Leather Care Tips
Our goal is for your Soofre pieces to stay with you for a lifetime. Just like your own skin, your leather bag will need caring for in order to stay in good condition for as long as possible.
Natural leather aging and patina
Every hide of Soofre leather is unique. Over the years, it will change and behave in its own way. Even with excellent care, leather will age, just like your own skin does – but aged leather that has been looked after well is even more beautiful than when it’s all new. Your bag will develop its very own patina that can’t be replicated. Every mark will tell its own story, just like scars on human skin do.
Scratches and polishing
You can’t avoid scratches, marks, and cracks if you use your bag on a daily basis. However, the more careful and considerate you are with your bag, the less harm it will encounter.
Over the years, any leather will lose its natural oils and moisture and therefore become less flexible and more prone to damage. Another way to protect leather is to apply boot polish, Vaseline, or saddle soap. This will help the leather fibers to stay supple and will coat the leather with a natural, protective finish that will make it more durable.
Please note that applying any type of polish – even a clear or natural color – will almost always change the color of the leather. Before going through with it, test the polish on a small area of leather and check the effects first. Wait 24 hours and see how the leather behaves.
You can apply polish to your bag every few weeks, just like you would do with a pair of high-end leather shoes.
Dust and dirt
Every Soofre bag comes with a dust bag. If you’re not using your bag on a regular basis, we recommend storing it in the dust bag and in a dry and clean place. Avoid direct sunlight over a long period of time, as this will cause the color of the leather to bleach out.
For small dirt stains, usually a soft cloth, a little soap, and warm water will do the trick. The key to removing dirt from leather is to not use too much pressure. Remember you’re dealing with actual skin here. Therefore, it’s better to very carefully rub a stain several times than getting rid of it immediately, but being too rough. High pressure can damage the leather’s surface.
Water
In general, you should try to keep your leather pieces away from water. If your bag does get wet, simply wipe it dry with a soft cloth and let it dry on its own.
Don’t use heat, don’t place the bag on a radiator, and don’t try to force-dry it with a hair dryer. Let it dry naturally and remove possible stains when it’s dry.
Extreme temperatures
Generally, keep your bag away from extreme temperatures.
Heat exposure can cause the pigmented leather finish to bubble and to peel away. Extreme cold can damage the structure of the leather fibers as well, so they become brittle. Freezing temperatures can also make the leather coating crack. Some people like this effect, but if you don’t, avoid your bag to be exposed to ice and snow for too long.
Get inspired
For inspiration take a look at some of these products that we have made for customers or take a look at the different materials.
