Care For What Carries You

A good bag earns its scars. But a little care between adventures keeps the leather doing what it does best—softening at the creases, deepening in colour, going the distance. Every Smithco bag is cut and built by hand, machine-stitched with heavy waxed thread strong enough for daily wear. Give it a bit of attention now and then, and it'll outlast the trip you bought it for.

I don't make my own cleaning products—I didn't want to guess at chemistry when there are people right here in Cape Town who've spent years getting it right. We recommend two care kits from Spotless, a local leather and shoe care specialist, matched to the leathers we work with.

Two Kits. Pick the One That Matches Your Bag

Leather Care Kit—for smooth leather

Best for most of the Smithco range.

What's in the box: 

• Hide Clean & Feed (200ml)
• Leather Nourishing Cream (50ml)
• a premium brush
• a microfibre cloth

The routine:

Clean, condition, protect—in that order, every few months. Hide Clean & Feed does the first two steps in one pass; the Nourishing Cream goes on after to restore softness and colour depth. Follow the steps in the box and your bag will outlast the fashion cycle.

Shoe Cleaning Kit—for suede-feel leather

Best for the Sheraton in Fudge, Black or Storm, and the Salvador in Choc.

What's in the box:

• Shoe Cleaner (50ml)
• a soft-bristle brush
• a microfibre cloth

Suede-feel leather needs a gentler hand than smooth leather—this kit is built for exactly that. Safe on all materials, gentle enough to lift dirt without flattening the nap.

General care tips

• Wipe down with a dry cloth after dusty or rainy days.
• Keep leather out of direct sun and away from heaters—heat dries it out and cracks the surface over time.
• If it gets wet, let it air dry naturally. Never force-dry with heat.
• Condition every three to six months, depending on how hard you're using it.
• Store stuffed with tissue in a dust bag when it's resting between trips.

Add a Kit to Your Order

A bag this good deserves to be looked after properly. Add a care kit to your order at checkout, or select an option here.