Love leather that naturally ages and patinas over time? Our raw leather is made for you. Or do you love leather that maintains the color (especially the lighter colors) and uniformity similar to the day you bought it? Then our oil leather is your pick.
We have two kinds of leather at Sapahn: raw leather and oil leather, and regardless of which leather type you pick, our bags come with our Sapahn warranty.
Raw Leather
This is the classic full grain leather we’ve built Sapahn on. Each piece of leather is perfectly ‘imperfect’, carrying unique grain patterns with no surface alterations or splitting and an attractive matte finish. This type of leather showcases the beauty of the hide itself and could display variegation based on stretch marks, moles, etc. the cow earned throughout its life.
Working with this kind of leather can be challenging and requires enormous skill to turn it into our gorgeous supple bags you see (if only we had a penny for every time someone told us the leather felt like butter). This kind of leather is particularly special because over time and use, each raw leather bag develops a distinct patina—a soft sheen—that is the hallmark of high-quality leather. The patina also gives your bag individual character that is 100% unique to you and your adventures.
Oil Leather
Our oil leather is our gorgeous full grain leather with a twist. After our classic tanning process, the leather is then coated with a protectant to give a more uniform vibrant color and provide a touch of water resistance. The oiling process gives these bags a striking glossy finish and also prevents them from developing patinas over time. This means YES, you can carry a light-colored leather bag and not be afraid of it getting dirty.
Metallic Leather
Sapahn’s metallic leather handbags are crafted with a special coating that gives an eye-catching shine. While incredibly stylish, they require more care than traditional Sapahn leather bags. Metallic leather is delicate and may show signs of wear over time, which is a natural characteristic of the material.
Please avoid excessive rubbing or contact with rough surfaces to prevent scuffs and scratches. Gentle handling and proper storage will help preserve their stunning appearance.
With proper care, your metallic piece will remain chic in your wardrobe for years.
FAQs
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Does the leather easily scratch?
No. Small scratches easily buff out of raw leather. An exception is if the scratch is deep and penetrates beneath the top layer of the hide. Otherwise, subtle scratches will often work themselves out and become part of the patina glow. The same is true with our oil leather which—unless it is a deep it won’t show any subtle scratches. -
Will rain stain my leather?
Raw Leather: This would be super rare. The water will make a mark on your bag while it’s wet. Avoid touching it and transferring dirt on it. Instead, let it dry.
Oil Leather: the rain/water will just roll right off your bag. Towel it dry. -
What is the best way to clean spills?
Raw Leather: Take a damp, soft cloth and try to remove the spill as soon as possible. To clean it further, we have had good results with Angelus cleaner and horsehair brush, that you can purchase here. It is key to test a small spot first as discoloration may occur. Again, not the fault of the leather. The discoloration will occur with any moist product touching any porous material. After the spot test, use it all over the bag. For best results, do not use multiple cleaners or products at a time.
Oil Leather: One major benefit of our oil leather is it is very easy to clean. Use a damp cloth and rub the dirt or stain off the bag. - How do I remove ink or dye from my bag: Unfortunately, ink is difficult and nearly impossible to remove. The same is true with blue jean dye. This is not a reflection of the quality of our leather, but the dye itself. Since leather is a natural, porous product, it will absorb things and inks and dyes are made to be permanent.
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Where is your leather sourced from?
We use premium leather sourced from Thailand. Our leather is a bi-product of the food industry and are raised for meat/dairy not for their hides. It’s a beautiful thing to take what would be a wasted material and craft it into our gorgeous leather bags and give our artisans fair and meaningful work.
