Caring for Your British Made Vegetable Tanned Leather Goods.
All CARV leather bags and leather goods are hand crafted in the UK from sustainable vegetable tanned leather.
This natural leather is produced using a liquor containing naturally occurring tannins, such as tree bark, leaves and berries, which give it a beautiful look, smell, and natural finish. As the natural oils are retained in the tanning process, vegetable tanned leather adapts and ages beautifully over time and is a low maintenance material.
It’s a beautiful natural material that can generally be left to it’s own devices, but we do have some tips on how to care for your vegetable tanned leather goods:
Leather character - The beauty of natural vegetable tanned leather is that it will get better with age. The most common ageing with this type of leather is a patina (sheen) developing over time when exposed to water and contact with skin oils. This gives the leather the wonderful character associated with traditional leather.
Conditioning - There is no need to condition the leather or add any products, but if marks appear (or you feel the leather needs a refresh) you can apply a natural leather conditioner and very gently rub it in with a soft cloth (such as a duster). Always test on a discreet area first to check you’re happy with the result and be careful not to coat the stitching. Becky recommends a chemical-free conditioning product such as Oakwood Leather Conditioner.
Water (rain) contact - CARV handmade leather goods can be used in all weather conditions. As leather can ‘breathe’, it is best to allow damp leather to dry out naturally.
Spillages/stain avoidance - Try to soak up any spillages as soon as you can by dabbing gently with a soft dry porous cloth - soak up the liquid from the inside if you can, dabbing gently to avoid damaging the leather. When you have removed as much liquid as possible leave the leather to dry out gently at room temperature.
Marking - Avoid contact with sharp objects to prevent scratching. If you do notice marks in the leather these can be gently buffed out using a soft cloth and natural (non-chemical) leather conditioner (see above).
Colour transfer - There is a possibility of some colour transferring from the darker coloured leather to lighter fabrics. If concerned about this you can wet and buff the back side of the leather with a soft dry cloth to seal the suede and give extra protection.
Brass hardware - CARV buckles and fittings are solid brass and so will darken with air contact. A polish with a jewellery cloth with keep the brass glossy, but you may prefer to let it darken; it's all part of making the product your own.
Storage - Ideally store away from direct sunlight either in the original CARV box or in a soft cloth bag such as a pillow case. Filling larger soft leather bags with a soft filler when not in use will help retain shape.
Adjustments - Vegetable tanned leather ages over time. This will involve softening and creasing in areas that see the most movement and also a darkening as the leather absorbs moisture and oils. This ageing is the joy of owning naturally tanned leather and will be totally unique to you. If, over time, your backpack or belt straps need to be tightened you can punch a couple of new holes for the buckles. Or please get in touch to arrange a postal adjustment service or a visit to the CARV leather studio.