How to clean a leather garnment ?
A beautiful leather garment is above all a good leather, of good quality. There are many different types of leather, tanning (mineral or vegetable) and just as many different finishes. All these singularities lead to different names for this noble natural material. Let's take a look at the leather finishes that you will find in our collections, the so-called nappa leather, washed leather, washed leather and vegetable leather.
NAPPA LEATHER
WHAT IS NAPPA LEATHER ?
Nappa leather is a full grain leather. This leather is surface treated and pigmented to obtain a soft, smooth and unified finish. It is this treatment that allows the grain to be harmonious.
This so-called nappa finish can be applied to all types of animal skins such as lamb, calf, sheep or goat, regardless of the type of tanning, mineral or vegetable. Nappa leather is the most common.
It is a top-of-the-range leather of very good quality intended for all types of uses such as clothing, car surfaces, shoes or leather goods.
TIP TO RECOGNIZE NAPPA LEATHER
Nappa leather is a term used to describe the so-called smooth leathers. It is therefore distinguished by its smooth appearance, without varnish, coatings or grain. Nappa leather is very soft and delicate feeling.
WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF NAPPA LEATHER ?
Nappa leather is soft but no less durable. A protective surface treatment is applied to the hides by immersion to enable them to withstand the sun and weather. By definition, nappa leather is very thin. It is therefore more sensitive and vulnerable to stains and the passage of time. It will tend to lighten over time. To keep it intact for as long as possible, it should be maintained approximately twice a year.
HOW TO MAINTAIN NAPPA LEATHER ?
Leather is a natural material and does not require daily maintenance. However, it is essential to nourish nappa leather at the beginning of each season with a nourishing milk in order to maintain its softness, shine and colour. In this way, it will become more resistant to wear and tear over time. Without regular care, leather will tend to harden or even crack, like your skin.
IN CASE OF THE RAIN :
- Keep your garment away from heat sources such as stoves and radiators. This may cause the garment to become distorted or dry.
- Once the garment is dry, apply waterproofing (spray 30cm away from the garment).
IF YOU MAKE A GREASE STAIN :
- Apply "Sommières" soil to the stain. It is a natural clay which is highly absorbent.
- Gently rub the stain with a soft cloth or your finger, leaving some of the clay on top.
- Leave it on for a few hours (overnight, for example).
- Rub or brush gently to remove the soil.
IF YOUR LEATHER GETS A CREASE :
You can easily iron your garment with a hot iron, right side up, but always with a clean, dry cotton tab between the iron and the leather.
Every 2 to 3 years, it is advisable to degrease your garment in the shop in order to restore its shine and unify its colour (cleaning, re-pigmentation, waterproofing...)
WASHED LEATHER
WHAT IS WASHED LEATHER ?
The so-called washed finish is mainly applied to lamb. The hides are immersed in a chemical solution that slightly shrinks the leather. The surface of the leather is then polished and curled.
TIPS FOR RECOGNISING WASHED LEATHER
Washed leather is distinguished by its slightly faded and sometimes wrinkled appearance. Unlike nappa leather, it is much less smooth. One can speak of a slightly "vintage" look.
WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF WASHED LEATHER ?
The patina of a washed leather will strengthen with time and evolve into a unique skin. It improves with time. This leather requires little maintenance, unlike nappa leather. It is slightly stiffer when first worn due to its various chemical treatments.
HOW TO MAINTAIN WASHED LEATHER ?
Unlike nappa leather, washed leather does not require the application of a nourishing milk. On the contrary, the use of a nourishing milk could damage your washed leather irreversibly.
IN CASE OF RAIN :
- Keep your garment away from heat sources such as stoves and radiators. This may cause the garment to become distorted or dry.
- Once the garment is dry, apply waterproofing (spray 30cm away from the garment).
IF YOU MAKE A GREASE STAIN :
- Apply "Sommières" soil to the stain. It is a natural clay which is highly absorbent.
- Gently rub the stain with a soft cloth or your finger, leaving some of the clay on top.
- Leave it on for a few hours (overnight, for example).
- Rub or brush gently to remove the soil.
Every 2 to 3 years, it is recommended to degrease your garment in the shop in order to restore its shine and unify its colour (cleaning, re-pigmentation, waterproofing...)
VEGETABLE LEATHER
WHAT IS VEGETABLE LEATHER?
Vegetable leather is a shorthand term for vegetable-tanned leather. Vegetable leather is indeed derived from an animal (sheep, calf, cow or goat). However, the hide has been transformed by vegetable tanning agents (bark, wood, roots or leaves) as opposed to a so-called mineral tanning. This tanning process is longer and more expensive. The vegetable finish will be ready within 10 days to 8 weeks; whereas leather from a mineral tanning process will be ready within 24 hours. Vegetable tanning represents about 10-15% of the production whereas mineral tanning represents today about 80-85% of the world leather production.
TIP FOR RECOGNISING VEGETABLE TANNED LEATHER
Vegetable tanned leather may have a slight undergrowth smell. It is stiffer, firmer and stronger. Vegetable leather also has natural colours, a dark brown appearance in the light.
WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF VEGETABLE LEATHER ?
Vegetable leather is highly valued for its vegetable appeal and authenticity. Each hide will be unique and will benefit from the minimum of chemical treatment. Its innocuous and anti-allergic qualities are undeniable for both manufacturers and customers. Although very popular in their natural colours, it is more difficult to dye them in bright colours. Vegetable-tanned leathers are more fragile to stains and scratches.
HOW TO CARE FOR VEGETABLE LEATHER ?
Vegetable leather will not tolerate conventional cleaning products. For example, applying a nourishing milk can lead to stains or rings on your leather.
It is therefore best to apply a waterproofing spray only every six months, or after rain, to your dry vegetable leather garment.
IN CASE OF RAIN :
- Keep your garment away from heat sources such as stoves and radiators. This may cause the garment to become distorted or dry.
- Once the garment is dry, apply waterproofing (spray 30cm away from the garment).
IF YOU MAKE A GREASE STAIN :
- Apply "Sommières" soil to the stain. It is a natural clay which is highly absorbent.
- Gently rub the stain with a soft cloth or your finger, leaving some of the clay on top.
- Leave it on for a few hours (overnight, for example).
- Rub or brush gently to remove the soil.
Every 2 to 3 years, it is recommended to degrease your garment in the shop in order to restore its shine and unify its colour (cleaning, re-pigmentation, waterproofing...)
VELOUR LEATHER
WHAT IS VELOUR LEATHER ?
Suede is a popular term for suede leather. Suede leather and nubuck, therefore, represent the grain side of the hide, however, their finish differs. Suede leather represents the natural side of the hide, it is fluid and light and very comfortable for larger sizes. The surface of the nubuck is sanded, which gives it a velvety feel. It is made from lamb, cow and buffalo hides and is a greased leather with a matt finish. Suede leather is also a leather finish, a natural finish. It is simply the skin side of the leather in its natural form. Goat and lamb leathers are generally the most worked for suede leather. Both materials are difficult to distinguish visually, and both have a soft, velvety feel. In common speech, the word suede is a substitute for the name of the animal it comes from. You will always hear the term suede lamb leather, suede goat leather or suede calf leather.
TIP FOR RECOGNISING VELOUR LEATHER
Even though it is difficult to distinguish between nubuck and suede leather, there are some noticeable differences. The nubuck is a greasy leather, whereas suede leather, because of its natural state, is sensitive to our touch. Both finishes have a soft, silky feel. As said before, the main difference between the two leather finishes is the surface of the hide that is treated. The grain side for the nubuck, the hide side for the suede. Suede leather is sanded or brushed to give that velvety feel. It is generally thicker than the nubuck. Another difference is that the nubuck is made from the highest quality hide. Indeed, the sanding being on the side of the skin, no skin defect is possible. On the contrary for suede leather, it is the hide of the skin that is used, so the grain aspect is less important.
WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF VELOUR LEATHER ?
The advantage of nubuck and suede leather is that they are both very comfortable materials. Suede leather is perfect for summer and nubuck for winter. Each has its own season! However, it is not advisable to get your nubuck and suede leather garment wet or even exposed to the sun as they may remain stained or lose their shine. It can be said that this type of leather is fragile, but it is important to remember that with good care this leather is very durable.
HOW TO CARE FOR VELOUR LEATHER ?
It is very important to waterproof your garment as this leather is more vulnerable and develops a patina over time. To do this, applying a waterproofing spray every six months or even after the rains to a dry garment at 30 centimetres to avoid stains is one way to care for it. You can also wash it with a crepe brush after the rain. On a grease stain it is recommended to put some Sommiere soil to absorb the stain. Then, to ensure its durability, we advise you to have your garment dry cleaned every 2-3 years.
SOME EXTRA TIPS
Grain : upper part of the skin, the noblest part on which the animal's hair follicle is located
Exterior : lower part of the hide, the least noble part
Full grain (leather) : leather that has retained the full thickness of its grain
Tanning : operation consisting in transforming the hide into leather by fixing tanning agents.
Vegetable tanning : tanning carried out with tannins extracted from plants
Mineral/chrome tanning : multi-purpose tanning using chrome salts
