Leather Care

FOR VEGETABLE-TANNED LEATHER GOODS

My step-by-step guide: how to maintain your leather goods for optimal lasting quality.

Not all leather is the same. It’s important to buy care products for the type of leather - most care products will specify if it is suitable for vegetable-tanned or chrome-tanned leather.

  1. Condition your leather goods at least once a year. Products that are in continual contact with your hands - like a wallet or bag strap - will often condition themselves through natural oils, but it’s important to make sure every part of the bag gets oiled.

  2. Store your goods in a location where they can breathe, with minimal humidity, away from direct sunlight, and inside a dust bag for long-term storage.

  3. Almost all conditioning products will darken your leather slightly.

  4. Leather is a permeable material; be careful when using sunscreen or other chemical-based products that could stain the leather.

Cleaning

  1. Use a damp cloth for regular cleaning. If you get something on your bag, you can spot treat it with a mild dish soap and water or saddle soap. This product cleans and polishes at the same time, leaving a natural finish, and can be used for regular conditioning as well.

  2. When cleaning a bag, make sure you lightly dampen the whole panel of leather to avoid any water marks. If your bag gets wet for any reason, let it fully dry and condition it afterwards. You can condition multiple times if your leather product feels stiff.

Conditioning

  1. I recommend using a natural oil or beeswax conditioner.

  2. I love this product for my leather bags and shoes: All Natural Leather Conditioner. This is also a great product to use if you are living in a rainy climate. If so, I recommend conditioning your leather products every 3-4 months.

Brass Hardware Maintenance

  1. When I clean my bags, I also like to polish my brass buckles and clips. You can do this with a mild dish soap, and dry it immediately. If your brass buckles are tarnishing, you can use a brass cleaner. I use “Brasso Metal Polish”. Be careful not to get Brasso on the leather, as it could stain.

Repairs

  1. Hand-sewn leather goods made with a saddle stitch can be easily repaired. You can often speak to a local cobbler or a shoe repair person. Please feel free to reach out to us with any repair inquiries!