The Leather Guide: Care by Material
Every hide behaves differently. Before you begin a ritual, find your bag's material below to understand what it needs and which products are right for it.
Smooth & Full-Grain Leather (Calfskin, Lambskin)
The most common luxury hide, prized for its natural grain and ability to develop a rich patina over time. It needs regular purification and replenishment to stay supple.
- Know Your Leather — A Guide to the Most Common Types
- Know Your Leather Before You Buy
- The Art of Leather Conditioning: How to Nourish a Heritage Handbag
Best suited to: The Preventive Protocol Kit for newer bags, or the Luxury Restore & Replenish Kit for hides that have dried out with age.
Vachetta Leather
Explore our dedicated guide before choosing a care routine for your bag’s Vachetta leather.
Nubuck & Suede
Napped finishes with a soft, brushed texture. They mark easily and need a gentler touch than smooth leather, with specific attention to preventing watermarks and flattened pile.
Best suited to: our Gentle Leather Cleaner, formulated to be safe on suede, canvas, fabric, and nubuck as well as leather.
Woven Leather
Intricately woven hides bring their own challenges — dirt and oils settle into the weave itself, so the cleaning approach has to reach between the strands without loosening them.
Best suited to: the Deep Cleanse and Protect Kit.
Canvas & Coated Fabric
Coated canvases combine a textile base with a protective finish, common across heritage monogram pieces. They're durable day-to-day but benefit from a protective barrier against staining.
Best suited to: the Gentle Leather Cleaner and the Deep Cleanse and Protect Kit.
Nylon & Technical Fabric
Lightweight technical fabrics prioritise practicality but still need care to avoid dulling or surface staining over time.
Exotic Leathers
Ostrich, python, and lizard hides have distinctive textures and require specialised, cautious handling to preserve their natural character.
Please patch-test first and contact our concierge team before applying any product to exotic finishes.
Care Fundamentals (Every Material)
Whatever your bag is made from, these two guides are worth reading first.
- Before Your First Wear: The Five-Minute Ritual Every Luxury Bag Owner Should Know
- The Archive Method: How Museums Preserve Leather for Centuries
See Our Proven Results
See our preservation rituals in practice, with before-and-after results from the Archive Gallery.
Not sure where to start? Read our FAQ or take the Ritual Quiz on our homepage to find your match.