Sometimes, we destroy our bags without even realizing it. Here are the subtle habits that are silently killing your collection.
- Hand Sanitizer: This is the modern enemy of leather. Alcohol strips the dye and finish instantly. Make sure your hands are dry before touching your bag handles.
- Overstuffing: Forcing a zipper to close or stretching the bag to fit “just one more thing” permanently distorts the leather and weakens the stitching.
- Jeans Color Transfer: Wearing a light-colored bag (white, cream) with new dark denim is a recipe for disaster. The blue dye from jeans transfers easily to leather and is almost impossible to remove.
Sunlight Exposure: Leaving your bag in the car or near a window for days will fade the color and dry out the leather, leading to premature cracking. Treat your bag like a vampire: keep it out of direct sun!
