The First Few Weeks
- New leather is firm. Give it time.
- Your bag will soften and relax as you use it, moulding gradually to the way you carry it. Handles darken slightly where your hands rest. Corners round off. Structured pieces hold their shape while softer, unlined styles begin to slouch as they're designed to.
- Don't overload a new bag in its first fortnight. Let the leather ease into shape rather than forcing it.
Everyday Care
Most leather care is simply not doing harmful things.
- Wipe your bag down with a soft, dry cloth every week or two to lift dust before it settles into the grain.
- Keep it off the floor where you can. Bags with metal feet are protected at the base, but grit and moisture are still the enemy.
- If your hands are heavily moisturised, or you've just applied sunscreen or perfume, let them dry before handling pale leathers. Oils absorb quickly, and they don't come out.
When It Gets Dirty
- Act quickly, and gently. For everyday dirt, wipe with a soft cloth, very slightly dampened if needed.
- Never use soap, detergent, alcohol, baby wipes or household cleaners. They strip the natural oils that keep leather supple, and the damage is permanent.
Monsoon & Humid Weather
This matters more in India than anywhere else, and it's where most leather goes wrong. During the monsoon, humidity encourages mould — particularly on bags stored away and forgotten in a cupboard. A few habits prevent it entirely:
- Air your bags every couple of weeks, even the ones you're not using.
- Store them somewhere with airflow rather than sealed in plastic.
- Keep the silica gel sachet inside that comes packed with the bag.
Storing Your Bag
- Stuff it loosely with tissue paper as it arrives so it holds its shape. An empty bag left collapsed for months will develop creases that never quite come out.
- Keep it in the dust bag it arrived in, or a cotton pillowcase. Never plastic — leather needs to breathe, and trapped moisture is exactly what causes mould.
- Store upright, out of direct sunlight, away from radiators and damp walls. Don't stack heavy things on top.
Things to Avoid
- Heaters, hairdryers and car dashboards
- Plastic storage of any kind
- Soap, alcohol, solvents and household cleaners
- Overloading beyond comfortable capacity — it strains seams and handles
- Ballpoint pens loose in the main compartment
A Note on Natural Markings
Full-grain leather keeps the surface of the hide intact — that's what makes it strong, and what allows it to age well. It also means every piece carries evidence of where it came from. Slight variations in grain, small healed scars, subtle differences in colour depth between one bag and the next: these are not flaws. They're the reason no two Le Craf pieces are identical, and they're precisely what corrected, coated or bonded leathers sand away.
Colour may also vary slightly from your screen, since no two displays render leather tones the same way.