SIZING YOUR BELT

How to measure an existing belt

The best way to find your belt size is with a well-fitting belt you already have:

1. Lay your existing belt on a flat surface
2. Using a tape measure or rule, measure from the most used hole to the end of the buckle (where the hole sits on the buckle when being worn)

How to measure your body

If you don't have your old belt to hand then you can measure your body. To do this put on a pair of trousers that you would wear your belt with, make sure you are standing naturally without tensing or holding your breath and pass a fabric tape measure through the belt loops, this is the belt length you will need.

If you don't have a fabric tape measure use a piece of string or rope and then lay it flat to measure.

How to take a measurement from your trouser/waist size

Your belt size can be derived from your clothing label size, a general rule is to add 2 inches to your trouser waist size. For example if you normally wear a 32 inch trouser you would need to order a 34 inch belt.

This is the last option and is less accurate than the earlier methods, many clothing manufacturers are not true to size and so can potentially be miss-leading.

Patina and stains

Daily scuffs, marks and darkening are part of the character of leather, this patina also forms part of the items story so don’t get too frustrated when you spill a coffee on it! Some people do it intentionally!!

Heads up, any liquid or moisture can darken leather, this even includes the oils on our skin, items such as wallets and keyrings that we handle a lot will darken and patina faster as the oils are transferred and the leather is polished from regular handling.

Good practice and every day care

This one isn't too complicated, mainly remember that leather is an organic material and so needs to be treated as such.

While bridle leather is weather resistant, water can still soak in, blot surface water with a cloth and allow it to naturally air dry at room temperature. Water left on the surface can leave watermarks in the leather. Avoid putting it next to a heat source to force dry it as this can dry out the leather.

Store it so that it can breathe, and out of direct sunlight to prevent sun bleaching. Sometimes oils and waxes rise to the surface and leave a cloudy film (known as bloom). Gently buff this back in with a soft cloth — it’s normal and harmless, often seen on high quality bridle leather.

Conditioning and rehydrating

To help you leather goods live a long and healthy life they will need a bit of help along the way, in the shape of conditioning and rehydrating.

Every year or when the leather starts to feel dry to the touch the leather will need some attention, use a leather balm, preferably with natural base ingredients such as animal fats and beeswax. Avoid using heavy oils as these can unevenly darken leather.

1. Clean the leather with a slightly damp cloth
2. Apply a small amount of balm with a soft cloth
3. Work it in evenly and allow to absorb
4. For extra shine give it a buff!

Cleaning your leather

When your leather gets dirty and needs a clean:

1. Wipe clean with slightly damp cloth
2. blot dry with a cloth and air dry at room temperature
3. lightly recondition with a leather balm

I would suggest wiping the whole piece to prevent any potential spot discolouration. Only use saddle soap for very stubborn dirt and spot test it on an inconspicuous area first.

Pueblo leather care

Some of my products are made from Pueblo leather, this is selected as it has a sanded surface and absorbs everything it comes into contact with, this is what allows it to gain a beautiful patina from the oils in our hands and its day to day environment.

However this also means it picks up stains, I thinks that this adds to the character and charm of the item as it ages but to prevent damaging the leathers patina and surface I advise not conditioning or cleaning other than with a slightly damp cloth.