Leather that I use, come from an Italian tannery La Perla Azzurra. This tannery is a member of Pelle Conciata al Vegetale in Toscana, which groups tanneries using only the old traditional method of vegetable tanning. This method guarantees the highest possible quality of leather, which is an art work on its own. The leather has amazing character and smell.
Leather is a natural product, that changes its appearance through time and use. Leather of natural colour gets darker under sunlight and after contact with your skin. On the other hand, coloured leather might fade under sunlight. By using it, you will not avoid fine abrasions and scratches, which will give it a unique patina.
I offer you a few tips how to prolong the life of your leather goods:
1. In general, there is the principle that natural leather products should be treated as one's own skin.
Impregnate your product with a transparent leather balm with a high content of beeswax and without chemical solvents, at least 2 times a year. If you use your product daily, do this treatment monthly. Such a balm brightens the leather, increases its resistance to water, polishes scratches, e.g. from nails and prevents it from drying out and cracking. After applying the balm, the leather can darken lightly. However, this darkening will disapear by the gradual drying of the balm.
2. Leather and water do not make good friends.
Do not expose your products to rain for a long time during rainy days. Also, be careful not to place your product on a damp surface.
If the leather comes into contact with water, try to wipe the surface dry with a cloth or paper towel as soon as possible. Then allow the product to dry naturally at room temperature. Do not dry with a hair dryer or by placing it on a radiator! Sometimes small bubbles form on the surface, which eventually disappear as the water evaporates. The leather takes longer to dry completely. If you find the skin dry after drying, impregnate it with a balm or skin conditioner.
3. The sun can tan the leather.
Do not leave your product in direct sunlight for a long time. This will cause the leather to dry quickly and give it a tan. This will cause a permanent color change that can no longer be repaired.
4. Watch out for mechanical damage.
The surface of the leather is very sensitive to abrasions and scratches. Watch out for scratches e.g. from keys, watches, furniture, rough walls, etc. Small scratches can be covered by applying a balm or conditioner to the damaged area and slowly massaging it with a cloth or a thumb. Larger scratches will become part of the unique patina of your product.
5. Beware of discoloration of clothes or from clothes.
Keep in mind that light-colored leathers can be easily dyed by rubbing on jeans or by wearing in jeans pockets.
Care should also be taken when wearing colored leather products with white or light clothing. There may be a slight discoloration of the clothes.
6. Prevention and regular care ensure a long service life of your products!
Procedure for applying balm or conditioner:
- Apply a thin layer to the surface of the product.
- Spread the balm evenly with a soft cloth or sponge. Friction creates heat, which makes the wax more easily absorbed into the skin.
- To increase water resistance, you can repeat the whole process after 8 to 10 hours.