About the leather..
All our products are crafted using exclusively Italian, vegetable tanned leather. Unlike the more industrial chromium-tanned leather, vegetable tanned leather is treated in a more sustainable way, using 100% natural ingredients in a much longer and laborious process.
As a result of this process, the leather preserves most of its natural oils, which in turn help it keep its natural structure for an indefinite amount of time if taken care properly, making it “a living product”.
Leather ageing and physical characteristics
Veg. tanned leather is mostly appreciated for its natural look and feel and the ability to age and darken with time, creating a beautiful patina as it absorbs natural skin oils and sunlight.
To allow for this process however, no waterproofing and/or heavy-duty scratch resistant layers are applied (like in furniture or more industrial leather). This means that vegetable tanned leather is more susceptible to scratches or water and will tend to retain stains if the water is not clean (coffee, drinks etc..)
Leather Care
-Damp or slightly wet leather can be left to dry naturally but excessive amounts of water are better removed by dabbing a dry cloth to avoid deformation.
-In case of non-water stains*, the area should be cleaned as soon as possible with a soft, slightly damp cloth. Gently dab on the area and let it dry after cleaning. No rubbing or excessive force should be applied in order to avoid marking the surface.
-To avoid marking the surface, the products should be kept away from sharp objects such as keys or jewellery. Extra care has to be taken during the first weeks/months of use, when a consistent protective patina hasn’t formed yet.
-Unless you intentionally want to tan a product to your personal taste, direct sunlight for prolonged intervals should be avoided. Leaving a product for hours or days on a sunlit area will tan and darken it very quickly as well as damage its structure by evaporating some of the internal oils. Lighter colored leather will show greater change.
*CAUTION: Alcohol can be corrosive to various tanned surfaces and permanently mark them. Because of the ongoing situation you will likely handle it on daily basis, so dry your hands properly and store your hand sanitizer well sealed, possibly not in the same compartment as you leather product!
Conditioning and storage
Occasional conditioning and buffing is not a must, but it will help replenish the natural evaporation of oils as well as fix small scratches that will show up with time and protect from small ones in the future.
Store in a dark place. For prolonged storing make sure to avoid very dry or very humid places and that no weights are placed on the product.
