Leather Care Guide

OUR LEATHERS

If you love leather, you’ll love Catwalk Collection Handbags.
As a natural material, every leather we use has its own character and personality. We pride ourselves on the quality of our leather and we want you to enjoy your leather goods for a lifetime.
None of our products are manufactured using faux, artificial, or leather look substitutes on any part. Imitation leather is less durable than the natural, authentic leather used for Catwalk Collection Handbags and, more importantly, it doesn’t feel or smell as good as the real thing.
Our products are made from so many incredible types of leather including full grain, distressed, napa, saddle, suede, saffiano and pull up leathers. Each type of leather has its own unique care instructions which can be found in detail on their own product page. The leathers we use are high quality cowhides, unless otherwise stated, and are by-products of the food industry.
From the moment our products are crafted until they arrive in your arms, they need to be cared for properly.
With our handy leather guide, your treasured pieces will look beautiful for years to come. Here you’ll find out everything there is to know about caring for your leather product from Catwalk Collection Handbags.

EVERYDAY LEATHER CARE

To maintain and preserve your Catwalk Collection Handbags product, here are a few tips:

  1. Avoid contact with water, oils, perfumes, hand sanitisers and other cosmetics.
  2. Avoid contact with products that contain alcohol or acetone.
  3. Prolonged and direct exposure to sources of light and heat should be avoided.
  4. Leather can stretch. Avoid overfilling your product to maintain its original silhouette.
  5. Dampness, humidity, and rain should be avoided.
  6. Always refer tough stains to a specialist leather cleaner.

STORAGE

When not in use we recommend storing your handbag in a cool dry place, in the Catwalk Collection Handbags dust bag which accompanied it.

Store your product in a way that maintains its shape. If folded, the leather may crease at the fold.

RAIN, RAIN, GO AWAY

Whilst our products can withstand a light drizzle, leather isn’t naturally waterproof. If your product gets wet, remove any excess moisture by dabbing lightly with a soft dry cloth and leave to dry naturally at room temperature. You can buy leather water proofing products but always test on an inconspicuous area first as it may change the appearance of the leather.

Some of our leather types are more resistant to rain than others. This includes leather types with a waxy finish such as our oiled pull up leather and saffiano leather which is finished with a special wax treatment making it resistant to rain.

THE AGEING EFFECT

Good wine, cheese, leather – some things just get better with age. Ageing is normal as it is a natural product. The patina (ageing) effect of leather is very cherished and adds beautiful character. Some of our leather types, such as buffed vegetable tanned leather and pull-up leather, are specifically designed to develop a more intense and richer patina over time than other leather types.

NATURAL MARKINGS

As leather is a natural product, each hide is unique and features its own texture, markings, and colour variations. These wonderful visual nuances in the leather are a characteristic of authentic leather hide. They can appear as stretch marks, insect bites or raised scars that have been acquired through the animal's lifetime. These are naturally occurring characteristics that add to the beauty and uniqueness of your product and are not material defects.

COLOUR TRANSFER

Some types of leathers are more prone to colour transference than others, especially when the product is brand new or wet. While we do our best to prevent it, there is always a possibility of some colour from our leather transferring to lighter coloured fabrics. To reduce the risk of colour transference, ensure your leather product doesn’t rub against other materials.

HOW TO CLEAN SPECIALIST LEATHERS

Each unique leather type needs its own unique cleaning routine, just like our own skin. Before using any leather products (such as conditioners, creams, polishes, and colour restorers), we recommend testing the product on an inconspicuous area first as it may change the appearance of the leather.

Suede

Water, wax, and oil can stain suede so dry-cleaning methods are advisable.

Use a specialist suede brush to lift away dirt and dust.

Light oily or greasy marks can be lifted out by applying talc, leaving overnight, and gently brushing away the excess afterwards. For tougher stains, we advise you use a dedicated suede cleaning product.

Distressed Leather

Due to the distressed and rugged texture of this leather, we recommend simply wiping with a damp, clean cloth and leaving to dry naturally at room temperature.

Drum Dyed Leather

Our smooth, scrumptious drum dyed leathers have the least amount of protective finish giving them their natural, soft feel.

We recommend wiping occasionally with a damp but not wet sponge & drying immediately with a clean, soft cloth.

Do not use wax or oil to clean these products as they will leave a grease mark.

Pull-Up, Waxed and Oiled Leather

Pull Up leather is a type of aniline leather that is coloured using aniline dyes that are sealed using natural oils and/or waxes. To clean and maintain, we recommend the use of a waxed leather protector.

This type of leather should not be confused with PU faux leather which is a plastic material.

Saffiano Leather

This beautiful crosshatch leather is easy to clean and maintain. To care for this type of textured leather simply wipe with a damp, clean cloth and dry.

Saddle Leather, Bubble Leather, Natural Dry Milled (NDM) Leather, Buffed Vegetable Tanned Leather

To care and maintain these finished leather types, we recommend the use of leather cream conditioner.