Leather Care

How should I care for my leather goods?

Vegetable tanned leather goods should be kept dry (so in the case of a bag, try to avoid carrying it on a rainy day), hydrated with oils regularly (every 3-6 months), and protected from excessive or prolonged exposure to sun, as it will “tan” in the sun (that is, only if you don’t want it to tan). Chrome-tanned and combination-tanned leathers typically do not need to be oiled, and waxed leather, suede, and nubuck should absolutely NOT be oiled, nor cleaned in the same way as veg-tan leathers.

If you spill something on your leather good, wipe with a damp cloth and buff. If you would like, you can purchase saddle soap to assist with cleaning and follow the directions listed below. This applies to both chrome tan, veg tan, or combination tan. For suede and nubuck, keep reading.

How often should I oil my leather goods?

When leather starts to feel dry or stiff, that is an indication that it is time to oil your leather. Different leathers will generally vary in stiffness and moisture, so pay attention to the feeling of your item when you purchase it. Typically veg-tan leather will need to be oiled every 3-6 months, though heavy exposure to the natural oils of your skin may extend that period. Heavy sun exposure or dry environments may dry leather out more quickly. I recommend every 6 months, or sooner if the leather feels or looks dry. If your leather starts cracking on the surface, it is overdue for oiling.

How do I oil my leather goods?

I only recommend mink oil or neatsfoot oil, but it is important to note that these oils will darken your leather. This is an unavoidable factor of natural vegetable tanned leather, and both tend to affect the color slightly differently. Both will initially darken the leather, but as it is exposed to sun mink oil will continue to darken and neatsfoot oil will lighten. Apply a very minimal amount of oil to a dry, clean cloth and apply to the surface of the leather. Allow the item 10-24 hours to soak up the oil, buff the surface with a dry, clean cloth, and enjoy. Again, do NOT oil suede, nubuck, or waxed leather.

What leathers should I treat differently?

Nubuck, suede, combination-tanned, chrome-tanned, waxed leather. Do NOT oil these leathers, do not clean them with liquids or saddle soap, do not “shine” or “buff” them with a cloth as described above.

Suede and nubuck has a fluffy surface that should not be slicked down, so friction and moisture will ruin the surface finish of these leathers. I will go into more detail about maintenance on these below.

Leather that has been finished with wax will not “ruined” by oiling, but it will often dissolve the wax finish, preventing the unique patina these leathers develop over time. The wax finish can be buffed with a clean, dry cloth to soften and shine the surface. In the case of mustard or something getting onto the surface, cleaning with saddle soap or a clean dry cloth, then water, then buffing will help. Ideally mustard should be avoided on leather, but if there are any troublesome spills or scuffs feel free to reach out any time.

I should add: Upholstery leather is completely different and outside of the scope of my knowledge. To avoid giving misguided advice, I prefer not to answer any questions about furniture.

How do I clean my leather goods?

Vegetable-tanned leather and chrome-tanned leathers can be cleaned with saddle soap. In most cases, this should not need to be done often. To clean with saddle soap, wet the affected area with a damp cloth, apply a small amount of saddle soap and rub into the leather in a circular motion. Wipe the surface with a damp cloth, allow to dry overnight, and in the case of vegetable tanned leather, oil the leather after it has fully dried. Nubuck and suede cannot be cleaned in this manner because it will gunk up or slightly polish the napped surface.

How do I care for nubuck and suede?

Nubuck and suede is much more vulnerable to damage from moisture, so it is much more important in this case to avoid exposure to the elements. If something is spilled onto your nubuck or suede, immediately dab the surface with a dry, clean cloth. For older stains, take a piece of rubber or a suede eraser and rub it on the surface, brush it with a horsehair suede brush, or use a nubuck/suede crepe brush. You could consider a nubuck/suede waterproofing spray, or use conditioners designed specifically for nubuck and suede and do not buff after application.

How should I expect my pieces to patina?

Vegetable tanned leather will darken and shine with wear. Due to the natural variation in the hide, some features of the leather may darken more or less than others. Because of this, different kinds of leather will age very differently than others. Notably, I use Conceria Walpier’s Burro leather or Virgilio’s Margot Fog quite often, both waxed leathers. This leather in particular is coated in a layer of opaque white or black wax that scratches or rubs off, revealing the bright color below this finish. This drastically affects how the leather will wear, darken, and shine and will furthermore vary greatly depending on the individual’s habits using and carrying the piece. Therefore, the wear will not develop consistently. If this is not something you are interested in, I recommend chrome-tanned or combination tanned leathers which will not age in this way.

I often make lighter cases for me and my partner at the same time, and his will turn a dark, rich color and shine up and soften very quickly, while mine looks almost the same after months with a little more shine. He carries his in his pocket every single day, I carry mine in a purse and rotate it with a few other cases. How an individual uses their item will result in a patina unique to their lifestyle, especially with vegetable tanned leather. After he carried a lighter case for about a year and a half, it became mushy because it was oversaturated with oils from daily use. This likely would never happen to one of mine, so now I use chrome tanned or combination tanned leather for his lighter cases and they look brand new after six months (as of writing).

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