Leather Care
We want our leather to last for decades, and even be handed down one day. So, we asked the experts who design our products how they personally care for their leather—and now we're sharing it with all of you. Scroll for all the details, insider tips and more in our official Café Leather care guide.
Basic Care Tips for Vegetable-Tanned Leather
Vegetable-tanned leather is all-natural and eco-friendly, giving it a special character that needs a little more love to stay in top shape. Here are the core tips that work for any of your vegetable-tanned leather products:
- Keep Leather Dry: Vegetable-tanned leather is sensitive to water and can become stained or stretched if soaked.
- Condition Regularly: Use a leather conditioner every 3-6 months to keep it supple.
- Avoid Heat: Keep leather away from high heat, which can dry it out and cause cracks.
How to Care for your Driving Gloves
Lambskin is smooth, soft, and perfect for driving gloves. However, it’s more delicate than other leathers and requires gentle handling.
Follow the next esteps to keep them perfect:
- Put the gloves on, and gently wash your hands as you normally would. Use just a drop of mild soap or a gentle body wash (avoid any soaps with alcohol or heavy-duty dish liquids). Rinse thoroughly, then lay them flat on a clean towel with the fingers in a natural, relaxed position.
- Just let them air dry naturally. Avoid using any heat sources or heaters, as this can cause the leather to dry out and become stiff. If they’re wet, gently dab them with a dry cloth (but don’t rub) to absorb excess moisture. Lay them flat at room temperature to dry, keeping the shape intact for the best results.
Keep your leather gloves in a cool, dry place away from sunlight and heat sources. When putting your gloves away, lay them flat in a horizontal position to prevent wrinkles or color changes. Always ensure they’re fully dry before storing—never put them away damp.
Caution! Avoid washing your gloves if they feature a duo-tone design or contrasting thread, as darker leather may bleed into the lighter areas. If your gloves do get wet, follow the drying instructions above. To prevent colors from running, insert paper towels inside each finger and throughout the glove, making sure the different-colored leather sections don’t touch. While we rigorously test for colorfastness, some color transfer is still possible when gloves get wet.
How to Care for your Motorcycle Gloves
Our motorcycle gloves are madre from Deerskin and Elkskin.
Deerskin leather offers great flexibility. It’s soft but tough, providing a comfortable and long-lasting fit.
Elkskin is thicker and tougher than deerskin, making it a great option that can stand up to rougher conditions.
To clean them, gently clean with a damp cloth. It’s a bit more water-resistant than lambskin, but it should still be dried quickly.
Condition every 3-6 months to keep it soft and prevent drying or cracking.
Tip: for extra protection, use a beeswax-based treatment to improve water resistance.
Leather Wallets and Bags Care Tips
Vegetable-tanned leather wallets, bags and accesories are perfect for everyday use, but they need regular care to keep their look, durability and develop its special patina over the years.
Cleaning: First remove dirt with a damp cloth.
After that, you’ll have to wait until it’s completely dry.
Hydration: Apply conditioner on the cloth and spread it with circular movement.
After this you should wait again for the leather to get dried.
Polish: With a horsehair brush, waxed and maintained, apply the product with circular and constant movements. After this, use a cloth to clean excess of wax and rub it to obtain shine.
