One upon a time, I had a faux leather biker jacket that I really loved. I wasn't using it much since the climate here doesn't permit it so I kept it in my closet. After 2 years, I remembered it existed and when I checked on it, the plastic was peeling off. Everything peeled off and it cannot be saved. I knew it was faux leather (plastic) and that it wouldn't last 20 years lol but I didn't expect it to be dead this quick. I only used it maybe thrice and I was so bummed.
Upon my research, faux leathers apparently just last 2 years and maybe 5 years max if you store it properly. That's when I realized I should just be buying real leathers instead of plastics.
Going down the rabbit hole, I found out this brand Coach have really good quality bags and they also fit my taste. I never really cared about luxury brands (in Coach's case is an accessible luxury) but when I learned about how long they last and still look good, I understood why people buy it.
Then I got very lucky and found this Coach bag at the thrift store for $40. I know that thrifted bags can have a lower price but Coach right now is trending hence the price.
Anyway, I wanted to clean and condition it myself so I got myself some tools for it.
I already have an idea on how to take care of leathers because of my Doc Martens so it wasn't hard for me to find the materials. I ordered some cheap but from reliable brands on the market.
The creed says it was released in 2013 which makes this bag 13-years-old. This is really impressive because the bag is in excellent condition. I also got it for $40 and when checking international marketplaces, some prices go up to $200.
The bag is so spacious and the leather is so soft. The zippers also feel high quality.
I cleaned the inside lining using a lint roller to remove any dust and stuff. There is only a little bit of stain which I didn't bother to remove because I didn't wanna risk ruining the canvas.
I used the all purpose foam leather cleaner and a horsehair brush at the bottom to test it first. I was worried initially since I saw a bit of stain on the towel when I wiped it but apparently it's normal as long as it's not a lot.
I continued using a towel instead of a brush since the brush removes the dye more than this. I only had to rub the foam in circular motion and immediately wipe it with a dry towel. There is no need to rinse and I think this is standard care for all leathers.
The way the moisture was being absorbed tells us it's real leather. A plastic leather would have the water sit on top of it. :D
Then I cleaned the brass with a metal polish and surprisingly, it removed the discoloration.
This twist lock was also very easy to turn and at a high quality. It feels firm and doesn't get stuck.
After letting the bag dry, I then used this leather conditioner to restore the moisture. This makes the bag softer as well and will prevent cracks in the future.
I can tell this was well-loved by the previous owner because it is well maintained and also had a bit of coating I guess. Probably beeswax for the conditioner or something. That shine went away after I rubbed the foam.
This conditioner has a lotion consistency compared to Doc Martens Wonder Balsam that I use for my shoes. This gets absorbed so quickly and wouldn't leave a sticky feeling.
I also cleaned and conditioned the tassel and hang tag. I don't have a leather glue unfortunately, but can just do so in the future. :P
I buffed it with a horsehair brush to remove conditioner residue and also to shine it a bit.
And it is now ready to be used! Can you see how shiny that brass is?
It's amazing how it looks and feels brand new. Now remembering all the bags I bought for 2x the price of this but are all faux leather... I wish I looked at thrift shops sooner. It is also environment-friendly and cheaper to do so and considering we have a lot of trash from fast fashion, thrifting is so much better.
I am confident this will last for 10 years and more if I take care of it properly. :D
Whoa, looks like new! You really did a good job there, and no doubt real leather will last a lifetime if being well taken care of, in comparison with the fake leather that breaks apart even without touching it! lol
Yeah I really didn't know how QUICK they disintegrate. Good that it happened in only one piece so far, and not a lot of faux leather breaking apart all at once. Real leathers really are the GOAT hahah
haha that was a good work going even with the cotton ear to clean every piece 😄
Lol I use that quite a lot in some other things as well. Basically if I accidentally bought a qtip that bends too easily then that goes to the all-around pile where I use them to clean makeup, clean keyboard, and so on... XD
por la maleta se conoce al pasajero, muy bien cuidada
Dam, vintage coach 😍, love it...
Almost vintage, but I think the design is vintage for this legacy collection. Their vintage bags are so beautiful though but they’re hard to find :D
True, your one really looks very good. You really did a wonderful job...
Nice restoration. This must have taken a lot of patience and work and the result really shows
selected by @stevenson7
I enjoyed doing it although it didn’t need a lot of hardwork because the bag was in excellent condition, thankfully. :D
Wow, such a pretty bag.
You are very lucky to come across such quality, even if its expensive it is still worth it and better than purchaing new and inferior ones that won't last long. I often patronize thrift store too and have picked up some nice objects there too.
I has lost about two shoes which peeled off their beautiful skin and I had to dispose them
Have done a bag cleaning activity through your great skills. Making an attractive bag more clean by making it sustainable really promotes environmental care.