Saphir – Visit of the Company That Produces the World’s Finest Shoe Polish

Saphir, the Heritage of French Leather

The history of shoe polish is inseparable from the history of leather. As early as the Middle Ages, tanning and shoemaking craftsmen prepared wax-based blends to nourish, protect, and shine leather shoes. Saints Crispin and Crispinian, patrons of shoemakers, symbolize this ancient connection between handcraft and material.

In the 18th century, the first recipes for shoe polish appeared: tallow, oil, lampblack, and turpentine. These mixtures, still unstable and strongly scented, became more refined in the following century. Chemical progress led to more homogeneous pastes, while wars accelerated their spread: armies maintained their boots, and industrialists perfected the formulas. In France, Alexis Godillot equipped Napoleon’s soldiers, and his name became synonymous with sturdy footwear — the famous godillots.

With industrialization, polish manufacturing entered a new era. The arrival of the tin can at the end of the 19th century changed everything: more practical, more resistant, and better preserved than glass jars, it allowed large-scale production. In 1889, nearly thirty million kilos of shoe polish were produced in Europe, two-thirds of it in France. From Faverges to Lyon, workshops such as Jacquand or Berthoud shipped their tins all over the world.

It was in this context that Saphir was born in 1920. Founded by the Destagnol family, the brand quickly established itself as the benchmark in leather care. Awarded a Gold Medal at the 1925 Paris Exposition, it was already exporting to New York by the 1950s. Its famous Pâte de Luxe stands out for its formulation based on beeswax and turpentine, which nourishes leather without smothering it and gives it a deep shine.

In the 1970s, Saphir was acquired by Avel, founded shortly before by Alexandre Moura. This family-owned company, based in Magnac-Lavalette, revived the brand and has maintained 100% French manufacturing ever since. Today, under the leadership of Marc Moura, the company produces the entire Saphir range — including the prestigious Médaille d’Or line, acclaimed by bootmakers, cobblers, and shoe enthusiasts worldwide.

Saphir Médaille d’Or products are particularly well-suited for lightly finished leathers — those whose finish still allows the grain to breathe (aniline, semi-aniline, box calf, full-grain calfskin…). These leathers absorb natural waxes and oils better, benefiting fully from the richness of the formulas.

The Saphir Beauté du Cuir range offers a much wider palette of colors and a broader selection of products, especially for the care of leather goods.

At Magnac-Lavalette, Inside the Saphir Workshops

I had the opportunity to visit the Avel factory, where most of the historical recipes are still used in product preparation.

The tour begins in the showroom, a quiet space showcasing the group’s various brands. Here, one can appreciate the breadth of their collaborations: several care products have been developed for houses such as Crockett & Jones, Cheaney, and Longchamp. Each brand benefits from its own shades and finishes, designed in the adjacent laboratory.

On the shelves, among tins of polish and brush displays, I also noticed several pairs of light-wood shoe trees. They come from Perfecta, Avel’s company located near Limoges, specializing in the production of shoe trees and lasts in beech or cedar. Their presence is a reminder that leather care does not end with maintenance products: it extends to preserving the shape of the shoe.

The Warehouse

Right next to the showroom, the warehouse houses finished products ready to ship. Pallets of tins, creams, lotions, and aerosols are stored by range and color. The modern, bright space meets the strictest safety standards — essential for an operation using solvents and propellant gases. The organization is meticulous: every batch is identified, checked, and prepared for retailers and distributors in France and abroad.  

The Production Workshop (“The Kitchen”)

A separate building just a few meters away is where the most dynamic part of the visit takes place. Here, waxes, pigments, and solvents are combined to create Saphir creams and pastes. The atmosphere is dense, driven by the motion of tanks and the rumble of mixers. The aromas are distinctive: pleasant with their resinous, waxy notes, yet sometimes intense, reminding you that volatile materials are at work.

I was able to observe the preparation of Saphir Médaille d’Or 1925 Shoe Cream. Beeswax, carnauba wax, and montan wax are melted and blended with solvents and color pigments. The formulation contains no water; it remains dense and stable, designed to nourish the leather while ensuring a lasting shine.

This is undoubtedly the most fascinating part of the visit: watching raw material become a finished product.

Above: beeswax on the left (as light as possible for neutral polishes) and carnauba wax on the right. The latter is often combined with montan wax: it reinforces shine and makes mirror polishing possible.

The Laboratory

The laboratory is also located in the main building, upstairs. The quiet, bright environment contrasts with the bustling workshop below.

This is where formulas are developed and refined. Technicians test texture, shine, and performance depending on leather types and pigments. They work both on preserving historic recipes and on more recent developments, such as PFAS-free formulations offering performance comparable to traditional compositions.

It is also here that customized shades are created for clients: some require a very specific brown or burgundy hue for a particular model.

Each new production batch is sampled and kept on site, ready for testing if needed for quality control or in case of a complaint.

Final Step: Filling the Jars

The wax and pigment mixtures, heated and homogenized in large tanks, are poured — still hot — into glass jars used for the Médaille d’Or range.
Next comes a carefully controlled cooling phase, allowing the wax to set slowly and achieve its final texture. Once cooled, each jar is sealed, labeled, sorted, and sent to the warehouse.

This may be the most visually striking moment of the tour: following the material from hot liquid to stable solid, then to the finished product.

A final note: We often forget that the global leader in premium shoe care is based in France. The greatest footwear and leather goods houses rely on products crafted here, just a few hours from Paris. A century after its creation, Saphir continues to make shoes shine like pieces of heritage.

It was a pleasure to visit this company and to share a glimpse behind the scenes.

Author : Thomas des Indispensables Paris