<p>Disclaimer: I've not tried this, so I can't guarantee it will work.</p>

<p>One thing that I've <a href="https://bushcraftusa.com/forum/threads/de-embossing-leather-questions.69505/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">seen suggested</a> is to soak the leather with water and then heat it - this should cause the fibres to swell and reduce the depth of the debossing (embossing is raising a material, debossing is lowering it).</p>

<p>The issue with this is that I've only heard of it being done on untreated veg-tanned leather, which your shoes almost certainly are not.</p>

<p>In order to successfully have the leather absorb the water, you'll first need to remove the covering. This can be done with a little soap and water, or (more drastically, and more likely to damage your shoes) with acetone or rubbing alcohol. </p>

<p>Once you've done that, stuff your shoes with something to keep their shape, and then soak + heat (a hairdryer or heat gun is the best option here). </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-10-06T09:31:00.130Z
2017-10-06T09:31:00.130Z
walrus
<p>I just got a pair of Dansko clogs from a clothing swap and was dismayed to realize after closer inspection that they have a flower pattern embossed all over them. </p>

<p><a href="https://www.dansko.com/Womens/Footwear/Styles/clogs/Pro%20XP/Black%20Floral%20Tooled" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/coevi.png" alt="Shoes"></a></p>

<p>Image from <a href="https://www.dansko.com/Womens/Footwear/Styles/clogs/Pro%20XP/Black%20Floral%20Tooled" rel="nofollow noreferrer">dansko.com</a></p>

<p>Is there any way to remove it? I'm considering either sanding or using water and heat to try to minimize it as much as possible, then redying them. Any better ideas?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-10-05T08:58:00.353Z
Do you know what type of leather they are?
walrus
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-10-05T15:50:13.537Z
@Dandan, don't know if these are the same as the ones you have, but here is the [link](https://www.dansko.com/Womens/Footwear/Styles/clogs/Pro%20XP/Black%20Floral%20Tooled) to the Dansko site showing a pair of embossed clogs that are probably similar to yours.  It calls the leather "full grain" but doesn't seem to define it any more than that.
magerber
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-10-06T00:45:23.927Z
@magerber Yep that's them!
Dandan
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-10-06T00:46:21.377Z
@walrus Full grain leather, that's all I can tell. The link in Magerber's comment above is correct.
Dandan
<clothing><leather>
How to remove embossing from leather
Dandan
# How to remove embossing from leather

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-10-05)

I just got a pair of Dansko clogs from a clothing swap and was dismayed to realize after closer inspection that they have a flower pattern embossed all over them.

[![Shoes](https://i.sstatic.net/coevi.png)](https://www.dansko.com/Womens/Footwear/Styles/clogs/Pro%20XP/Black%20Floral%20Tooled)

Image from [dansko.com](https://www.dansko.com/Womens/Footwear/Styles/clogs/Pro%20XP/Black%20Floral%20Tooled)

Is there any way to remove it? I'm considering either sanding or using water and heat to try to minimize it as much as possible, then redying them. Any better ideas?

**Tags:** clothing, leather

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Do you know what type of leather they are?  
> **username_2**: @username_0, don't know if these are the same as the ones you have, but here is the [link](https://www.dansko.com/Womens/Footwear/Styles/clogs/Pro%20XP/Black%20Floral%20Tooled) to the Dansko site showing a pair of embossed clogs that are probably similar to yours.  It calls the leather "full grain" but doesn't seem to define it any more than that.  
> **username_0**: @username_2 Yep that's them!  
> **username_0**: @username_1 Full grain leather, that's all I can tell. The link in Magerber's comment above is correct.  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2017-10-06. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

Disclaimer: I've not tried this, so I can't guarantee it will work.

One thing that I've [seen suggested](https://bushcraftusa.com/forum/threads/de-embossing-leather-questions.69505/) is to soak the leather with water and then heat it - this should cause the fibres to swell and reduce the depth of the debossing (embossing is raising a material, debossing is lowering it).

The issue with this is that I've only heard of it being done on untreated veg-tanned leather, which your shoes almost certainly are not.

In order to successfully have the leather absorb the water, you'll first need to remove the covering. This can be done with a little soap and water, or (more drastically, and more likely to damage your shoes) with acetone or rubbing alcohol.

Once you've done that, stuff your shoes with something to keep their shape, and then soak + heat (a hairdryer or heat gun is the best option here).


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