Caring for hair-on and hand-tooled leather

You don't need a cupboard full of products to keep a leather bag looking right. You need a few good habits, and a little respect for the Australian sun.

People tend to fall into one of two camps with leather. Some treat a new bag like porcelain, keep it wrapped in its dust bag and barely carry it for fear of a mark. Others throw it in the car, forget about it through a February heatwave and wonder why it looks tired by autumn. The truth sits comfortably in the middle. Leather is a natural material that is meant to be used, and it gets better for it, provided you give it a little attention along the way.

If you've just bought your first hair-on or tooled piece, this is everything I'd tell you over coffee.

Heat and sun are the real enemies

If you remember one thing, make it this. Direct heat and long hours of sun dry leather out, fade its colour and, over time, can leave it stiff and prone to cracking. Our summers are hard on anything left on a car seat or by a north-facing window. Keep bags out of parked cars on hot days, store them somewhere cool and shaded, and if a piece gets caught in the rain, let it dry naturally at room temperature. Never reach for the heater or the hairdryer to speed things up; that's how a small splash becomes a permanent ripple.

A simple kit

You need far less than the beauty aisle would have you believe. A soft brush, something like a clean make-up or baby's hairbrush, for dusting hair-on panels and tooled detail. Two soft, lint-free cloths, one to dampen and one to keep dry. A small tin of a gentle leather conditioner. Some acid-free tissue, and the dust bag your piece came in. That's the lot, and it will fit in a shoebox at the back of the wardrobe.

Hair-on hide: go with the grain of the coat

Hair-on panels want to be treated like the coat they are. Dust them with a soft cloth or brush, always in the direction the hair lies. For a mark, blot gently with a barely damp cloth, again with the hair, and let it air-dry before smoothing the hair back into place. Skip soaps and cleaning sprays entirely, and never soak the hide. A little shedding in the first weeks is normal and settles on its own.

Hand-tooled leather: mind the detail

The carved and stamped patterns on a tooled piece are what make it special, and they're also where dust likes to settle. Every so often, work a soft, dry brush gently into the detail to lift it out, then wipe the surface with a barely damp cloth. Try not to let water pool in the carving. If your piece has painted or dyed accents, give them an even lighter touch: alcohol, solvents and strong cleaners can lift the colour, and a damp cloth is all they ever need.

Condition lightly, and not too often

Smooth and tooled leather appreciates a drink now and then. Every three to six months, or more often through a dry summer, work a small amount of leather conditioner in with a soft cloth, give it time to absorb, then buff away the excess. Always try it first on a spot nobody will see. The hair-on panels themselves are best left alone; conditioner is for the leather, not the coat. More is not better here. Too much conditioner leaves leather tacky and attracts dust, which rather defeats the point.

When accidents happen

They will, and it's rarely as bad as it first looks. Spilled coffee or water: blot straight away with a dry cloth, never rub, and let it dry naturally. A scuff on smooth leather often fades with a little conditioner and a gentle buff. Anything stubborn, like ink, oil or a deep stain, is best left to a leather specialist or cobbler; home remedies with harsh cleaners usually do more harm than the mark itself. And if you're unsure, ask us. We'd rather answer a question than see a good bag ruined.

Travelling with leather

Leather travels well, with a little forethought. Pack a bag inside its dust bag so buckles and zips from other luggage don't scratch it, and fill it loosely with soft things so it doesn't get crushed flat in transit. If you're heading somewhere humid, like the tropics in the wet season, give it air when you arrive rather than leaving it zipped inside a suitcase. And on a long road trip, the boot is kinder than the back seat in full sun.

Give it somewhere good to rest

Between outings, stuff a bag lightly with tissue so it keeps its shape, and store it in a breathable dust bag rather than plastic, which traps moisture. Hang nothing heavy from its handles for weeks at a time, and give it a little space on the shelf so it isn't crushed. If you're putting a piece away for a season, check on it now and then, and give smooth leather a light condition before it comes back out.

And then, use it

The best thing you can do for a good leather bag is carry it. The oils from your hands, the soft knocks of everyday life, the slow darkening of the leather: that's how a piece stops being something you bought and becomes something that's yours. Look after it lightly, and it will look after you for a very long time.

For quick answers to specific questions, see our care guide.