Leather care

Hulduköttr always uses first class vegetal tanned leather, It must require a different care process for its usage and maintenance, some different from other sources of industrial origin (chrome tanned leather) than other skins you might be familiar with. For that reason,we would explain briefly some concepts first:

What is vegetal tanned leather?

Is tanned leather after using tannin, that means, organic substances from a water or alcohol and water mixture, purified and evaporated later. Are found in vegetable matter, tree bark, and other such sources. Is the oldest tanning method, cultures such as Ancient Egipt, Greece and Rome were tannin masters. The result is this beautiful soft browned color that you can see in some of our non dyed pieces. Tannin becomes oxidized with air and water, therefore this kind of leather will be turning into a darker colour, forming a fine patina, quite similar to wood, despite wood process is faster than leather. In dyed clearer sections this process is also noticeable, hence the darkening procedure will be uniform and equable in the whole piece. At lenght, this is a natural process wich never involves a quality loss.

To minimize this process, the tip is covering the piece when not in use , and keep it away from sunlight, as well as spotlights and other heavy lights. On the other hand, if you wish to darken it, leave it in the sun during a few hours and let it do its thing.

Leather Care

1. Cleaning. You must never use quimical cleaning tools, alcohol or any type of cleaning tools for other sources, such as turpetine essence or ammonia, it results abrassive on leather surface providing an unaesthetic outside appearance. The most advisable is to use saddle soap (it contains glycerine), applied with a soft and dry esponge along the surface, in even dyed and not dyed strokes. Let it dry and buff with a clean clothe to clear away product surplus . After you clean apply leather dressing, keeping in mind that after the soap usage leather becomes parched and it's appropriate to keep any moisture level to avoid your leather turning brittle, loosing its natural tonicity. Saddle soap is easy to acquire in specialist shops and general stores.

2. If your leather becomes wet. Although Hulduköttr's works are consigned with a waterproof lotion, water soaking is not appropriate. There's risk to happen anyway, specially in items for an outdoors usage, such as purses, pouches, wristbands, etc. If leather becomes wet, don't be alarmed. As we said before, our works are made with veg tanned leather. When this kind of leather gets wet in abundancy, it tends to be darken or harden, causing stains and failures. Because of that, don't force to dry it if you want to preserve it in a good mood. Let it dry on its own, after its dry clean with saddle soap and apply leather dressing. Never use hair-dryers and such things and never rub with a towel, it could damage or discolour your leather.

In case any piece gets damaged or discolours, you cand send us back and we will do our best to remove damages, sometimes this is a impossible mission, but we could palliate it.

For any questions about leather care you may have, email us and we will be pleased to regard to you.

Hulduköttr.