Our Leather and Leathercare


 Fold Wallet. Handmade Wallet. Women's Wallet. Accessories. Leather Goods. Handcrafted. Jess Goehner. Handmade. Modern Design.

Quality

All Directive goods are made using full grain chrome-tanned leathers or natural vegetable tanned leathers, picked for their beautiful wear and durability. These are hardworking bags, made for daily use.

We have an established relationship with one of the last remaining tanneries in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Our tannery has been producing hides for major companies all over the world for over 70 years and complies fully with U.S. environmental protection laws. Other leathers come from US based tanneries as much as is possible. Every raw hide is sourced from U.S. domestic markets, making our leather 100% American made.

We pick hides based on the soft feel, sturdiness, and unique markings. Many of the unique marks make their way into our products making truly one of a kind bags. 

Why Leather?

Our goal is to make long lasting and hardworking goods for you. We have found that other materials (faux leathers and other synthetic fabrics) tend to degrade quickly over time, are often petroleum based, and usually cannot be repaired. The main goal is less waste, less trash. Leather is a natural bi-product of the US meat industry and would otherwise be wasted unless the leather is tanned and used. Leather is hard wearing, can be patched and fixed easily, and lasts far longer than synthetic materials. 

Care

Regular conditioning will help keep your leather soft and help it to develop a deep patina all your own. We offer our own all natural leather conditioner, made from the same ingredients you would use on dry hands- in fact you can use it as a balm too!

Empty your bag before rubbing conditioner on. Using small, circular motions rub conditioner in with a lint free cloth. Once finished, allow bag to rest while conditioner absorbs into the leather. Repeat every few months or as needed.

Staining 

Our leathers are colorfast though in some extreme cases (very hot, humid, or wet weather) the waxes used to seal leather in the tannery can transfer to light colored clothing. Please use caution when wearing your Directive in these instances.

More commonly, some clothing, particularly dyed denim, can stain your leather with consistent wear. If you are concerned about staining your Directive piece, it is best to avoid contact with dyed products like denims. These stains cannot be removed most often.

Stains from pen ink or other non-dye based stains can often be removed with a simple wash with blue Dawn dishsoap, diluted. Be careful not to soak your leather and wipe away. Follow with conditioner.