How To Care For: Crocodile Leather And Other Exotic Skins

Exotic skins have been used for many decades in the manufacture of footwear and fashion accessories.

 

Despite how controversial the use of these types of leather can be, the truth is that today there are many brands such as Hermes or Gucci who continue to use them in their designs. Is not unusual to find brands that opt for these special materials as crocodile leather to make their collections.

 

When we talk about exotic leathers, we refer to those that come from animals such as ostrich, the skin of different types of snakes, crocodile or lizards. As we have already mentioned, they are still widely used and in demand nowadays.

 

With this post we intend to show the ideal process for the maintenance of those pieces that have been designed with this type of leather that, due to their characteristics, need specific care.

 

 

It is obvious that the features of the usual smooth leather are quite different from those of crocodile leather. In these skins, we find the presence of scales of different colors, shapes and sizes. Each type of skin, depending on where it comes from, will have a unique and special design, shape and colors.

 

It is also noteworthy that exotic leathers are more delicate than smooth leather garments or footwear, but at the same time, with the right care we can say that it is of a quality that can last forever. So if you take good care of that bag made of python skin, it is likely that your grandchildren will be able to wear it without problems.

 

100% genuine crocodile leather is a very soft leather that, over the years, has achieved a lot of prestige and is considered very sophisticated. In addition, this type of leather retains its natural structure if properly preserved. It needs special care to retain its shine and softness despite the passing of the years.

 

We can find these leathers in items such as cowboy boots, belts, shoes or bags of the finest quality.

 

 

 

Store your crocodile leather garments and shoes correctly:

 

 

It is the number one rule, when storing your handbags, boots or other exotic leather accessories you should always try to do it correctly.

 

Do not leave a crocodile skin bag exposed, the right thing to do is to keep it in a 100% cotton bag. The same goes for boots, shoes, belts and others, it is very important to keep them properly protected.

 

This step will also help you keep the garment protected from moisture and dirt.

Never expose your bag or shoes to sunlight, do not stack bags on top of each other and always make sure they are stored in the right shape without folding or creasing them. For this, you can use newspaper or onion paper for stuffing to help keep the correct shape.

If we are talking about shoes or boots, we recommend the use of shoe trees, such as Saphir BdC Cedar Shoe Trees.

 

 

Cleaning exotic leathers

 

 

For regular cleaning of this type of leather, you can use a cotton chamois such as Chamois Saphir Médaille D'Or to remove surface dust.

 

However, when the piece needs a deeper cleaning or has been stored for a long time, the ideal is to do a cleaning with the Fine Leather Lotion Saphir Médaille D'Or. This cleaning cream has a great cleaning power without leaving residues, it does not affect the colors or finishes of the exotic leather. Once applied with a cotton chamois and waiting a few minutes for it to dry, the shine can be restored with a horsehair brush.

 

Be careful with this last step, do not use just any brush, it must be one with delicate and natural bristles that respect the scales and do not spoil them.

 

Maintenance

 

Both smooth and exotic leathers need regular moisturizing and nourishment for their correct maintenance. In the case of delicate leathers, we find Saphir BdC Reptan, a gel specially formulated for this leather that cleans and moisturizes reptile skins. It includes a small chamois for its application and, due to its formulation, it respects the colors and finishes, providing nutrition to the leather.

 

If it is a bag or shoes with a shiny patent leather finish, we recommend using the Saphir BdC Vernis Rife product, specially designed to preserve the shine of garments with this type of finish. It allows cleaning and, at the same time, respects the natural finish of the exotic leather.

 

 

Tips

 

 

1. Apply creams and gels in the same direction as the scales for their correct preservation. When brushing, it is also necessary to respect the direction of the scales to prevent them from coming off.

 

1. We do not recommend leaving bags, jackets or shoes exposed to the sun for a long time; the leather may lose its flexibility and natural shine. Also keep it away from any type of heat sources such as heating devices.

 

1. Of course, avoid exposing this type of leather to rain and water in general. If your garment gets wet, let it dry naturally, never apply artificial heat. If you need to protect and waterproof your exotic leather accessories, we recommend Super Invulner.

 

1. Finally, we recommend storing reptile skin garments in their original case, which are usually made of cotton.