Types of leather: A complete guide.

Probably you already must've heard dozens of different leather names, having no idea what the difference between them and the quality wise is of any of them. So we asked some help to our artisans who have literally decades of experience handcrafting bags with leather to make a complete guide for you.

So, if you're just a little curious and looking for a quick answer we'll simplify it for you. There are two main types of leather: Natural Leather and Artificial leather.

What is Pu Leather?

What is vegan leather?

What is bounded leather?

What is faux leather?

So, getting it dirty is almost inevitable. To clean it up, the FIRST step is to Find out the kind of leather you are cleaning.

Without mincing words, there are two types of leather, natural and artificial, which can get a little tricky to differentiate, so let's start with the easiest way to spot, the leather name

Artificial or ''synthetic'' leathers:

1. Genuine Leather 
2. Leatherette
   "faux leather", 
   "vegan leather", 
   "PU leather" 
   "pleather"

Leather is simply an organic and natural fiber. With nature comes responsibility.  To make leather look brilliant for a long time, it requires care. Fortunately, we got you covered with this guide,

Although leather materials are durable, they need regular washing because of germs.l and stains and other impurities. Due to the properties of leather, it requires special cleaning methods which differ from other materials. Failure to use the right process could breakdown and destroy the leather. This guide is designed to show you a step-wise description of how to clean leather and make it look new.

Steps for cleaning leather

• Firstly, Find out the kind of leather you are cleaning. This would help you choose the right cleaning product. Natural leather doesn’t have a protective coating, unlike treated leather. Treated leathers usually have this plastic-like feeling when touched.  While treated leather is easy to clean,  untreated leather when not cleaned correctly could change color
• Secondly, dust the entire leather. This should be done with a cloth or soft brush.  With circular motions following the grains of the leather, remove dust and some dirt from the entire leather surface.
• Apply the right cleaning solution on cleaning rag. The item you are cleaning determines the type of cleaning solution you would use. For leather bags a solution of mild soap is common.
• With a rag or soft brush, wipe down on the leather surface. Move-in circular motions on leather and pay attention to stains too.
• Use a clean cloth to remove excess soap from the leather. This prevents moisture residue which damages leather.
• Allow airing dry. In a few hours, allow air-drying. Do not use sun-drying as it could crack the leather.

Steps in cleaning leather Bags

Leather bags are prone to stains because you use them frequently and may have to place them on the floor. Using a normal detergent may not be a great idea as it could cause cracking. So here are some tips that can help you clean your leather bags without damaging it.

• Mix your mild soap or a mild detergent with plenty of water. To avoid particles resting on the leather, you can use clean water.
• A spray bottle should be used to hold the mixture which makes it easier to be sprayed on the cleaning cloth or sponge. Leather should not be sprayed on directly as it could hold more water than required and damage it.
• When wiping stains, move in the direction of the leather grain and never against it.
• After cleaning or removing the stain, the leather bag should be left to dry in air and not direct sunlight.
• After it is dry, use a leather moisturizer to protect the leather material.

Even with good care and regular cleaning of your leather or leather-based materials, you may still face some common problems and issues. This is very normal and with good knowledge of how to prevent and handle these situations, you can overcome this seeming nervy situation.

Let us check out some of them

Handling your leather problems

• Scratches

Most times it is common to always pick up scratches as you move around with your leather items.  This can trouble you especially if you do not know what to do.  But these quick steps have proven very helpful. Start by cleaning the leather. After that, you can also condition the surface to smoothen it.  It would be okay to condition it more as you clean until the problem is removed. 

• Stains

You should note that there are various kinds of stains with specific compositions which differ from each other. This means that what works for one stain may not work for another stain. But to prevent dye from penetrating deep into the leather,  you can make use of regular conditioning.

1. Grease

You can take your leather to the leather care specialist to handle it professionally. Many experts though recommend the use if cornstarch to clean and blot out the spot. Regular conditioning still works well to prevent penetration of the grease.

2. Ink

This is a very stubborn stain and it only gets worse in leather if you do not handle it well. Regular conditioning is a great preventive measure to help repeal the ink. But if you happen to pick it up, it best you let a professional handle it for you.

3. Water

Sometimes you could be caught up in a rainy day and your leather item wasn’t safe from the rain troubles. Although water tends to dry eventually leaving no problems if you see spots you can apply a conditioner. 

• Time

As with most items, time changes everything.  But if you select leather of good quality,  the older leather will produce an even more beautiful look.  Instead of selecting lower grade leather, check carefully the type of leather you are buying so that you can be sure of the best.  If you handle your leather correctly,  as it gets older, it would have a special luster that would differentiate it from every other piece.

Important tips that can help you as you clean Leather.

The kind of care and cleaning you can carry out in your item depends on the kind of leather it is made from.  Some high-quality leathers may only need seldom conditioning while others may need to be cared for before you make use of them.

• Select the right kind of wax for your leather. If you choose a cream, select one which would give it a bright look and protect from dirt and moisture.
• Leathers such as suede and nubuck needs to be waterproof before you use them. When you spray them,  give them time to dry. 
• Just as you handle your skin, you need to moisturize your leather items. After cleaning for some time, the luster may start to fade. If you continue to apply leather cream or oil, the leather would continue to look and shine bright.
• Store your leather items very well especially away from dust and also away from direct sunlight.
• Cosmetics should be carefully placed away from your leather. It should be stored in a cosmetics bag. This is because if the lipstick spills out,  the inside of the bag can contain the spills. A cosmetic stain is usually very difficult to remove even on leather, so prevention would help.

With all the guides and tips herein you have come to see what you can do to clean your leather, care for them, and prevent any future problems that could arise.  This guide also shows how to handle problems when they come. Now, all we can say is - apply these methods and enjoy the glow!