What to do
- Wipe clean with a damp cloth and mild soap — synthetic surfaces are the easiest to maintain.
- Skip leather products entirely; conditioners have nothing to absorb into.
- Keep away from high heat and strong solvents, which deform or cloud synthetics.
What happens if you ignore it
The materials are low-maintenance, but the failure mode is permanent: heat warps foam and PU, and solvent “cleaning hacks” (acetone, magic erasers used hard) eat the surface. Gentle and damp wins.
Where you'll see it
Most soles (rubber, EVA), vegan-leather uppers, sport sandals, rain boots, and many budget sneakers.
Common questions
Does the diamond symbol mean the shoes are vegan?
It means that PART contains no leather or textile — usually synthetic. For fully vegan shoes, check that every row (upper, lining, sole) avoids the hide symbols; note that adhesives aren't covered by the label at all.
Is “other materials” lower quality than leather?
Not inherently — high-end performance shoes are mostly synthetics and foams by design. The symbol describes material family, not quality.
Related symbols
- Textile — the part is made of textile
- Coated Leather — the part is real leather with an applied surface coating
- Outer Sole — this marks the outer sole
Or just scan the tongue tag
CareLabl scans shoe labels too. Point your camera at the tongue tag and get the upper, lining, and sole materials plus a care routine — then scan the outside for cleaning steps matched to the condition you're actually looking at. Try Pro free for 3 days, no credit card needed.