If the outer nubuck or suede absorbs water, the breathability of the footwear will be reduced. Therefore, the durable water repellency (dwr) of your footwear must be maintained to ensure comfort. It will eventually wear off and need to be renewed with Nikwax nubuck & suede prooftm. When you're active and wearing footwear, your socks draw moisture away from your feet, keeping them dry. However, if your footwear absorbs water and 'wets out' its breathability will be reduced. Moisture vapour will not be able to escape through the material, so your feet will feel clammy and wet. Nikwax nubuck & suede prooftm adds durable water repellency (dwr), which prevents water absorption, whilst maintaining breathability, keeping your feet dry and comfortable. Anyone who is active outside in damp or wet conditions will benefit from breathable waterproof footwear. Whether you're a mountaineer, cyclist, dog walker, or you work outside as a farmer or surveyor, you will need good footwear. Your footwear could be soaking up water just because it is dirty. First, try cleaning it with Nikwax footwear cleaning geltm, and if it is fairly new, or recently re-waterproofed, the durable water repellency (dwr) will be revitalised just from cleaning. But, once the footwear has been thoroughly worn you will need to add dwr, using Nikwax nubuck & suede prooftm, after cleaning first with Nikwax footwear cleaning geltm. Alternative waterproofing products are often solvent-based aerosols; alternatively, they may be water-based and use fluorocarbons. Aerosol products are flammable. Fluorocarbons pose a potential risk to the environment and to the long-term health of the consumerent-based products also need to be applied to dry materials. This is a safe product to use on breathable waterproof footwear. It is completely non-flammable, contains no Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and is Fluorocarbon free.