One of Beau Satchelle’s lovely clients purchased one of our custom designed, gorgeous ___ arctic blue tote bag that she uses for the office and a matching overnight duffel bag for a weekend getaway. A week ago, she contacted me, describing how an awful ink pen found its wicked way to her Tote, leaving its signature of three blue lines near the bottom of the tote bag and was quite noticeable.
Needless to say she was upset and asked for suggestions as to the best method of removing the ink while preserving the bag’s leather and maintaining the color. We were able to suggest a cleaner/conditioner that eliminated the ink and kept the beauty of the bag intact.
If you handle your one-of-a-kind Beau Satchelle bag with the upmost care, it will maintain its longevity. So let us share six tips with you on caring for your bespoke leather bags.
1. Leather absorb oils each time it is touched. So, first and foremost keep your hands clean to prevent makeup, hair products, perfumes, spray deodorant or lotions from getting on your handbag. A helpful accessory tip to protect the handbag’s handles is to take one of your favorite, matching silk scarf and wrap around.
2. Avoid placing your handbag on/in places where it may get scratched or stained; shopping cart trolley, file cabinet drawers, hair salon’s floors or countertops or anywhere a splinter, rough edge or chemicals can damage your luxury good.
3. Avoid spillage of beverages and liquids as they may leave a watermark; even mineral water can leave a mark if not attended to promptly. If bag gets wet, blot dry with towels and allow to air dry. If you absolutely must venture out in the rain with your luxury bag, another protective, accessory tip that I would suggest is purchasing a leather bag rain cover.
4. Just like your skin, leather needs breathe; it also needs to be conditioned and moisturized. You can use non–alcoholic baby wipes to lightly dust off your handbag regularly and use Premium Luxury Cleaner/Conditioner for your specific type of leather product…All Leather Is Not Created Equal! Follow the directions of the conditioner which will usually suggest conditioning once or twice a year (depending on your use of the bag).
5. As durable as leather bags are, it can be tempting to add more and more “stuff” to haul. Limit the bag to your essentials to preserve the shape and avoid carrying too many heavy objects to prevent straining the handles or stretching the bag’s leather.
Also be conscious of having storage pouches for every item in your bag (ie., wallet, make-up or personal necessities bag, eyeglasses/sunglasses case, writing utensils case, storage for cell phone chargers and headphones, a coin purse, keys holders, etc.) to prevent accidental mark ups or damage to the inside of your bag…as we only use leather for the linings in our luxury bags. Beau Satchelle would be pleased to create a custom leather pouch or pouches to match your bag!
6. Storing – Because of possible exposure to dirt, mold and mildew, bacteria and the possibility of drying out, we recommend you do not store your Luxury Leather product in a plastic bag or bin. As mentioned earlier, leather needs to breath. Be sure your bag is completely dry before preparing to store. The dust bag we provide will help keep mild dust off when not in use. Stuff the bag and its pockets with tissue paper or bubble wrap firm, but not crammed so it aids in maintaining the bag’s shape while in storage. In addition, if the bag has metal hardware, I would advise wrapping in tissue paper as well, before placing in the bag, to prevent marking or damaging the bag.
On another important note:
Happy Father’s Day to all of the dads out there. We are thankful for the love, support, wisdom and lessons that only a Dad can teach.
To our readers, be sure to take a look at Beau Satchelle’s men’s leather passport wallets, credit card holders, backpacks and briefcases on Instagram or our website for a bespoke purchase for that special Dad in your life.
Follow us on Twitter to keep up with our latest project. -AJ
