How to Care for Your Full Grain Leather Bag

Keeping your leather well conditioned is a necessary step toward ensuring that your Marlondo Leather bag ages gracefully. One of the benefits to using a high quality leather briefcase is that it will develop a beautiful patina with time and use. We're committed to using high quality, full grain vegetable tanned cowhide leather. You can read more about our leather and the reasoning behind our choice of materials on our Leather page. Some folks are intimidated by the prospect of fashion accessories that need maintenance, but caring for your leather bag is really quite simple! All you need is a soft cloth, a leather conditioner, and a few minutes. A free 1-ounce tin of our Leather Conditioner cream comes with every Marlondo Leather bag or backpack.

Cleaning Your Leather is Easy

Simply use a dry or very slightly damp cloth to wipe down your bag before you condition it. Take an extra minute or two to get into the seams and harder-to-reach corners. We love the leather cleaner from our friends at Dropforge Leather Care. Full grain leather is not scratch-resistant, but small scratches on our veg-tan leather will usually buff out easily with a horsehair brush, buffing cloth, or even a sock if need be. Sometimes you can even rub the scratch away with your fingers.

Conditioning Your Leather Bag

Veg-tan leather can dry out if exposed to too much heat or light. Condition your leather bag twice a year, or quarterly if it's exposed to the elements frequently. If the leather is beginning to feel dry or hard, or developing superficial cracks or ridges, condition it to avoid permanent damage.

A good leather cream will maintain your bag's patina while keeping your leather satchel or wallet clean and lustrous. Marlondo Leather's all natural conditioner is made with natural oils and beeswax— a great choice for keeping your leather hydrated while maintaining its patina. The nourishing formula includes natural oils and beeswax to waterproof and protect your leather without any harmful preservatives or petroleum products. Use it with confidence on any thicker leather items, especially those exposed to harsh elements.  

Apply a light coat of conditioner with a soft cloth or sponge. We've actually found that a mismatched sock works perfectly. Instead of letting it sit on the dryer, dejected and dusty for months on end, you can put it to good use conditioning your favorite bag! Rub the cream into the leather using small circles.

Let dry for at least a half-hour, then use another clean cloth to lightly buff the bag and remove any excess conditioner. Your messenger bag will likely appear darker for the first few hours after conditioning. There are few things more satisfying than a freshly conditioned leather briefcase!

Storing Your Leather Satchel

Each Marlondo bag comes packed in a dust cover, which is a breathable fabric bag made for storing your bag. If you ever need to keep your leather satchel stashed away for any period of time, wrap it back in its fabric cover to protect it from dirt and dust. If you are storing it for more than a few weeks at a time, we recommend adding silica packets to prevent mold or moisture damage. Keep it in a dry place, out of direct sunlight.

We hope this answers all of your leather care questions! If you have any questions or advice, please feel free to comment below or get in touch.