Leather and Suede Bag Care Guide
By J.L. Rocha Collections
Introduction:
Our leathers and suedes are meticulously crafted to develop with time. A well defined patina is the symbol of high quality vegetable tanned leather, as you wear and expose your luxury legacy pieces to the elements and usage, a natural oxidation will occur - deepening the colors and definition. This guide will help you maintain and develop your luxury leather and suede products for a long and healthy life.
We do not recommend you expose your bags to excessive liquid.
We do not recommend use of your bags in excessive hot or cold weather conditions.
Professional clean for heavy duty maintenance against oils, liquids, or food products.
Leather & Suede Storage
Room Temperature, Away From Sun, Maintain Shape
Optimal Temperature
Leather and suede should be stored at 65°-72° Fahrenheit, around roughly 55% humidity. The optimal humidity for a home is roughly around 40%, therefore a standard closet should have a positive temperature for your leather or suede if proper finger spacing is maintained.
Moisture Control
We recommend storing your leather bags in low lighting and away from concrete flooring, as the moisture released can severely damage the bag. We also recommend storing leather bags with one or two pouches of silica gel to control moisture as well as covering in breathable, protective wrapping.Furthermore, to prevent mold growth, air the bag once about every two weeks.
Maintaining Shape
Maintaining the shape of your bag is a vital piece of maintenance. To do this, we recommend filling it with bubble wrap or parchment paper and instead of hanging, opt for standing it on a shelf so as to not distort the leather.
Conditioning Leather
We recommend moisturizing your leather bag at least once a year, depending on the following conditions:
The exposure to sun both in use and storage.
Humidity levels in your environment and during use.
Frequency of use.
Exposure to excessive heat or cold.
When applying leather conditioner be sure to brush any particulates off with a horsehair brush, apply moisturizing agent evenly, and wipe off excessive moisturizer with a clean microfiber cloth.
For any stain caused by oils, liquids or food products - we recommend you consult a professional for cleaning.
A message on waterproofing:
J.L. Rocha Collections urges our community to avoid waterproofing your products with any form of chemical solution. Leather contains naturally hydrophobic qualities and, when cared for, minor exposure to water will not heavily harm your jacket if quickly removed and cared for. Suede should be worn only in suitable conditions without exposure to water.
We highly recommend that any client that still wishes to apply waterproofing agents do so with caution and care - as some solutions may create a change in color variation with our natural dyes.
Final Notes and Outside Resources:
Thank you for reviewing our leather and suede care guide. J.L. Rocha encourages you to allow your product to develop with you, care for your legacy piece as you would yourself, and breathe into it the stories that come with your life. Our products are crafted to grow with you with minimal care and moisture needed.
Outside resources:
We have compiled a number of outside sources you can use to determine your best course of action to care for your items. You may review them below:
Byrdie - How to Properly Take Care of Your Handbag, According to Designers