Care & Repair
Our bags are made from vegetable tanned
leather. It is a very strong and long lasting material but inevitably
its lifetime and looks still largely depend on regular and proper care. It
is important to remember that different leather types behave
differently and these instructions are meant
especially for Stella
Soomlais bags.
One of our most important design principles is that the bag must be
easily taken care of and repairable if necessary. One bag should be
usable by one or series of users for decades or even lifetimes.
At the end of its life the material of the bag must be reusable to the maximum. The leather of a well cared bag we can use later to make second round of smaller products.
At the end of its life the material of the bag must be reusable to the maximum. The leather of a well cared bag we can use later to make second round of smaller products.
Regular care
Normally
your bag is fine with regular care routines and does not need thorough
cleaning too often. Wipe your bag with slightly damp cloth and apply
leather cream for moisturising. Use only a small amount of cream at a
time and apply it in circular movement to avoid stains. Do this every
couple of months if your bag is in heavy use.
If your bag gets dirty, remove stains or dirt with a clean damp sponge and leather soap. Work the soap into foam with the sponge and clean the bag. Start the procedure from the bottom of
the bag. To avoid shade differences,
clean the whole surface of the leather
with circular movements. Remove the
foam with a clean damp cloth. Always
finalize the cleaning routine with leather
protection cream.
Always finish the cleaning process with a leather protection cream. Apply a small amount of cream onto a clean cloth (never directly onto the bag) and go over the entire surface using circular movements and again, starting from the bottom.
Need a visual guide? Check out our aftercare tutorial videos on Instagram.
Always finish the cleaning process with a leather protection cream. Apply a small amount of cream onto a clean cloth (never directly onto the bag) and go over the entire surface using circular movements and again, starting from the bottom.
Need a visual guide? Check out our aftercare tutorial videos on Instagram.
We
recommend thorough cleaning and care once a year. It needs patience and
proper tools, but you can easily do it at home. However, our crafters
are glad to do it for you. You can find detailed information about our
care service below.
Care service
Aftercare fee:
In addition to
cleaning and applying moisturising and protective cream, we also replace
any details that are worn out or broken and we have our special tricks
to pamper the overall look of the bag.
We recommend bringing the bag for aftercare after 6-12 months of use. Depending on the state of the bag, we can then suggest how often to bring your bag back for maintenance. Usually the interval is 6-24 months depending on the bag’s color (lighter leather needs cleaning more often), how heavily it’s used and how many things you carry along with it.
We recommend bringing the bag for aftercare after 6-12 months of use. Depending on the state of the bag, we can then suggest how often to bring your bag back for maintenance. Usually the interval is 6-24 months depending on the bag’s color (lighter leather needs cleaning more often), how heavily it’s used and how many things you carry along with it.
Aftercare fee:
- Small bags – 20 EUR
- Medium and big bags – 30 EUR
- Custom repair – 48 EUR
Our aftercare days are held every two weeks but during summer aftercare service is on hold. We start regularly again in September.
If your bag needs an urgent care then write to us to schedule a time: design@stellasoomlais.com We offer care service only for Stella Soomlais bags.
Important daily tips:
1.
Avoid long term direct & intensive sunlight, as it may affect the
color of your bag. Lighter tones become darker. Bright colours become
duller.
2. Natural leather that has not been heavily treated is vulnerable to high temperature. It alters the shape and structure of leather. Do not use hot water for cleaning. Let your bag air dry at room temperature when wet. Avoid hot radiators.
3. Natural leather and hand sanitizer don’t go together. It can ruin the leather if it spills. Keep the hand sanitizer separately, either in the pocket of the bag, or even in a minigrip.
2. Natural leather that has not been heavily treated is vulnerable to high temperature. It alters the shape and structure of leather. Do not use hot water for cleaning. Let your bag air dry at room temperature when wet. Avoid hot radiators.
3. Natural leather and hand sanitizer don’t go together. It can ruin the leather if it spills. Keep the hand sanitizer separately, either in the pocket of the bag, or even in a minigrip.
Round 2
It is important for us to keep the material of our bags in use as long as possible. To make it easier for you to return the bags
you have used up (after long and loving care, of course), we offer a
credit for your next purchase. The credit amount depends on the state of
the bag. So it pays to take good care of your bag.
Literally.