Denim Dye Transfer

One of the most common problems we see is the inadvertent transfer of dye from denim to handbags and accessories. I was recently interviewed and questioned by In Style Magazine about just this topic. I was very excited to discuss this topic due to how often it occurs. Women need to be made aware and take precaution with denim. The article ran in March and is available as a pdf to print (In Style PDF) for your use or you can read the summary here.

1. All is not necessarily lost. Often fabric, leather and suede bags can be remedied. Patent leather and PVC are generally not successful.
2. The problem is with the indigo dye in the denim not the handbag or accessory.
3. There is no way to affix the dye to the denim. The denim must be cleaned and re cleaned until the last remnants of the fugitive dye is removed. This can take up to eight or more cleanings.

My overall recommendation is be VERY careful with denim when carrying an accessory. Test that the denim doesn't experience crocking with a white cloth before taking any chances.

Please don't abuse me

We don't recommend mistreating your finer bags in this manner, however there remains hope for even abused bags such as this. The challenge in restoring light colored high end leather bags is retaining the original softness of the leather. This is the difference between a shoe repair shop and a couture leather service provider.

Taking advantage of our CleanByMail service we were able to save this bag for a customer that resides on Fifth Avenue in New York City. The nation's finest couture cleaning service is as close as your doorstep.

Juicy Makeover

The challenge with this purse was to remove the stain, kill the mold and rejuvenate the color while keeping the leather soft. Some leather is dyed and others are painted. Dyed leather has a soft feel to it where painted has a stiffer feel. In restoring color to dyed leather it is vitally important to use the proper dye and apply in numerous light applications to retain the original soft feel.

All parties were pleased with the reults.