✨ HOW TO MAINTAIN AND STORE YOUR LEATHER ITEMS ?
Sandy Bontout, co-founder of the site Etablissementsbonnet.fr, which offers individuals the opportunity to renovate all your worn or damaged leather or skin pieces, gives us its tips!
1. Hello Sandy, can you introduce yourself in a few words ?
I am Sandy Bontout, co-founder of the company Établissements Bonnet. I have worked for more than 20 years in the fashion industry, as a buyer, sales director and digital development manager. I am passionate about products, craftsmanship and know-how. I love visiting factories and understanding the manufacturing secrets.
2. What is the mission of Bonnet establishments ?
Établissements Bonnet is the first e-press specialized in leather articles which creates a direct link between experts and individuals.
Leather is an organic material that needs maintenance. That said, when leather is preserved with care, it is one of the most durable materials in our wardrobe.
For us, offering a service allowing individuals to take better care of their leather pieces means giving them the opportunity to wear them longer and also to be able to invest in better quality pieces.
I realized that very few people knew how to maintain or renovate their leather items.
I understood that there were lots of superb products, a little stained, a little worn, sleeping in cupboards with no future prospects... Not very circular economy...
We therefore created Établissements Bonnet to offer individuals a simple, quick and effective option.
Établissements Bonnet is an e-commerce site that allows individuals to have their leather items cleaned & renovated (clothing, shoes, sneakers, bags and accessories).
In a few clicks, it is possible to select the desired service, pay for it, obtain the Colissimo slip and ship the item to be renovated.
The latter will then be received in the workshop (family workshop created more than 40 years ago by my uncle, made up of leather experts), taken care of, renovated then returned by us & to our load, in magnificent recycled and recyclable textile covers.
We also offer numerous communications options (telephone, video, photos, messages) so that our customers can contact us to ask us their questions and show us their items to be renovated.
3. What is your best advice for preserving our leather treasures ?
Be careful with dirty hands, brush or rub gently but regularly. In case of rain, let it dry in the open air before storing. Above all, no drying on the radiator.
The key is also a good storage system.
4. How to store them so as not to damage them ?
Above all, store your favorite pieces away from light, dust, humidity and moths. In addition, always try to keep your items in their original packaging, it is often perfectly suitable.
We recommend that you place your bags, dry, filled with tissue paper or any other padding (old t-shirts, towels, etc.), in a bag then in a box adapted to their size in order to avoid any deformation. If you don't have a box, lay your bags flat on your shelf. Leave enough space between each: too crowded, they risk flattening, deforming and even rubbing off on each other.
To ensure that your shoes are less damaged, always store them in their box. Wrap them with tissue paper or put them in bags (one per shoe). Stuff each foot well with paper, if you don't have a shoe tree. This way, the shoes will retain their original shape for longer. In winter or in case of rain, dry your shoes well in the open air (especially not on a radiator!) before storing them.
5. If I have a small task, what do I do ?
It really depends on the stains and types of leather. If it's a bit fat, try Sommières earth. Simply sprinkle on the stain and leave for a long time (12 to 24 hours). Then vacuum up the residue. If it works, repeat the operation until the stain disappears. For suede leather, you can brush gently with a very soft brush (silk bristles), but do not scratch.
6. If I need a major cleaning (renovation), how do you do it ?
We have many techniques, in reality each item is different, so we adapt.
Machine cleaning, hand cleaning, stripping, re-feeding, re-coloring, re-pigmentation, brushing, polishing, glazing, re-proofing, steaming, ironing, etc. Each product has its own personalized solution in order to get as close as possible to its original “look”.
You want to know more about Bonnet Establishments ?
👉 Their Insta profile where you will discover their before and after!
