Leather Care

We tend to compare leather with your own skin, and we are about to do it again. If you Google “how to take care of a leather bag”, you get instructions 2 pages long that make your head spin and have you questioning why a bag would need more care than a puppy!But it doesn’t need to be that complicated. Think about leather as your second skin and apply the same principles when caring for it.There are two main things you should keep in mind:

Moisturize

With time and handling, leather loses moisture and oils. As it dries out, the surface starts to break, flake and wrinkle. To replace those oils and keep the leather supple, you should moisturize it regularly.

There’s a wide array of oils, waxes and creams with beneficial properties but we recommend keeping it simple. Use a quality leather balsam, which contains a blend of natural waxes and oils (such as Beeswax, Jojoba oil and Avocado oil).

Dip the application sponge or a soft cloth into the balsam and rub gently all over the bag. If the leather isn’t absorbing it all – you overdid it. Wipe off the excess with a soft clean cloth. Do it once every month or two.

It is smart to pre-treat your bag this way before you start using it. However, Time Resistance does it for you – our bags arrive with a healthy coating of balsam.

Avoid water

Contrary to what would seem logical, water actually dries your skin by robbing it of natural oils. It is much worse for your leather. Especially the beautiful vegetable tanned leather, which discolors and wrinkles if drenched.If you’ve been dutiful with the moisturizer and picked a balsam that has beeswax in it, it will act as a barrier against moderate amounts of water.

But not if you go singing in the rain...
If the worst happens and your bag gets soaking wet, think in terms of your skin again. You wouldn’t dry your skin with a blow dryer or by sitting on a radiator. So don’t force-dry leather with heat, and that includes direct sun

Wipe it with a dry cloth and leave to dry slowly at room temperature. Ensure it is properly shaped as it dries because if it dries while crushed or distorted, it will be next to impossible for the bag to recover its original shape.

A few extra tips:

Cover up. When storing your bag, keep it in the original dust bag and out of direct sunlight and humidity. Stuff it to maintain shape, but don‘t use newspapers - they will smear. Air every few weeks to avoid mold.

No alcohol. Alcohol and acetone are the two most commonly used chemicals that will damage your leather. Steer clear of products that contain them.

Stretch marks. Leather stretches out, but not back, so do not overstuff. And humidity speeds up the process.

Smells. If your bag has not only gathered the signs of life but also absorbed some of the smells, turn to a simple housekeeping trick – put an open container of baking soda carefully inside and leave overnight. It will absorb the odors.

And watch in awe as your bag gets more beautiful with age.

TIME RESISTANCE LEATHER BALSAM – when you buy a Time Resistance bag, you get the option of also purchasing a can of our leather balsam for its care.

Do it, you won’t regret it.