Recently, we had a customer who came to us with a 38-year-old Chanel classic flap bag made of leather. This bag was passed down from her grandmother and she wanted to know if Colorwash could do anything to improve its condition.
Despite the faded color of its leather, the bag was still in good condition. Hence, we proposed to clean, color and apply a High-Density Transparent Coating to prevent further damage. After cleaning, coloring and coating, we significantly improved the condition of the bag and the customer was very pleased with how it turned out.
It was a moment that I was extremely happy and proud of.
Although the condition of this customer’s bag saw significant improvement after servicing, not all customers’ items can be improved to the same extent. This is typically due to a few common mistakes that render extensive damage to a bag. For example, attempting to use water to remove a grease stain from a leather bag is a big no-no as water will permanently damage leather surfaces if left for too long. As a result, the condition of the bag will be worse than if the grease stain was just left alone.
To make your leather bag last through generations, I recommend to never use wet wipes that are not designed for leather as well. This means no baby wipes! This is because the substances in those wipes may damage the color, dry out the leather or create a build-up of grease. Also, storage is very important in sunny Singapore, where exposure to sunlight and moisture can cause leather to crack and encourage bacteria growth.
For more useful tips on making your items last longer, check out our must-have tips!