Care & Maintenance
Invest in a good pair of gloves
Buying a nice pair of leather or suede gloves is a good investment in a product that with proper care and maintenance, will last for years. Schwartz & von Halen gloves are sturdy, durable and high-quality handmade gloves.
However, with a little love and care, they will last even longer. Better for you and better for your wallet. Because we, just like you, want you to be able to keep wearing your gloves for years to come, we have listed a few tips to maintain and care for your leather and suede gloves in the best possible way.
Keep your gloves clean with our cotton bag
The easiest way to keep your leather or suede gloves clean is not to just stuff them in your bag or jacket pockets after wearing them. Store them in our lovely cotton pouch instead. This premium cotton bag is included with every pair of leather or suede gloves. The cotton bag also ensures that your leather and suede gloves always stay together.
Maintenance and care with Schwartz & von Halen leather gel
One major advantage our leather and suede gloves have over wool or other cloth gloves is that leather gloves from Schwartz & von Halen are completely wind and waterproof. To make your leather gloves even more resistant to rainy and cold weather, we recommend treating them with our leather gel – unfortunately it's not suitable for suede gloves. Leather gel is included with every pair of gloves, free of charge.
Use a clean cloth to apply the gel to the leather in a circular pattern, then allow the gloves to dry thoroughly. Once the leather gel has been properly absorbed into the leather, you'll notice that the leather feels supple again, has regained its original shine, and is even more water-repellent. Properly treating your leather gloves will help keep your hands warm and dry in even the coldest weather.
Cleaning the leather gloves
Like any leather glove, Schwartz & von Halen leather gloves should be washed as little as possible. If you wash them too often, it can damage the leather and cause the glove to lose its shine and moisture-repellence. Of course, it doesn't hurt to hand clean your leather gloves from time to time. But you should never put your leather gloves in the washing machine, that’s somewhere leather was never meant to go!
The best way to clean your leather gloves is to wipe them with a damp cloth (not too wet) while you are wearing the gloves. This will remove any dirt that's gotten embedded in the leather over time. We recommend hand cleaning your gloves twice each winter to maintain the integrity of the leather and keep them looking great.
Drying your leather gloves
Once you've hand cleaned your leather gloves, it's important to let them dry thoroughly. Because leather shouldn’t stay wet or damp for too long, we recommend drying the leather gloves standing up. Let the gloves dry at room temperature and avoid using the sun or artificial heat sources such as a heater or a dryer.
It's a good idea to put them on a few times as they dry, especially if your gloves are a few years old. It will allow you to re-shape the gloves to your hand and retain their original fit.