Product Care
There are many types of cleaning and care products on the market, and we only recommend those which we have tried and approved on our leathers. They are mentioned below. If you have any specific questions, please reach out to us directly.
CARING FOR OUR SOFT LEATHER GOODS
Our soft leathers collection are made from aniline leather and includes products such as the Kolo Clutch, Ester Fanny Pack, and Pebble Pinch Pouches.
We recommend using Chamberlains formula no.1 and no. 2 a few times a year to keep your items in their best shape. (Not to be used on suede- please see below for suede care instructions.)
Cleaning: We recommend Chamberlain's leather cleaner for cleaning most organic stains such as water spots and dirt. Using one side of the applicator sponge, wipe the cleaner on to the stain in circular motions- getting larger with each circle. The trick is to cover the entire surface or panel of the bag, so no outlines or rings are left after the leather dries. The cleaner will appear dark at first, and lighten as it dries to the previous color or slightly darker. Once dry, buff the leather with the reverse (clean) side of your applicator sponge. Follow up with Chamberlain's Formula no.2 condition and allow to dry. (Note: This process may slightly darken lighter leathers. Always test products an inconspicuous area of your leather item first to ensure you like the result.
Oily stains: Stains from food products, body lotions, or perfumes need to be treated immediately! Cover the entire area with a heavy amount of baby powder and allow the article to sit overnight. The powder will draw out as much oil as it can. Check it the next day by wiping off the powder gently with a dry cloth. If the stain still remains, you can repeat the process. After about 48 hours, what remains is the oils that have penetrated too deep to remove.
Pen ink stains are common as well. The best option for removing pen stains is by dipping a cotton swab in rubbing alcohol and gently applying it to the ink. This may or may not work depending on the type of ink and age of the stain.
Conditioning: Using a conditioner will help your leather retain some moisture and will also help protect from excessive staining or fading. Unlike vegetable tanned leathers, our soft aniline leathers can fade with consistent direct sun exposure. To keep them looking their vibrant best, we recommend conditioning with our leather care kit, and storing your item in a dust bag in a location out of the direct sun when not in use.
CARING FOR OUR STRUCTURED LEATHER GOODS
Our structured leather goods refer to our heavier weight, stiffer leather which you'd find on our Artemis Tote, Georgia, Adelaide, Alcott and Oni Backpack, wallets, belts, and key chains.
Cleaning our oil-tanned, veg-tanned, and combo-tanned leathers:
We recommend our Chamberlain's Leather Care Kit for regular maintenance, or our Healing Balm for some heavy duty conditioning or scratch repair. Note: Always test on an inconspicuous area of your leather item first to ensure you like the result before applying the leather care product to the entire surface of the leather.
The most common type of stain we hear about from our customers is from water or beer. We recommend taking a small amount of Chamberlain's leather cleaner and wiping it on to the stain in circular motions- getting larger with each circle. The trick is to cover the entire surface, so no outlines are left when the leather dries. The cleaner will appear dark at first, and lighten as it dries to the previous color or slightly darker. Once dry, buff the leather with a clean side of your applicator sponge and follow up with our conditioner.
Oil stains from food products, body lotions, or perfumes need to be treated immediately! Cover the entire area with a heavy amount of baby powder and allow the article to sit overnight. Check it the next day by wiping off the powder gently with a dry cloth. If the stain still remains, you can repeat the process. After about 48 hours, what remains is the oils that have penetrated too deep to remove.
Pen ink stains are common as well. The best option for removing pen stains is by dipping a cotton swab in rubbing alcohol and gently applying it to the ink. This may or may not work depending on the type of ink and age of the stain.
Conditioning our oil-tanned/veg-tanned leathers:
Apply our conditioners in thin, even layers. This is to ensure you don’t over-condition the leather and that any change in color (darkening) will be uniform. You can always add additional thin layers as desired.
Allow the conditioner to saturate for at least an hour. Once dry, buff with a clean side of your applicator sponge.
Chamberlain's leather care products are not recommended for suede leathers.
CARING FOR OUR SUEDE & NUBUCK LEATHER GOODS
These would be the soft, suede materials you'd find inside our fanny packs, on the back of our Pinch Pouches, as well as our products made in smokey teal nubuck leather.
Cleaning our suedes and nubucks:
These suedes are very absorbent so please do not ever use a liquid cleaning product. Instead, we recommend a dry cleaning method, such as this one. Use the rubber eraser to gently rub out dirt stains, and then follow with a light brushing.
Conditioning our suedes and nubucks:
It is very rare that our suedes need conditioning. And even better- our nubuck suede is naturally water repellant! If you'd like to freshen up your suede or nubuck, you can do so with a light brushing from the product mentioned in the paragraph above.