How to take care of leather

Leather is a noble yet delicate material: it can easily stain and scratch, and it reacts quickly when exposed to air and sunlight, darkening and gradually losing its shine.

So, what do we do? Throw it all away? No! It would be a real shame to part with cherished items, not to mention the environmental impact of such a decision. Leather is naturally sustainable because it is potentially eternal—just take care of it with a few simple steps.

Start by cleaning the leather using a soft cloth, perhaps dampened with water and soap, neutral leather oil, or conditioning cream, to remove accumulated dirt and better identify the areas you need to work on. For stubborn stains, try using facial cleansing milk. You can also use a natural bristle brush, but avoid synthetic bristles.

 

 

Polish the leather to bring it back to its former glory: normal shoe polish is enough! If you don't have any, mix olive oil and water and clean the leather with the help of a soft cloth.

 

 

Beware of mold! Remove it as soon as possible using a soft cloth slightly dampened with a mixture of water and a drop of denatured alcohol.

Repair the edges with specialized leather edge dye—it’s not a hard product to find, just make sure to choose a color that closely matches the area you want to cover. For application, you can use a small brush or a piece of felt, but remember to wear gloves.

 

 

Don't overlook the details! Metallic elements like zippers and decorative pieces can easily tarnish and accumulate dirt. In the example video, I use a power tool with a tip specifically designed for polishing metal, but if you don’t have one, fine-grit sandpaper will work just as well.

 

 

There might be more serious issues you can't handle on your own unless you have some basic tailoring skills. If you think you're up to it or want to take the opportunity to learn something new, fix torn or loose seams using leather-specific needles and waxed thread (regular sewing thread isn’t strong enough).
Et voilà, here’s the final result:

 

 

 

 

Of course, prevention is better than cure: store your accessories carefully when not in use, preferably in dry and dark places. If needed, fill them with paper to help maintain their shape. That said, the fact that leather darkens over time is nothing to worry about—in fact, it’s a feature! Leather is a living material that ages with you and becomes more beautiful every day. The key is to choose vegetable-tanned leather, treated with natural tannins, over chemically tanned leather.

Don’t feel like following the entire process yourself? No problem—we’ve got you covered! Contact us for a quote; we’ll be thrilled to help you.