Any leather over time will become dry if it hasn’t been conditioned from the start.
Before leather was made into a bag it was on an animal, and that animal produced oils which kept the skin soft and subtle . When a product is made (a leather bag) it no longer has those oils so the leather dries out over time.
Here Is How Your Leather Fades:
Over time your leather will fade if you haven’t used any product or conditioner on it. A leather bag will start to lose it’s colour. Wear and tear does this, and it is best to protect your bag or leather product straight away.
To learn more about how to fix your leather bag and make it look like new again, keep reading this article.
Does A Leather Bag Fade?
The sun is the culprit for making your leather bag fade. The same way that the sun dries a human skin (being sunburnt) is the same thing as it does to a leather bag. Below are two main tips you can use to stop your bag from fading.
Keep Your Bag Away From Sunlight (As much as possible)
It is best to keep your handbags away from any sunlight and this includes storage. If you can store your handbag in a dry dark place that will keep it from fading. Some people store there leather furniture or bags near a window and the sun shines in and slowly fades the leather.
Moisturise and Condition From the moment you buy the bag.
Placing oils or beeswax into a leather bag from the start will protect the leather. The oils will nourish the leather and will keep the colour looking vibrant and new.
Please Note : If you are someone that likes the faded look on a leather bag than don’t worry about conditioning the leather at all, as this will bring back the colour and it won’t look faded any longer.
What Are The Steps To Restoring My Leather Bag?
There are four main steps to restoring your leather bag to bring it back to looking new. Below are the quick and easy steps for you to take.
Deodorize Your Bag
The first step is to use a white coloured cloth. Make sure that this cloth is completely dry (never use a wet cloth). Wipe from top to bottom taking away any dust or loose dirt from the bag. After you have done this shake the cloth away from the bag, this will make sure none of that dirt will go back into the bag.
Check For Mold:
You may notice mold on your bag. This can be produced if leather is left in any dark or damp places for long periods of time. Get a brush and gently remove the mold with the brush (again do not wet the brush only use a dry brush). Here is a good article on how to remove mold from your leather bag.
Clean Up The Bag:
If you have any light stains or scuffs on the leather it is best to remove these before you go any further with conditioning.
The easiest way to do this is to get
1/4 cup of vinegar, 3/4cup of pine oil in a bowl with a cotton cloth and dab at the stain. Vinegar is a natural cleaning agent and will gently clean the leather. Once you have done this a few times then leave the leather to dry naturally.
Polish Your Bag:
We recommend using a beeswax leather polish. After the cleaning process has taken place, vinegar will clean the leather but it will dry it out so you will need to put oils and beeswax back into the leather.
Finding a natural beeswax polish with natural oils is the best type to use. Natural oils including jojoba oil and sunflower are best with organic beeswax. You will need to then apply with either a sponge applicator or a cloth (have a separate cotton cloth handy).
Apply the conditioner with a circular motion covering all of the leather bag. Then afterwards use and wipe with a dry cloth to take off any excess over the bag. This will give a very nice dry finish. Please note : The beeswax in the polish will not also give you a waterproofing effect over the leather which will protect the leather bag against rain.
Do I Need To Recolour My Leather Bag?
A beeswax conditioner will bring back to life your original leather colour of your bag. We recommend Mrbeesmanuka which is a Australian brand of leather conditioner to bring back your original colour.
It is not necessary to have to recolour your leather unless you really want to change the leather to a completely new colour e.g brown to yellow. If you do want to change the colour completely we recommend a natural dye.
