Care

Exotic leather rewards a little attention. Treated well, a strap or wallet will outlast anything else you carry.

Every day

Wipe the surface with a dry, soft cloth after wear to lift dust and skin oils from between the scales. Nothing more is needed most of the time.

Water and moisture

Exotic leather is not waterproof. If a piece gets wet, blot it — never rub — with a dry cloth and let it dry naturally away from radiators, hairdryers and direct sun. Forced heat will shrink and crack the scales permanently.

Oils, creams and perfume

Keep the leather away from perfume, hand cream, sunscreen and household cleaners. These stain exotic hides far more readily than calf. Do not use silicone or wax polishes.

Conditioning

Two or three times a year, apply a very small amount of a conditioner made specifically for exotic leather with a soft cloth, following the direction of the scales. Less is always better — over-conditioning darkens the hide.

Watch straps in particular

A strap worn against the skin absorbs sweat. Rotate between two straps if you wear a watch daily, and let each rest and dry fully between wears. Loosen the buckle when you take the watch off so the leather is not held under tension.

Storage

Store pieces flat or lightly stuffed, in the dust bag provided, somewhere cool and dry. Avoid sealed plastic, which traps humidity, and avoid stacking anything heavy on top of scaled leather.

Repairs

We repair and re-stitch our own pieces. Before you take a Caïman & Co item to a general cobbler, write to hello@caimanand.co — in most cases we would rather do it ourselves.