Why Buy On The Pre-owned Luxury Market and How To Treat Your Prized Purchase Afterwards
Smart tips for second-hand bag users
The reasons to buy bags, shoes and clothes on the pre-owned market are manifold, and the one who has taken advantage of this wonderful source of special pieces knows what I’m writing about. 😇
- Some bags are just easier to find on the resale market. Think about a Birkin or Constance in your desired colour. If you don't have a long client history at Hermès, it's going to be an insurmountable challenge. Searching for preowned items will definitely take you way less time.
- Some of the preowned bags are – surprise, surprise! - NEW! Actually, a lot of them are brand spanking new! Where do you think all the unwanted presents go? About half of the bags on this website, for instance, have zero signs of wear and tear. But don't forget to ask for detailed photos.
- It is sustainable. Fast fashion has proven to be a model that leads to nothing: buy more, produce more, more, more, more... where is the end? Do we really need so many new items? It is harmful to people and nature, so why do it?
- If you are used to circular fashion, you might probably have learnt to treat your garments with more respect. Who knows, perhaps you want to sell them in the future? The cycle is in fact unending and very beneficial to the environment.
- Searching for the treasure that awaits you somewhere is a unique experience. Those are the emotions that you can't buy for money, and when you finally find your gem, I am more than sure you won't treat it like "just another bag". This is not just about the money invested in it, but your time and emotions.
- It's cheaper. Nothing else to say, have you seen the latest Chanel price increase? Duh... What is more, I bet many other luxury brands will follow suit in due course.
- You will be part of a big community. Passion for fashion, attention to detail and handbag collectors are all here in the preowned luxury community. And they are very interesting people into the bargain! 😉
- Vintage luxury goods can sometimes be a very lucrative buy. A bag that was out of spotlight can suddenly get its hype back just like it’s recently happened to the glorious Fendi baguette. Sometimes vintage goods is merely smart investment. The value of bags like Hermes Birkin and Kelly keeps constantly growing, though their excellent condition is a determining factor in this case too.
- Buying second-hand bags is very safe as far as hygiene is concerned! Perhaps that’s the reason why you are afraid to buy second-hand bags thinking that the previous owner wasn’t clean enough? Don’t you fret, though. 😍 Today this isn’t the matter any more thanks to ozonation. 15 minutes spent in a special container, and your bag is as good as new!
Keep them clean for them to last long
If you have visited our website, probably the idea of conscious consumption is not foreign to you. When choosing a bag, pick the ones that are in excellent condition, taken good care of and emanate positive energy. However, once the problem or rather challenge of finding your coveted bag has been tackled, another one starts looming on the horizon – bags, like actually everything in this world, have a tendency to – yes, get dirty… 😍
I’ve written an article on how to properly keep your bag before, but below you can find quite a comprehensive set of further guidelines for taking care of your treasured possession by yourselves at home in case it gets dirty.
First steps…
Before cleaning a leather bag, remove all things from it, check the pockets. After that, it is allowed to proceed with washing the lining. The fabric should be turned out, treated with foamed powder or soap foam, rinsed with water, and left to dry. It is allowed to wash the lining with liquid soap, shampoo, applied onto a sponge. If a full wash is not planned, treat the fabric with a cotton swab dipped in alcohol or a wet disinfectant.
There is also an alternative gentle washing option:
* prepare a solution of 1 tbsp. liquid soap, 250 ml of water, 1 tsp ammonia;
* process the lining material using a sponge. Carefully process the places of pockets, handles, and seams;
* At the end of the washing process, rinse the surface with clean water, then wipe it dry.
Then leave the bag with the lining turned out until it dries completely.
Dealing with surface
To remove small dirt from the surface of the leather bag, take a cotton pad with makeup remover applied. This method will simultaneously remove dirt and soften the surface. To hide small flaws on the surface, cream-paint, which is used to process shoes, is suitable too.
Hand cream is great for softening leather. You can use petrolatum, pharmacy glycerin or castor oil. The selected product is applied to a swab, and then gently rubbed into the surface of the accessory.
How to retain original colors
For processing white bags use cow milk. The liquid removes dirt and softens the leather. Milk needs to be slightly warmed up and applied with a piece of ordinary cotton wool, which should be changed when it gets dirty. To refresh the appearance of your bag, a milk-eggwhite mixture is suitable. Egg whites have to be pre-whipped until foam appears. Such a mixture is suitable for light lacquered leather, as it is considered a gentle way of cleansing.
No-no
There are a number of prohibitions that must be observed when cleaning lacquered products. Cleaning with regular cream for leather products is not allowed: lacquer “loves” only special products. At high and too low temperatures, leave your lacquered bag at home. A folklore remedy will be more effective: wipe the surface of your bag with an onion cut into 2 parts.
If oil and stains get in the way
Oily stains may sometimes remain on the bags. To remove fresh spots, you need to treat the area with the help of baby powder. Starch, fine salt, and baking soda absorb fat very well too. Any of the above remedies should be abundantly applied to the stain and left for half an hour, after which it is removed with a soft brush.
Stains that are very deep-set are removed with products which contain alcohol (for example, lotions or wet wipes). But when performing cleansing, be careful not to spoil the color of the skin.
When alcohol is powerless, try a dishwashing detergent. It is applied onto a sponge, and then the problem area on the leather gets treated. Some stains can be removed with natural lemon juice. It is squeezed onto a cotton pad and applied to the surface.
Knowing how to clean a leather bag, you can keep your favorite accessory in perfect shape and enjoy it for many years to come.