Taking Care of Full Grain Leather Goods

Anything worth holding on usually is high maintenance! That's our observation, anyway, whether it be a vintage car, heirloom jewelry, old furniture, antique brass objects or full grain leather.

All kidding aside, each Godbolé product is passionately made with immense patience by our craftsmen. The materials we select to work with, the making techniques - all come together to make an object that will last you a lifetime.

If you take good care of it, the leather we use will develop a wonderful patina and age beautifully with daily use. 

To maintain its rich lustre and make sure it functions at top of its form, it does need a lot of care when compared with its synthetic counterparts. Just like your leather shoes need conditioning, the same is the case with your full grain leather bags, wallets and other small goods.

10 Dos and Dont's for Taking Care of Leather

DO'S

  • Store your leather article in a dry storage space, away from direct sunlight, especially if you are not going to use your leather article everyday,
  • Use a desiccant like silica gel to keep moisture at bay, especially during  humid monsoon months. Read More on this Topic Here.
  • To clean leather, wipe it down with a clean, dry cloth. If there is a lot of dirt or grime build up, clean with a Saddle Soap (leather cleaner), with a soft damp cloth in light circular motion.
  • If leather feels dry, rough or hard over time, nourish it with limited amounts of olive oil* with a soft cloth. Or use our trusted Leather Balm, which we developed in-house to take care of our leather products.
  • Leather is not waterproof! While it can take a few drops of water, if it ever gets soaked through, you need to do some damage control. Gently dab with a dry cotton cloth and leave it in a dark, airy place, stuffed with a cloth / padding to retain its shape as it is drying. Once completely dry, condition it with some Leather Balm. Never Use a Blow Dryer.

DONT'S

  • Never clean leather with detergents, cleaning sprays or other harsh cleaning agents.
  • Do not store leather in damp places; this will cause mildew and mold to grow on leather. And never in plastic wrappers or bags. For more on this topic, read How to Take Care of the Fungus Problem on Leather
  • Do not leave in high heat areas for long periods of time. E.g. inside a parked car. 
  • Don’t scuba-dive with it or let your dog mistake it for a chew toy. But hey, if you already did something crazy with it, we'd love to know how our leather is doing!
  • Never use a high heat source, such as a blow dryer to dry damp leather. If it is dried in this way, it will get dehydrated too fast and lose shape.
*Please note that applying oils may slightly darken the color of leather. Test how the leather will look by applying on a small area in an inconspicuous corner.

Here's another video, from which you can glean more information on "How to Care for your Leather Goods"

 

 

We recommend our all-natural formulations of Leather Balm and Saddle Soap not only for nourishing your leather but also enhancing its patina.

Caring for your leather goods is an investment in your legacy. It's a conscious choice to care for what matters. You are preserving moments, memories and the essence of quality.