Caring for leather, suede, and pony hair

Full grain leather#

Full grain is the outermost layer of the hide with the grain intact. It is the most durable leather available and it is meant to change.

What to expect: colour deepens, marks and scuffs accumulate, and the surface develops a patina. Small scratches often burnish out with a fingertip. None of this is damage.

Care:

• Wipe with a dry or barely damp cloth. Let it air dry away from direct heat
• Condition occasionally, not frequently. Over-conditioning softens and darkens leather more than most people want
• Never dry leather near a radiator or with a hairdryer. Heat cracks it
• Store away from prolonged direct sunlight

If it gets soaked: blot the surface, stuff footwear loosely to hold its shape, and let it dry slowly at room temperature. Condition once it is fully dry.

Suede#

Suede is the underside of the hide, so it is more open and more absorbent than full grain.

• Brush with a suede brush, following one direction, to lift the nap
• Treat with a suede protector spray before first wear and reapply periodically
• Spot clean only. Never soak or machine wash
• Use a suede eraser on scuffs and dry marks
• Keep away from water and direct heat

Pony hair#

Pony hair is hide with the hair left on. It is more delicate than it looks.

• Brush gently, always following the direction of the hair
• Spot clean only, with a barely damp cloth, then let it dry naturally
• Never submerge, never machine wash, never dry clean
• Store flat or stuffed so the hair is not crushed against itself

Hand-dyed pieces#

Hand-dyed pieces vary from unit to unit. Tonal differences, uneven depth, and slight irregularities are the process, not a fault. Expect some colour movement over time.

Not sure whether it is wear or a fault?#

Send us a photo with your order number and we will tell you honestly which it is.