What to look for in a belt

Belts are often thrown on as an afterthought BUT if you’re going to buy just the one, make it count!

The Perfect Travel Accessories - Just4leather Travel Supplement

Looking for a washbag, travel planner or passport holder for your summer holiday? We have chosen and reviewed a few for you and in our latest travel supplement magazine

How to keep your leather wallet or bag looking its best…

Here are our top tips for how to look after your leather bag or wallet and how to keep it looking just as great after a few years use as that day you bought it.

Suede is known for it's soft, supple finish yet that signature texture also makes for tricky care. It's not difficult to maintain, you simply need to know what works best. Here's our guide to keeping your suede leather items in tip top shape.

TREATING AND WATERPROOFING

Because of suede's matte finish, it can be easily susceptible to stains and thus, people often want to treat it with some sort of protector. Yes, you can use a spray like Collonil's Waterstop, but those treatments often minimize the flexibility, change the suede's color and make it less breathable. A wise and stylish man once remarked "If there was an effective treatment to protect suede, wouldn't manufacturers be using it?" You're probably better off not treating your suede and simply avoiding rainy days.

SPOT CLEANING

You can't polish away scuff marks or stains. You'll need a suede eraser (basically a brick of crumbly rubber) to rub away small blemishes,

In the past 25 years we've been selling leather bags, wallets, belts, purses and hats, we've experienced a whole host of leather-related jargon. At first it can be pretty confusing if you don't know your nappa from your nubuck, or your vegetable tanning from your oil tanning. That's why we've put together this easy-to-use glossary of all the industry terms you're likely to encounter when shopping for quality leather goods.

Bridle Leather - vegetable-tanned leather used for making equestian equipment e.g. saddles.

Buffalo Leather - hide from domesticated water buffalo.

Burnished Leather  - where heat has been applied to the leather to achieve a darker colour and sheen.

Calfskin - fine-grained leather made from the hide of young cattle.

Crocking - similar to raw denim, this is when pigment from dyed leather rubs off onto other materials.