Care guide

To make your leather bag last, it is important to take good and regular care of it, especially when you wear your bag on a daily basis. Think of it as a skincare routine: the leather of your bag will routinely need moisturizing and protection.

Our bags are made of different types of leather, some more delicate than others. Leather is a natural product and the hides that we use can be subject to small imperfections, like scars and grains. We try to use as much of the leather hides as possible and won't easily discard leather that has minor imperfections; we try to use it in parts of the bag that are less visible. We like these little flaws in leather, because it makes every bag unique.

Please keep in mind that leather is sensitive to light, heat and liquids. If your bag is wet from the rain, give it time to dry naturally. Don’t expose it to sunlight or dry it in front of the heating. 

Color, coating and feel of the leather change over time - depending on how often the bag is being used and properly taken care of.

When you’re not using your bag, store it in a dry and dark place. You can use the dust bag that came with your bag to store it safely in your closet.

Find more info on caring for each type of leather below. 

Smooth leather

The instructions below can be applied to all our 'regular leather' bags (Banana Bag XS Black and Khaki), our 'grained leather' bags (Pocket Bag XL, Fanny Pack, Box Bags in Black and Cream) and our 'semi-vegetable tanned' premium leather (Pocket Bag Black, Banana Bag XL Black), as well as our Slouchy Shoulder Bag Glossy Black.

It's advised to apply a protectant spray before using your bag for the first time. There are waterproof and dirt repellent sprays available for different types of leather. For our smooth, grained and semi-vegetable tanned cow and calf leathers, we advise to use a spray for smooth leather. If you use the bag daily, make sure to repeat this often, about once a month. 

For smooth leathers, use a damp cotton cloth to clean your bag every so often. This is especially important if the leather has a light color, because dirt will be visible more easily. If you have a stain, try to remove it using a dry cotton cloth or tissue and clean with a damp cloth afterwards. 

To keep the leather supple and to prevent it from drying out, use a small amount of colorless leather wax or cream to condition your bag every one to two months. You can use a cotton cloth to rub the leather wax on the bag in circular moves. Don't forget to apply wax on the corners of your bag - these are the fragile parts of the bag that regularly get in touch with surfaces when putting the bag down. Using a colorless leather wax and a protectant spray will protect them from loosing their color. 

Always let your bag dry naturally, don't dry in front of the heating or in the sun. If your bag accidentally gets very wet from rain, you can fill it up with newspapers; it helps to extract the moisture out of the leather. 

 

Suede & Nubuck

The instructions below can be applied to our suede Slouchy Shoulder Bag in Black and Apple and our Triangle Messenger Bag in Black.

Please be careful with suede bags rubbing off on lighter fabrics. A new suede bag can still have loose fibers that can rub off when wearing the bag. Also be careful with dark dyed clothes that may rub off on a light colored suede or nubuck bag.

Suede must not be exposed too long or often in direct (sun)light, because the color can fade. Store your bag in a dark and dry place and preferably use your dust bag for storing it safely. 

Suede and nubuck leathers need a different treatment; they are more delicate. There are special suede and nubuck brushes and cleaning sticks available to maintain the leather and to help with stains.  

It's advised to apply a protectant spray before using your bag for the first time. This will reduce the risk of color transfer and helps reduce water absorbency. For our suede and nubuck bags you're advised to use a special suede and nubuck spray. Always try out on a small (back) part of the bag to see how the spray effects the leather. Repeat using a protectant spray about once a month up to six weeks when using the bag on a daily basis. 

Suede and nubuck leathers are sensitive to stains, so please be careful when you use this bag in heavy rain, with other liquids and with (ballpoint) pens or make-up. 

Always let your bag dry naturally, don't dry in front of the heating or in the sun. If your bag accidentally gets very wet from rain, you can fill it up with newspapers; it helps to extract the moisture out of the leather. 

  

Patent leather

Our patent leather bags (Crushed Patent Black, Crushed Patens Sand and Sky) require less intensive care than our smooth leathers because these leathers have a patent coating that will protect the leather from dirt and liquids. 

You can easily use a damp cotton cloth to clean your patent bag. There are special patent leather sprays available to use as an extra protectant against dirt and liquids. Repeat this every once in a while, depending on how often you wear the bag. 

You can use a colorless wax or cream to condition parts of the bag that need extra attention, like the corners of the bag or the parts that you touch a lot. It's important to keep these parts supple so the patent coating doesn't crack. You can use a cotton cloth to rub the leather wax on the bag in circular moves.

Cotton canvas

Our canvas bags are made out of 100% cotton with a waterproof coating. Please note that the waterproof coating will prevent your bag from light drops of rain or liquids, but it won't stay dry when being soaked. 

To keep your bag clean from dust you can use a soft brush or a fabric roller to carefully brush of the dust.

If you want to wash the fabric you can do so by using clear water (without any detergents that kill the waterproof effects). Leave to dry naturally inside or outside on a rope in suspension to keep the shape. We don't advise to use the dryer if you want to keep the fabric rigid. 

If you have a liquid stain try to use paper or a cotton cloth to absorb it right away. Then immediately clean it with clear water. 

General tips & trics

Large bags need to be folded for shipping. When you receive your bag and it was folded, give it some time to get back to its natural form by hanging it on the side of a chair or on a hanger. 

If the signature leather band that comes on the side of your bag is a bit wrinkled, you can easily iron it. It's best to use something between the iron and the leather, like a paper or cloth. Please make sure you iron on the fiber/backside of the leather, not on the side of the coating. If the leather band rubs off too many loose fibers, spray some hairspray on the backside and then iron it. It will keep the fibers from rubbing off on your clothes!

Please note that the corners of the bag are fragile parts; it's important to watch out on which surfaces you place the bag and prevent them from scratches. If you're on the road, we always advise to hang your bag (on the side of a chair) when you take it off, instead of placing it on the floor. When you're at home, you can also hang the bag on a coat rack, chair or store it in your dust bag for a longer period of time.  

Jewelry care

To prevent from oxidation, store your silver jewelry in a cool, dry place. Use your jewelry bag to keep the jewelry protected. Please keep in mind that they are delicate pieces, handle with care! <3