Leather Bags and Shoes Info and Care Tips

Sofa, car seats, bags, belts, shoes and even accessories that trend nowadays- there is always a leather version. We love leather.We are fond of its beauty, quality and elegance.  Leather available in the market ranges from snake's, buffalo's, cow's, leopard's, ostrich's or the most expensive - the crocodile's. It comes on different color depending on the source animal but most are brown and black.

Here are some tips to get to know leather more and some few reminders on taking care of it:

Hints on knowing genuine from the faux leather:

1. The longer you are holding the leather it gets warm to touch.

2. When it is wet, even just a drop of water - the color changes but do not worry it comes back when it is dried.

3. There are shiny leathers too because they are the laminated ones.  But most of the synthetic leathers are glossy.

4. The smell is leather not of course rubber.

5. The fiber at the back of the leather is not with threads. 

6. We all knew about this, but to reiterate, genuine leather is more expensive. 

A small wallet/coin purse  that is genuine leather of a generic brand cost not lesser than US $ 10 or PhP 500.00 branded starts from US $150 or  PhP 1,500 (Hicock) and up - signature brands (Hermes, Louis Vuitton etc) are sky high.

How to take care of your leather goods:

1. Petroleum Jelly can do magic. You can wipe it in a circular motion using a clean cloth with a thin layer of  Vaseline Petroleum Jelly, after a few minutes wipe it off  just like applying wax on the floor to buff it.  There are also leather lotions available in the market today.

2."Wipe-out" stain remover cream (available in DIY or hardware shops) can remove some new stains but I do not guarantee all stains though; if not to tough Petroleum Jelly can substitute :)

3. If you seldom use your shoes or bag, check it from time to time dust  it off with a chamois( a cloth used for lenses)  to  to prevent dust accumulation that can worn it out easily.

4. Avoid wetting your leather or if in case it gets wet just dry it NOT on direct sun light  (or in a fan although it needed some indirect sunlight for it not to smell bad). On my experience, the leather becomes brittle and hard (on shoes) and painful to wear again when exposed to sun drying.

5. Be sure to keep the box when you buy your shoes or bag so it can be kept safely. Exposing it to the heat and moisture as well as to dampness of a cold temperature may cause it to deteriorate easily.

6. Do you know that your very expensive signature leather bags can now be restored? It will really look as good as new, meet Doctor Leather . I think they use the same materials as the original maker used and keep the tags and the serial number within that is why it is still very amazing!

We knew these days that leather is not anymore of vast availability, protecting animal rights, preventing brutality and abuse to animals. That is why the use of synthetic leather is encouraged all over the world that gave  birth to PU (polyurethane) leathers. We need to take care of what we have, either maintain them or have them restored.  Sometimes I recommend buying from pre-owned shops, that way we are recycling leather.   And as we do that, we are also saving animals from being skinned over and over again :)

Feel free to add your opinion and suggestions, two heads are always better than one,  your comments are welcome too.

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