Product Care

Tips for caring for your products, we hope it’s helpful.

LEATHER AND FITTINGS CARE

We are universally drawn to goods made with leather, furniture, boots, jackets, bags - all having a certain extra attraction when they’re crafted from an animal’s sturdy hide. The reasons for leather’s appeal aren’t hard to understand. It’s a material our ancestors used for clothes, pouches, and a variety of other useful wares. And that leather is so durable that many of those heirloom items are still around today. Adding to this literal toughness, is an aura of it, borne from the material’s ancient connection to hunting.

Plus, leather just looks bloody good! While it’s tough as nails, we must also remember that leather is in fact skin. It can dry, crack, stain, warp, etc...
So we have put together a quick leather care guide for taking care of leather so that whatever form it takes might be one day passed down the family line. You never know!

Leather character
Leather has natural variations (creases, imperfections, scars, variations in the colour or the grain). They are characteristics of the natural leather and is what we think makes each piece beautifully unique.

Leather is a natural, living material that requires a sensitive touch. It can be prematurely damaged if not cared for properly. Over time it changes and acquires a patina: this natural wear takes the form of colour and texture variations that gives leather added character.

Wear it in
If your new leather product feels stiff at first, just remember the more you handle the leather the softer it will become. The oils of your hands will blend well with the natural oils of the product, the leather will become softer and deeper in colour.

Same goes for zips and fittings, the more you slide the zip the easier it will move and eventually become worn in. Do not force the zip as this may cause it to break.
Zipper oil can be lightly applied to the zip to help it slide.

Care for your leather
Below are some helpful hints for prolonging the life of your leather

Leather condition
Leather conditioner or cream, moisturises the leather so that it doesn’t dry out.
We do this for our own personal stuff every 6-12 months, that keeps the leather from looking to rugged and allows us to accrue some scuffs and scratches in that time for our own genuine appeal. Most folks out there like to condition their goods (largely everyday use items like boots and bags) every 3 months or so, sometimes more if in a dry climate.

Damp Cloth
Using a clean damp cloth is the old reliable when it comes to leather care. Since leather is so very naturally durable anyway, giving it a wipe down (without soap) once a week to get rid of the dirt and dust.

Wire/Suede Brush
In the case of suede (a form of leather that is simply the underside of an animal’s hide), don’t use any of the above products. All you’re going to do is use a small wire or suede-specific brush to wipe away dirt and grime. Avoid water with suede products as much as possible.

Leather needs to breathe
Just like skin, leather needs some ventilation to prevent mildew and rot. Air can naturally pass through leather, leaving moisture to evaporate naturally. That can’t happen when your leather is all sealed up. So don’t ever store or transport it in a plastic grocery bag! Use a type of breathable fabric, a pillowcases is great way for storing you leather wears.

Keep leather away from direct sunlight/heat
If a leather item gets wet, it can be tempting to throw it in front of a heater or leave it in the sun. Don’t do that. Just like other fabrics, when leather gets wet and then heated right away, it can shrink and dry out too quickly. Let it dry naturally.
Also keep leather out of direct sunlight when storing. The leather fades naturally over time, but sunlight speeds up that process. Drying and cracking can also occur faster.

Test first
We are not leather care experts so when applying anything, always read the label and test a small area first. Any item is likely to change the colour of the leather, even if only slightly. Before applying a treatment to an entire shoe, test it on a small portion, let it dry for 24 hours, and see what happens. It may seem tedious, but it can keep your shoe from looking different than what you want. If a certain brand/colour goes well the first time, then feel free to use repeatedly without testing again.
If in doubt ask a expert first.

Go with natural/neutral colours
Many polishes and creams will come in either black, brown, or neutral. While black is a pretty safe choice for black products, there are just too many shades of brown to match things up perfectly. To avoid changing the hue of your leather, stick with neutrals.

Clean with a damp cloth
As mentioned above, the most foolproof way to keep any leather product from premature ageing, is to give it a regular wipe-down with a clean damp cloth. Your furniture, bags and cowboy boots — they all accumulate dirt and dust that lead to premature wear and tear. Preserve your leather by wiping them down often and especially after a dust storm.

Leather bags and wallets
Your primary concern here is to avoid over-filling or leaving bags to sit crooked. Best to hang a bag rather than leaving it on a table or the ground. Once misshapen, leather isn’t going to spring back to its original form. As above wipe it down often with a damp cloth (no soap) and condition every 6 months or so. It really comes down to how the item looks; if it feels dry and small cracks are appearing, then give it some attention.

To sum up...
Ensure that you have a good routine for caring for your leather wares. In many instances, it will look something like these 3 easy steps:
Wipe down leather with a clean damp cloth often depending on use.
Condition leather every 3-6 months, sometimes more depending on the environment.
Have your leather wares professionally cleaned and conditioned if your lifestyle/environment calls for it.

JEWELLERY  💎 CARE

Since ancient times, human beings have long been entranced by the sparkling splendour of precious metals, gems and stones: as jewellery, coinage, high status homewares and more. From the love aspect of rings to amulets designed to ward off certain dangers, it’s not hard to find jewellery purporting mystical powers and healings properties.

Jewellery has been an integral part of our culture and customs. We all love and use jewellery in some way or the other. Jewellery was in use long before clothing developed into fashion and is a cherished symbol of prestige and beauty.

Tips for the enhancing the life of your beautiful jewels

• Store your jewels in a box or pouch to prevent damage from natural sunlight and heat
• Avoid rubbing against rough garments and surfaces to avoid scratching and chipping
• Remove your jewels before swimming in pools and salt water. 
• If your jewels do come into contact with water, rinse in clean water and pat dry
• Try to avoid products such as hairspray, body lotion and perfume coming into contact
• Try not to leave you jewels sitting in direct sunlight when you are not wearing them
• Avoid wearing when exercising and during sweaty jobs.
• Polish your jewels with a soft jewellery cloth to keep them sparkling.

WOOD CARE

Our products have a variety of finishes. This makes it impossible for us to advise you on what not to use to maintain your wood finish. Furniture polish and wax are generally a good idea, just remember to test first.
Rustic natural wear and tear will hopefully add character to your item. Use them and love on them.

METAL CARE