Caring for designer bags-Gucci, Furla etc- Wh? How?

[citrine146]

Once in a while (a few years or so) I go through my bags and very surprised and disappointed that the bags have badly deteriorated eg the outside is immaculate but the leather lining has scuffed and turned powdery or the leather body has turned flaky, as if melting and sticky.

My bags have always been kept inside their sleeper/dust bags and for the softer leathers always had tissues inserted as to keep their shapes.  

This is not the first time.  Something similar happened years before and I ended up throwing 2 Gucci bags amongst others.

Safe to say that the LV, Chanel, Bottega Bags have aged well, thank goodness!

Any suggestions on how to avoid such?  any bag conditioner you could suggest?

TIA

[nova7000]

Any leather item needs conditioner periodically to keep it moist and supple so it doesn't dry out. I would guess that any leather product for that would work. As for 'melting and sticky' I don't know. Last time I saw that was with a popsicle. Don't be storing popsicles in your expensive purses. 😉

[radka75]

While back we have had a poster here and she would rehabilitate/fix peeling, cracking Gucci bags and share before and after pictures. It was pretty cool. Does anybody else remembers that ?  I remember reading that Gucci bags were prone to this problem.

[albertabrightalberta]

I remember! And I found at least one of her posts. It was @etzatdebz who did the rehabs:

http://community.ebay.com/t5/Archive-Fashion/Gucci-work-in-progress/m-p/19953386

[jsales0]

I can add a bit more info. You're doing the right stuff Citrine, it's not your fault that your designer bags are having issues. The problem is that many of the designer houses were using unstable polymer based materials for their linings not knowing that this junk was going to break down. "Sticky pocket" is infamous (particularly for Gucci and Vuitton). Nothing can be done to prevent it or stop it from happening as it's not about how the item is stored (which can accelerate deterioation) but about the physical breakdown of the material used by these companies in the past.

Everyone has gotten much smarter and synthetics are far more stable today than they were in the past. Today, most new luxury product will not have these issues UNLESS they're stored without good circulation and/or you live in a humid environment (e.g. Florida and Japan). Then, all bets are off IMO.

Always store your bags in a breatable material and never store anything in plastic-I'm guilty of that one with clothes from the cleaners and really need to stop but I figure that they're not in the plastic that long and i never do it with leather or suede.

Etzatdebz always did an unbelievable job removing the flaking synthetics. She didn't fix them in the traditional sense but she took the flaking synthetic off the cotton (or whatever was the backing/bonding material). I've done it with a small stiff brush-you have to work slowly and carefully-I've also picked flakes off but I think it's just easier to not use those damaged pockets. 

All of the above is my opinion only.

[citrine146]

Many thanks jsales0 and all.

I think I've been successful with the Gucci bag.  Scraped the lining and removed the residue using the vacuum cleaner (on very low setting).  Not even sure if vacuuming was wise but at least got rid of the powdery bits.

On the Furla,  most likely it'll end in the bin.  The damage is on the  outer trim and the handle and with the look of it is beyond repair.

[citrine146]

[citrine146]

Here's another Gucci bag.  The body looks immaculate but the interior has deteriorated.

[shirlsin]

Such good information. I have been guilty of storing purses in plastic.

[citrine146]

I also use old pillowcases as dustbags for bags and shoes.

I've stopped using plastics for storing.  They're now biodegradable and break down easily.

[postingid2017]

The inside on the Gucci Insect bag does not look that bad (at least for me it does not), however, I have a similar one that rubbed against my jeans and turned blue - I almost had a coronary.  Tried everything that I thought would work, until finally, I tried saddle soap and it worked - YEAH! 

I mainly used Lexol cleaner and conditioner on all my leather bags and only use another cleaner for my vintage Coach bags - they seem to do better with that cleaner although I can't remember the name off the top of my head now, but I did learn of it from this board.  Leather CPR I think.  It is leather CPR - I just did a search for it here.  It is excellent for vintage (leather) Coach bags!