How to Care for Your Leather Briefcase

Leather Briefcase

Fine leather briefcases are fruits of high and much revered craftsmanship and accordingly, they rank among the most cherished and beloved possessions of their owners. But, as much as you value your leather briefcase, you ought also to remember that proper care and maintenance of the product is paramount both for the purpose of longevity as well as for ensuring that the product maintains its sheen and fine appearance for the duration of its life.

We need to understand that leather bags are organic artifacts and are therefore more vulnerable to elements than products made of, say, metal or synthetic materials. Which is why care and maintenance becomes so crucial with them. For instance, leather is permeable. So, if by accident your leather briefcase gets drenched in water or comes in contact with water too often, the skin will shrivel and the color will get dull quickly.

This means that you should avoid carrying it around in bad weather. Most of our briefcases are made with vegetable tanned leather - protective measures include using a beeswax cream or a spray protectant. The latter is less effective but will also cause less harm to the leather whereas beeswax may sometime affect the hue and the grain of dyed leather.

Most leather briefcases, both full-grain (non-buffed) and top-grain (buffed) are made of cattle hide and the two most common variants are the suede and the nubuck. The former is made of the underside of the skin whereas nubucks are worked on the hair side. In both cases, however, the hide is sanded so to make it achieve a velvety and soft texture, commonly known as 'nap' in the leather world. Now, the naps look and feel fine but they also catch scratches quickly and dirt buildup will not only alter the color of the leather but will also shorten its life.

So again, regular cleaning and conditioning become crucial. For cleaning purposes, apart from regular brushing, you will also need to use a cleaner to remove any dirt build-up. Most reputed labels come with their own range of cleaners and you must make sure that you are using the proper cleaner as advised by the manufacturer for the kind of leather your briefcase is made of. As for conditioning, use an oil (such as neatsfoot or mink oil) that will supplement and simulate the natural oils of the leather. Use a smooth cloth to rub the oil gently over all parts of the leather, make the bag stand for 10-20 minutes and then carefully wipe off the excess oil. Condition at least once every month to preserve the sheen and luster of the leather.

At Floto Leather Bags we have a wide selection of leather briefcases available. Check out our selection today, and become the owner of a highly sought-after, hand crafted beautiful piece of leather work that will take care of you, so long as you take care of it!