Caring for your leather goods

When I design a simétrie bag, I'm thinking about how it will hold up over years of use, not just how it looks when it's new. That means selecting hard-wearing Australian leather, and reinforcing the points where straps attach to the body of the bag, so that the areas under the most strain can handle daily life without wearing out.

But how long a bag lasts also comes down to how it's cared for, and I find this is something people often feel unsure about. The leather I work with now is more forgiving than what I started with, and the upkeep is genuinely simple once you know what the material needs. This guide walks through what that looks like, and explains a little of the why along the way.

A NOTE ON WHAT LEATHER I USE

When simétrie launched, I worked exclusively with vegetable tanned leather. These days, most of my collections are made from Australian bovine leather that has been Combination tanned at Packer Leather in Queensland, a Leather Working Group certified tannery.

Combination tanning happens in two stages. The leather is first tanned with minerals, which gives it stability and strength, and then it's retanned with vegetable extracts, which bring back the natural character and handle that I always valued in traditional veg tan. What you end up with is a leather that takes the best of both methods ~ it's more resistant to stains, holds its colour better, reacts less to water and sunlight, and is generally easier to live with day to day. It will still soften and develop character over time, just more gradually than a pure vegetable tan would.

If you own one of my earlier vegetable tanned pieces, everything in this guide still applies. Your bag will darken and develop a patina more noticeably than the combination tanned leather, and while that can come as a surprise at first, it's the nature of the material and a large part of its appeal.

1. BEFORE YOU USE YOUR NEW BAG

Before you start using your bag, it's worth treating the leather with a beeswax balm, also known as a leather dressing. I recommend Jay-El Beeswax Leather Dressing by Joseph Lyddy (link to: https://simetrie.com.au/products/jay-el-beeswax-leather-dressing), though any beeswax balm will work, as long as it doesn't contain synthetic paraffin.

One thing worth knowing before you begin ~ leather care products are only for the top grain, which is the smooth outer surface of your bag. They should never be applied to the suede side of the leather, as the balm will soak in unevenly and stain it.

Test the balm on a less conspicuous part of the bag before applying it fully, just in case it has an effect you're not happy with. Any protectant will darken the leather slightly, and this is a normal part of conditioning rather than anything to worry about. Apply the balm with a clean dry cloth, working from seam to seam, smooth it into the surface, and then leave the bag to dry naturally somewhere out of the sun. Depending on how often you use your bag, reapplying two to four times a year is enough to keep the leather moisturised and protected.

Jay-El Beeswax Leather Dressing 

2. ONGOING CARE AND GENERAL UPKEEP

For everyday upkeep, the balm process above is usually all that's needed, and it will buff out light marks and scratches as it conditions. If your piece needs a more thorough clean, I suggest saddle soap ~ I use Joseph Lyddy Saddle Soap (link to: https://simetrie.com.au/products/glycerine-saddle-soap) on my own pieces. It's a glycerine-based soap that cleans and conditions the leather at the same time, while adding a light layer of protection.

Lather a damp sponge or cloth with the soap and rub lightly in circular motions over the top grain, again keeping it away from the suede side. Try not to wet the surface too much or lather excessively, as leather doesn't like to be soaked. Once you've worked over the bag, wipe away the excess with a clean damp cloth, repeating until all the soap is removed, then finish with a dry cloth and let the bag dry completely. Reapplying the balm afterwards will recondition the leather, as cleaning always draws some of the moisture out.

Saddle Soap 

3. SPILLS AND STAINS

When spills happen, a wipe with a clean damp cloth might be all that's needed. That's thanks to the combination tanning process, as the leather is naturally more stain resistant than a traditional veg tan. For anything more stubborn, try the saddle soap method above ~ it may take a few attempts to lift a stain fully, and that's normal.

For stronger or darker stains, get in touch with me before trying anything else. If I think I can help, you can send your bag in to the atelier and I'll use my products to try to lift the stain, or we can look at other options together.

WHAT TO AVOID

There are a few things that will do more harm than good, no matter how tempting they might be in the moment. Harsh chemicals and detergents will strip the natural oils from the leather and dry it out, and stiff-bristled brushes will scratch the surface, so it's best to steer clear of both. When you've applied a balm or cleaned your bag, always let it dry naturally and away from direct sunlight ~ blow-drying might seem like a way to speed things up, but the heat can cause staining of its own.

Finally, it helps to remember that leather is an organic material. It will soften, deepen in tone, and take on characteristics that are particular to how you use and carry it. Rather than trying to keep your bag looking exactly as it did on day one, I'd encourage you to let these changes happen ~ they're the record of a bag that's being lived with, and to my eye they only make a piece more beautiful.