When it comes to the almost endless number of leather care products on the market, making the appropriate decision can be confusing, if not impossible. With this in mind, when you receive a bag from basader, it will arrive treated with natural oils and imbued with protective waxes. If you just purchased a bag, rest assured, you have time to enjoy it without resorting to the (possibly harmful) can of synthetic leather spray that came with your last pair of shoes. Regardless, overtime, the natural conditioners that we treat your bag with will eventually need to be replaced to ensure its longevity.
For our hand-dyed veg-tan products, we highly recommend Obenauf’s Heavy Duty Leather Protectant. Produced by Marv Obenauf, a wildland firefighter, created the formula in an attempt to preserve his work boots against the harsh conditions of forest fires (heat, lye, retardant, etc.). Unlike competing products, it does not contain silicone (which prevents the leather from breathing). Instead, it’s composed of oil, to feed the leather, beeswax, to protect it, and propolis, a natural antibacterial resin (collected by honey bees).
If you’re using Obenauf’s, or even decide to use a comparable alternative, the key is not to oversaturate the leather. Applying a thin coat with a soft rag will do it. We find that just applying it is enough, but once dry, it can also be polished to a shine quite easily.
In the near future, we hope to show the whole process. It’s really not difficult, but in world where cheaper chrome-tanned leather is the norm, taking care of traditional veg-tan will probably require products that are not on-hand in the typical household.