Nubuck Crocodile Mules: What They Are, Price & Care

What Are Nubuck Crocodile Mules?

A mule is a shoe with a closed front and no back. You slide your foot in, and the vamp holds it in place. Men's mules have moved from the beach to the office and the dinner table, and the smarter versions are built like a loafer with the heel counter taken away.

Nubuck crocodile is crocodile hide treated like nubuck calf. The tannery leaves off the wax and lacquer that give glazed crocodile its mirror finish, then buffs the outer surface of the scales to raise a very fine nap. If you are new to the material, our guide to nubuck vs suede explains why nubuck comes from the strong outer grain side of the hide.

Put the two together and you get the most wearable exotic shoe there is. The scale pattern shows up in raking light and close up, but across a room the shoe reads as a soft, dark slip-on. You can see the style across our men's mules collection.

Nubuck Crocodile vs Glazed Crocodile vs Croc-Embossed

Three very different things get sold as "crocodile mules". Knowing which one you are looking at is the first step to judging the price.

If you want the shine, see our glazed black crocodile mule or the green crocodile mules. If you want crocodile without the shine, nubuck is the one.

How Much Do Nubuck Crocodile Mules Cost?

There is no single price, because four things move it a long way:

• Species. Crocodile, alligator and caiman are different animals. Caiman is the cheapest and stiffest.
• Cut. Belly skin gives the even rectangular tiles most people want and costs the most. Hornback, from the back, is bolder and usually cheaper.
• Hide width. Skins are priced by their width in centimetres. Wider hides give larger, more even tiles across the vamp.
• Construction. A stitched, welted sole can be replaced when it wears out. A glued sole usually cannot, which is a costly way to throw away a crocodile upper.

As a guide to the market:

Our prices are for US customers at the time of writing. They are lower than the luxury houses because every pair is made after you order, so there is no shop or stock to pay for.

How to Tell Genuine Nubuck Crocodile

Matte finishes hide a lot, which makes nubuck crocodile easier to fake than glazed. Four checks catch nearly every imitation:

1. The palm test. Brush your palm across the vamp, then back the other way. Real buffed nubuck changes shade as the nap lies down and stands up. A matte coating does not move.
2. Scale edges. Catch a fingernail gently on a scale. Real tiles are separate pieces with edges. On embossed leather the surface is continuous.
3. Variation. On a real hide the tiles change size and shape across the shoe. A pressed pattern repeats.
4. The pit. Crocodile belly scales often carry a tiny dot near one edge, a sensory pore. Alligator and embossed leather do not.

Genuine crocodile is also traded under international rules. The CITES convention controls how crocodilian skins cross borders, which is why exotic orders can need export paperwork. Some places go further: California bans the sale of crocodile and alligator products, so these mules cannot be shipped there.

How to Wear Nubuck Crocodile Mules

The matte finish is what makes these mules easy. Treat the colour as the guide:

• Black: the quietest option. Wear it with charcoal or navy tailoring, black trousers, or sockless with dark summer clothes.
• Navy: dark enough to act as a neutral. Good with grey tailoring, dark denim and linen.
• Purple: a statement piece. Keep the rest of the outfit dark and plain and let the shoes do the talking.

Mules look best with a trouser that is cropped or has no break, so the open back is visible. Wear them sockless or with very thin no-show socks. They are a warm-weather and indoor shoe, not a winter one.

How to Care for Nubuck Crocodile Mules

Care is simple, but it is different from every other crocodile shoe. Nubuck has no topcoat, so everything is about protecting the nap.

1. Spray before the first wear. Use a nubuck protector and repeat every few months.
2. Brush after wearing. Use a soft nubuck or crepe brush, always in the direction of the scales, never against them.
3. Lift marks dry. A nubuck eraser takes off small scuffs. Do not rub with a wet cloth.
4. If they get wet, blot, stuff with paper and dry slowly at room temperature. Brush the nap up once dry.
5. Store them right. Cedar shoe trees, a cotton bag, and away from sunlight.

Sizing and Fit: Will a Mule Stay On?

A mule has no heel to hold your foot, so the vamp does all the work. It needs to sit snugly over your instep. Our mules are true to size; if you are between sizes, go half a size down. A little heel lift as you walk is normal. Measure against the men's size guide, and because every pair is made to order, you can send us your measurements before we cut the hide.

Looking for other exotic skins? Browse the full exotic shoes collection.

FAQs

What are nubuck crocodile mules?

Nubuck crocodile mules are backless slip-on shoes made from crocodile hide whose glossy top layer has been buffed away to a fine, velvety nap. The scale pattern stays, but it reads as matte texture instead of shine. The result is an exotic shoe that looks quieter than glazed crocodile and works with tailoring, denim and summer linen.

How much do nubuck crocodile mules cost?

Prices depend on species, cut, hide width and how the shoe is built. Luxury Italian houses list nubuck crocodile backless loafers at around $4,200. Made-to-order makers sit well below that: our nubuck crocodile mules are $751 for US customers at the time of writing, and our glazed crocodile mules are $819.

Can you polish nubuck crocodile?

No. Wax, cream and polish fill the nap and leave dark, flattened patches that cannot be reversed. Nubuck crocodile is cleaned with a soft nubuck or crepe brush worked in the direction of the scales, a nubuck eraser for small marks, and a protector spray applied before the first wear and topped up every few months.

Is nubuck crocodile waterproof?

No. Nubuck has no topcoat, so water soaks into the nap and can leave a spot with a hard edge. A good nubuck protector spray helps a lot, but nubuck crocodile mules are still best kept for dry days. If they do get wet, blot them, stuff them with paper and let them dry slowly away from any heater.

How do I tell genuine nubuck crocodile from embossed leather?

Run your palm across the vamp one way and then the other: a genuinely buffed hide changes shade as the nap moves, while a printed or coated surface does not. Real scales are separate tiles with edges you can feel, their size and shape vary across the hide, and crocodile belly scales often show a tiny pit near the edge.

Do mules stay on your feet?

A well made mule stays on because the vamp is cut deep and fitted snugly over the instep, not because of the heel. That is why fit matters more on a mule than on a closed shoe. If you are between sizes, go half a size down so the vamp grips, and expect a little heel lift as you walk, which is normal.