Just ordered a new MANDRN piece? Here’s how to set her up for success. 

• Be contact-careful. Just like with a new pair of jeans, it’s normal for leather dye to loosen and transfer to other materials – especially at the beginning. The first few times you wear your new bag, wipe it down with a damp (not fully wet) cloth before each use to catch any dye that might’ve loosened. Remember that color transfer is always possible (especially when wet), so if you’ve gone for one of our darker bags, avoid the rain and light clothing until your bag is properly worn-in. If you’ve gone for one of our lighter-colored bags, avoid dark clothes for the first few wears instead. 
• Pack her with protection. Use our Leather Conditioner (or a similar product) to protect your leather from all the things it doesn’t love. Start by wiping her down with a water-damp cloth, then apply a small amount of conditioner to a cleaning pad. In a circular motion, gently rub the pad onto a small test spot (like the back of a bag strap) before doing the rest. Skip panicking when the conditioner temporarily darkens the leather, then leave to fully dry before your first use. (*Note: this applies to all leathers except our Saddle leather, on which the Leather Conditioner should not be used.)  
• Spray her down. Once the conditioner has fully dried, you can double-down on protection with a waterproof leather-protectant spray. Be sure to hold the spray at a distance so it’s more of a strong mist, and let your bag fully dry before using. 

Help your leather age like a (buttery-soft) fine wine with these post-wear TLC tips. 

• Say no to H2O. Water is a no-go for leather, but it happens. If your leather does get wet, let her dry naturally without any added heat or sunlight.
• Stay shady. Vitamin D might do wonders for your sanity, but leather prefers to vampire. When you’re not wearing your bag, put her to sleep in a cool, dry and dark place. Ideally inside a dust-protective bag or pouch, or the reusable cotton bag she arrived in. 
• Weekly wipedowns. Like all of us, your leather loves a cleansing massage. Using a water-damp, chemical-free cloth, give her a weekly wipe-down to remove any dirt that’s settled into her pores. If you do one thing in the way of leather care, do this!
• Monthly spa days. For all leather aside from our Saddle leather, clean your MANDRN monthly with our Leather Cleanser and Conditioner (skip the Conditioner for Saddle). Start by massaging the cleanser directly onto your bag in a circular motion with a microfiber cloth – always after testing a small section first. Let it fully absorb before following with the Conditioner (see the steps in the Pre-wear protection’ section above). 
• Annual winter waterproofing. Once a year, spray your leather with a waterproof leather-protectant spray to keep protection on point. We do it at the end of each winter (when she could use the extra love). Be sure to hold the spray at a distance so it’s more of a strong mist, and let your bag fully dry before using. 

Life happens, and so do stains. Follow these tricks to save your bag from the stuff you’d rather do without.For all leather aside from our Saddle leather, clean your MANDRN with our Leather Cleanser and/or Leather Conditioner immediately after coming into contact with a stain (skip the Conditioner for Saddle). The best stain removal process – and products – depends on whether the stain is oil-based and which type of leather you have. Check our handy stain removal chart here before following the correct steps below. And remember to always spot-test on a small area first!