimum order applies to the whole order, not to each style, so you can mix suede and leather freely.

When to order

All of the above are sold on pre-order, with shipping confirmed once production is scheduled. We recommend ordering the beige 1013 in March and the 035 espadrilles in March–April, so the stock is on the shelf when customers start looking.

See all our men's loafers and boat shoes, and for more on materials, our guide to leather quality. Wholesale prices are shown to approved accounts — apply for a wholesale account.