Leather Care
Caring for your bag or accessory is simple due to the superiority of our chosen leather, but you may wish to read up on the finer details to avoid accidental damage to your treasured item. If you take care of your leather, it can last you a lifetime – and maybe even generations to come. Your primary concern is to avoid over-filling these items. Once misshapen, leather isn't going to spring back to it's original form. Wipe them down regularly and lightly condition every 6-12 months.
Full Grain Leather. Using a soft brush and damp cloth is the old reliable when it comes to leather care. Since leather is so very naturally durable anyway, giving it a wipe down (without soap — its chemicals can ruin the leather over time) once a week to get rid of the dirt and dust (the most nefarious culprits to premature wear and tear) constitutes a minimally sufficient care routine. If you use nothing else, this is the way to go.
Hair On Leather. Always brush or rub in the direction of the hair. Use a soft brush or handheld vacuum to remove dust and debris. A damp cloth can be used to remove spots.
Conditioner Creams. Think of these kind of like skincare products, except that, instead of using them on your own skin, you use them on the animal hide that makes up your leather gear. Much like lotions, these products are designed to keep up the appearance and feel of your leather – making it supple and (sometimes) softer to the touch than it would be naturally. It also staves off some of the negative effects your environment might have on your leather, like drying it out to the point that it cracks and/or shrinks. One thing to watch for in many conditioner creams, however, is lanolin. Lanolin is a fatty substance found in sheep's wool that is a common ingredient in leather conditioners. While it isn’t dangerous, it will soften and moisturize your leather – which is great if that’s what you’re looking for. If you want your leather to remain a bit rigid and tough looking and feeling, try to avoid lanolin conditioners.
Leather Oils. Oils are another leather conditioning option. And while you might think that a cream and an oil are two very different products, those with a focus on leather care are essentially one and the same. In fact, you’ll often see leather oils with the word “conditioner” on their label and no mention of the fact that an oil is in the bottle whatsoever. When it really comes down to it, the difference between a cream and an oil conditioner is your personal preference. Some folks like using conditioning creams, others prefer oils. Pick whichever one suits you, purchase the appropriate product, and run with it.
Polish. While shining your shoes is certainly a way to quickly make them look sharp, technically speaking, polishing leather doesn’t actually qualify as care. You see, putting a sheen on your favorite bag might spiff it up a bit, the overall effect doesn’t actually protect or condition the leather at all. So, while we certainly don’t suggest against a good polish every now and again, it’s important to realize that the act of polishing doesn’t really qualify as care, it's primarily aesthetic. That being said, some leather polishes have a moisturizing agent such as lanolin in them. While this is not standard, it is definitely something to look out for, especially if you don’t want to soften up your leather.
Saddle Soap. We recommend avoiding saddle soap unless absolutely necessary. The lye content in the soap will cause a pH change in the leather resulting in weakening of the leather structure. In addition, it is difficult to remove from the crevices resulting in buildup which can encourage mold growth.
Waterproofing. As a natural side-effect of the material itself and the tanning process, leather is naturally extremely water resistant. It is not, however, completely waterproof. With prolonged or excessive exposure, leather will absorb water. This might make you want to take some Scotch Guard to your bag in order to make it more waterproof. We strongly suggest against this, however. As a living material, leather needs to breathe in order to maintain its pliability, flexibility, and so that it can age over time (aged leather is one of the most beautiful materials in the world). Spraying a waterproof layer onto your apparel or gear can suffocate your leather and can give it a cheaper look.
There are, however, alternatives to spray waterproofing. Creams and waxes are a viable option. You will likely have to reapply them several times over the course of the season, but they are better for your leather than a spray waterproof and are relatively easy to clean off once you’re out of the wet time of year. Still, if you can avoid it, we suggest staying away from waterproofing altogether as there’s no way around the fact that it will inhibit beneficial aging processes and can have a negative long-term affect on the material.
Waterlogged Leather. In the off chance that your leather is exposed to a large amount of water – like if you accidentally drop your bag in a puddle or fall into a body of water – you’ll want to take extra care to get that leather dry again. Do NOT, under any circumstances, use a direct heat source or the sun to dry out your leather. Like human skin, exposure to a great amount of heat can cause leather to dry out, shrink, and potentially crack. If you take a hair dryer to your bag it will dry out, crack, and tear. If your bag gets soaked, stuff it with newspaper or packing paper and lay it out on a flat dry surface in a cool room and wait. Letting the leather dry naturally over several days will ensure it will shrink as little as possible and, hopefully, will not suffer any other ill-effects.
Full Grain Leather. Using a soft brush and damp cloth is the old reliable when it comes to leather care. Since leather is so very naturally durable anyway, giving it a wipe down (without soap — its chemicals can ruin the leather over time) once a week to get rid of the dirt and dust (the most nefarious culprits to premature wear and tear) constitutes a minimally sufficient care routine. If you use nothing else, this is the way to go.
Hair On Leather. Always brush or rub in the direction of the hair. Use a soft brush or handheld vacuum to remove dust and debris. A damp cloth can be used to remove spots.
Conditioner Creams. Think of these kind of like skincare products, except that, instead of using them on your own skin, you use them on the animal hide that makes up your leather gear. Much like lotions, these products are designed to keep up the appearance and feel of your leather – making it supple and (sometimes) softer to the touch than it would be naturally. It also staves off some of the negative effects your environment might have on your leather, like drying it out to the point that it cracks and/or shrinks. One thing to watch for in many conditioner creams, however, is lanolin. Lanolin is a fatty substance found in sheep's wool that is a common ingredient in leather conditioners. While it isn’t dangerous, it will soften and moisturize your leather – which is great if that’s what you’re looking for. If you want your leather to remain a bit rigid and tough looking and feeling, try to avoid lanolin conditioners.
Leather Oils. Oils are another leather conditioning option. And while you might think that a cream and an oil are two very different products, those with a focus on leather care are essentially one and the same. In fact, you’ll often see leather oils with the word “conditioner” on their label and no mention of the fact that an oil is in the bottle whatsoever. When it really comes down to it, the difference between a cream and an oil conditioner is your personal preference. Some folks like using conditioning creams, others prefer oils. Pick whichever one suits you, purchase the appropriate product, and run with it.
Polish. While shining your shoes is certainly a way to quickly make them look sharp, technically speaking, polishing leather doesn’t actually qualify as care. You see, putting a sheen on your favorite bag might spiff it up a bit, the overall effect doesn’t actually protect or condition the leather at all. So, while we certainly don’t suggest against a good polish every now and again, it’s important to realize that the act of polishing doesn’t really qualify as care, it's primarily aesthetic. That being said, some leather polishes have a moisturizing agent such as lanolin in them. While this is not standard, it is definitely something to look out for, especially if you don’t want to soften up your leather.
Saddle Soap. We recommend avoiding saddle soap unless absolutely necessary. The lye content in the soap will cause a pH change in the leather resulting in weakening of the leather structure. In addition, it is difficult to remove from the crevices resulting in buildup which can encourage mold growth.
Waterproofing. As a natural side-effect of the material itself and the tanning process, leather is naturally extremely water resistant. It is not, however, completely waterproof. With prolonged or excessive exposure, leather will absorb water. This might make you want to take some Scotch Guard to your bag in order to make it more waterproof. We strongly suggest against this, however. As a living material, leather needs to breathe in order to maintain its pliability, flexibility, and so that it can age over time (aged leather is one of the most beautiful materials in the world). Spraying a waterproof layer onto your apparel or gear can suffocate your leather and can give it a cheaper look.
There are, however, alternatives to spray waterproofing. Creams and waxes are a viable option. You will likely have to reapply them several times over the course of the season, but they are better for your leather than a spray waterproof and are relatively easy to clean off once you’re out of the wet time of year. Still, if you can avoid it, we suggest staying away from waterproofing altogether as there’s no way around the fact that it will inhibit beneficial aging processes and can have a negative long-term affect on the material.
Waterlogged Leather. In the off chance that your leather is exposed to a large amount of water – like if you accidentally drop your bag in a puddle or fall into a body of water – you’ll want to take extra care to get that leather dry again. Do NOT, under any circumstances, use a direct heat source or the sun to dry out your leather. Like human skin, exposure to a great amount of heat can cause leather to dry out, shrink, and potentially crack. If you take a hair dryer to your bag it will dry out, crack, and tear. If your bag gets soaked, stuff it with newspaper or packing paper and lay it out on a flat dry surface in a cool room and wait. Letting the leather dry naturally over several days will ensure it will shrink as little as possible and, hopefully, will not suffer any other ill-effects.