At Honey & Toast we source the best materials we can to make our products and offer you superb value. Leather as a material is durable, and can last a lifetime. Our bags are made from the highest quality, safety tested and ethically sourced leather articles that are all by-products of the food industry.
Leather is a natural material and will soften and change over time - developing a patina unique to you. This is part of the natural ageing process and should be cherished for the stories it tells of you - and your adventures together.
At Honey & Toast we use different types of leather as each has its own unique qualities. To hold structure, to slouch, to gather together, to be lightweight... Below you will find a guide to the leathers we use, why and where they come from.
To keep your H&T bag looking its best, please store in the dust bag it comes with and keep away from direct sunlight and other bright light.
If your bag gets wet - pat excess water off gently with a soft white cloth and then air dry the bag at room temperature before storing - DO NOT ever use a direct heat source such as radiator or hair dryer. The inside of the bags will stain from leaky pens, make up and so on – so please take care. Please be aware you may experience colour rub from dark colour leathers onto light clothing.
We recommend the Collonil leather care range and now offer these products for sale on our website. Please don't hesitate to contact me directly for more advice.
With regard to the more fragile metallic leathers - please spray the surface of the bag lightly and from recommended distance with a silicone leather or suede spray.
Oor best selling half moon bags are made from this leather. Sourced from a family owned tannery in Tuscany, Italy. The article we buy is vegetable tanned using a generations old 'recipe' that is a closely guarded family secret. Marks and scratches are usually easy to remove with a buff of a soft cloth or rubbing with a warm hand. This is a very natural leather which will age so beautifully! Due to the natural treatment colour can vary in tone across this surface. The half moon bags, mini Libby & Bella purses are made from this leather.
The metallic Libby hobo has a vegetable tanned leather handle - this has a very natural unfinished surface, this leather changes with time to develop a stunning rich toffee colour patina. It will become a rich toffee colour!
Soft, yet durable and strong – and importantly lightweight – this article is tanned in Italy. This softly tumbled grainy leather makes the Anna bucket bag, some of the Katie and Libby bags and the Jamie shoulder bag. It takes colour so well - check out the richness in the colour tones. Unlined bags made from Somerton leather may shed lightly onto items placed inside them - as the back side of this leather is suede which can be a little fluffy to start with.
A vegetable tanned leather sourced in Italy this leather is DIVINE! Our Glastonbury leather is an analine treated leather meaning only the best hides are selected - as you can see the top grain and surface of the leather in the finished product. In the world of leather, aniline tanning is synonymous with refinement and is the finest available. Soft to the touch but hardwearing your bag will look more beautiful every time you wear it, softening and developing a wonderful patina. Conker in colour - but with different tones shining though - as the natural qualities underneath are not hidden. This leather is an expression of beauty and make each bag unique and special to you. The Libby and Katie in conker are made from this leather.
The more structured Mini Eddie, Annie saddlebag, Stevie tote and Ava satchels are made from a leather sourced from the Netherlands. This leather is up to 2.4mm thick and very structured, so ideal for unlined bags. It is a traditional satchel leather article. It is very hardwearing, resistant to scratches and can be cleaned very easily, it will soften slightly with age but keep it's structure well. Bags made from this leather are unlined.
A small scale pebble grain made in a tannery in Yeovil, Somerset, with the most subtle sheen - this leather has a luxurious look and handle. Ideal for our Russet tote as the grain makes this leather more hardwearing. We also make the navy Katie bag in this this leather.
All of our metallic leathers are sourced in Italy - and are more delicate - the shine may dull with age and handling - but will of course still be beautiful. These bags are less suited to hard, every day use. Please store your bag carefully to keep it at its best. Treat with a leather care spray.
Your twin moon is made from Italian calf leather that has been embossed with a crocodile pattern using large metal plates. Clean your croc twin moon bag gently with a dry white cloth - to be safe please test a small area first. Never use any abrasive cleaning substances or solvents.
AppleskinTM is a product with a high content of natural waste. Apple leather complies with REACH regulations and is PVC free. Composition is polyester 38%, cotton 14%, polyurethane 27%, apple waste 21%. Difference in tone and colour between panels and batches is the proof that the product is natural. Wipe clean with a slightly damp cloth. If your apple leather bag gets wet please dry it as soon as you can with a soft light colour cloth and leave to dry in a warm area (not on a direct heat source such as a radiator)
Many of our handbags are unlined. You may see markings on the reverse side of the solid colour leather - these are often symbols that confirm the quality and size of the leather used to make your bag. If your bag is lined it is a cotton canvas fabric that is sourced within the UK. Unlined bags made from Somerton leather may shed lightly onto items placed inside them - as the back side of this leather is suede which can be a little fluffy to start with.
The metal fittings on all Honey & Toast products are made from coated brass fittings, they will develop a unique patina over time, as you use and handle them. The brass fittings may have small irregular marks and are unlikely to be a totally flat, uniform colour. We consider this to be a positive, as brass is a natural material and, as with the leather we use, the metal fittings will change over time making your bag unique to you. The air and chemicals in your skin will all have an impact on the finish.
The H&T logo is gold stamped on most products, on some it is blind embossed (not colour embossing).
Gold stamping is subject to wear and tear and will fade and or change with time. The gold foil material is delicate - it is heat pressed into the leather but by no means indestructible. Depending on how you wear your bag the gold foil may wear faster. For example a wallet in and out of a pocket several times a day will wear quickly. A gold foil logo on a handbag will fade and wear with use - this is normal.
