Frequently Asked Questions

The experience of color transferring from leather to clothing is called "crocking" and although it is rare, we do know it can happen with brand new leather goods and it can definitely be alarming! The leather does vary from hide to hide, so it’s tricky for us to predict when this might be the case. We usually suggest wiping the leather down with an old towel or cloth to help remove any excess color before use.

If you are still encountering issues with color transfer from your leather feel free to reach out to our customer service team for more information and help!

Each of our leather colors is tanned using a unique formula, so variations in scent are normal – some colors have a stronger smell than others! Sometimes products can arrive with a stronger-than-usual odor depending on how recently the hide was tanned. Our leather moves from the tannery, through production, and to your doorstep quite quickly – sometimes in less than four weeks!

In most cases, smells decrease significantly over the course of a few days to weeks, especially if stored in a well-ventilated area. To speed along this process we typically recommend placing a cedar or charcoal sachet inside the item.

If you are still having trouble with your new leather not smelling quite as you hoped after airing it out for several days, don’t hesitate to reach out to our team for help!

A mark on your item could be one of many things: it could be a light scratch, as these are common with new leather and sometimes even occur in transit. If you think your item arrived with a scratch, please check out our Total Leather Care Guide for more information!

However, if this mark looks like it’s part of the leather or maybe even resembles a pen mark, it’s most likely a character mark! At Portland Leather, we use only the highest quality full-grain leather for all our items, which means we refrain from sanding down natural markings to keep the entire grain of the hide intact – this maintains the strong fibers within the hide and contributes to the most highly durable leather. This also means that every hide we receive has a range of natural markings, which we call "character marks". More specifically, these can be scars, wrinkles, freckles or even stretch marks! Each is a little piece of evidence that your leather came from a cow who has lived a life and makes your new leather unique to you.

Scratch or Character Mark aside, our team is always happy to review a photo of any mark that may be concerning to you!

The majority of our leathers are naturally conditioning and on their own and should not need to be treated with a conditioner right off the bat! As you begin to use your leather, you'll notice that it will naturally condition itself from the inside out, developing a beautiful sheen. Scratches and scuffs contribute to redistributing the oils and waxes in the hide, and will become less noticeable over time as the bag develops its own unique patina. There is no urgent need to treat or clean minor stains and surface marks, as these will ultimately blend in and contribute to the character of an authentic leather bag.

That said, our lighter colored leathers may be more prone to stains or discoloration from oils, water, and everyday dirt & grime. If you'd like to be extra precautious we recommend applying a leather protectant to help prevent stains and make cleaning the leather easier in the future. Our favorite is our Natural Leather Protector!

After 6-12 months of use, you may notice that you'd like to restore the luster and overall patina of your leather. We use The Ultimate Leather Conditioner in our workshop every day and are able to use it on even our lightest colors without any noticeable darkening. In our experience, the leather will look a bit darker when you first apply the conditioner, but will return to the original color when dry. Of course, take care to use a reasonable amount, as a super heavy coat may have different effects on the leather, and test any treatment on an inconspicuous area of your item at first.

Finally, some customers choose to add an extra waterproofing spray to their leather so it will better wick raindrops and moisture. We'd recommend going this route if you live in a particularly rainy or humid climate.

The difference between Premium items and our Almost Perfect items is the number of natural character marks. All natural, non-coated or buffed-down leather will display some natural character marks from the cow’s life — bug bites, scratches, stretch marks, wrinkles and scars. An "Almost Perfect" product often will have character marks that are slightly more obvious, or will have variations in color or texture. 

We figured that it'd be a shame to waste such beautiful and functional leather just for aesthetic reasons, so we decided to sell it at a discounted price! Most people are very happy with their Almost Perfect purchase and appreciate the uniqueness it adds! None of these "imperfections" will affect the integrity of the item — you'll still receive a wonderfully well-made product that will last a lifetime, and if you are not happy, both Premium and Almost perfect items are eligible for a return/exchange.

Bag interiors can have a range of “shagginess” on the interior - this is a normal feature of leather hides and nothing to be alarmed by! Our leather comes from cows, and each animal's skin is a different thickness, which affects the tightness or looseness of the grain. Some cows quite literally have thicker skin than others. Because of this natural variation, we aren't always able to shave off the entirety of the loose fibers of skin that are closer to the muscle on smaller cows. This means that we often receive a percentage of hides where the fibers on the interior are shaggy and may be more prone to shedding.

If you are experiencing fibers shedding, we recommend using a vacuum cleaner or compressed air to remove as much lint as possible from your bag! 

For light duty cleaning like regular wear and small spills, we suggest our Natural Leather Cleaner. Weiman’s Cleaning and Conditioning Leather Wipes are also an affordable and accessible option that you can find at most department stores (they are great for car interiors, too)! 

If the stain is more serious, you may need to take a two-step approach with our our Natural Leather Cleaner and the Ultimate Leather Conditioner combined. This dynamic duo gently lifts grime from deep within the fibers of the leather, while also protecting against future blunders. 

If all else fails, call a professional – Google can help you find a leather care specialist or even a dry cleaner in your area who will likely be able to help you restore your leather. Those folks have seen it all!

We are always happy to review a photo of your tote to make sure that you received the correct color. As leather is a natural material and it is dyed in batches, there is a spectrum within any particular shade. This is more prominent in the brown tones, such as Cognac and Honey. We review and update our listing photos as frequently as possible to make sure the color we are sending out is represented as accurately as possible. 

Please also in mind that our photos are taken in either a bright studio or on the street using professional cameras, so your tote might not have the same "glow" when you first open the box on your dining room table! Take your tote into bright natural light to confirm, and if you feel the shade is off from what you expected, snap a picture for us to review and send to support@portlandleathergoods.com along with your order number.