How to properly maintain your leather item?

You want to maintain your leather goods and preserve your favorite pieces as long as possible? Find out some tips that will help you.

Leather is a lasting material that acquires a patina over time.
It has different aspects: smooth, grained, velvety, embossed, hemstitched, etc. Not all leathers endure the same type of treatment. Knowing how to maintain it is essential to optimize its lifespan.

Our Philae bag, inspired by the Nautilus

Here are advices provided by the CTC and the National Leather Council:

• What type of treatment for what type of leather?

1. 1. 1. Leather with a smooth or grained finish: start by cleaning it using a clean cloth or a slightly damp sponge. Add a dash of milk or leather cream when dry and apply it with a soft cloth, turning gently.
      2. Suede leather (nubuck, suede split leather): to clean it, simply dust it off with a soft brush. On a stain, a small crepe "eraser" or a special velvet spray is recommended. Then use a waterproofer to protect it.
      3. Leather without finishing or "natural" finish: it is generally a vegetable tanned leather. This leather marks very easily and water will stain it. Use a special leather aerosol to clean it as well as a waterproofing agent to protect it.
      4. For leathers whose maintenance is fragile (old leathers, exotic leathers ...), it is not recommended to use water. A simple soft cloth to dust them off will do the trick.

• Recommendations

1. Choose a protective product suitable for the treated leather. Saphir brand products are ideal
2. Test each product on an invisible part of the leather
3. Gently clean (with a piece of cotton or a soft cloth) your item before applying the treatment
4. Treat your part when it is completely dry
5. During the application, make circular gestures so that the treatment penetrates well and evenly
6. In the event of a stain, absorb it as quickly as possible with a cloth. When it is oily, use a stain remover spray or Terre de Sommières, after having tested it on a hidden part.

• Practices to be avoided as a matter of urgency

1. Do not treat the leather with an abrasive material (sponge, sandpaper, hard brush) and do not scratch it to remove a stain; its color may deteriorate
2. Do not use acetone or any other solvent as this will strip the leather
3. Keep your leather piece away from any source of heat or intense light and preserve it from oil and water so that it ages at best

Be careful because some leather articles can sometimes contain materials with a similar appearance, but which do not have the same maintenance conditions!

Do you have a doubt, a question? You can take advice from your shoemaker or contact us.

At Phi 1.618 , all of our creations are made from full grain calfskin, the highest quality leather that exists. Made with passion and thoroughness, our products deserve your full attention :-)

Discover our brand new creation, the Phiori bag made from a single piece of full grain calfskin, right here.