Bicicouture Report post Posted April 16, 2014 Hello! I am going to have a booth at a craft-show this summer and I need to start making some items that will be ready to sell. Usually I make all of my items to order so they dont just sit around. This may seem like an odd question but do leather products have a shelf life? I know leather can crack or harden if it sits. I hand stain all of my products with oil dyes and finish them with atom balm, and I mostly make small bags you can check them out here (www.bicicouture.etsy.com). If I make a few bags and have them sit from now until end of July do you think they will be ok if they are not being used. What do you guys think? I live in Los Angeles, just incase anyone has any comments about the temperature they are in. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WyomingSlick Report post Posted April 17, 2014 LOL I think you just wanted to bring your work to our attention....and that is fine. It looks to me like you do some very good quality work. My question to you would be.....why would you be selling a product that should be designed for many years of use, if you have doubts about it standing up to a few months of "shelf life" ?? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dwight Report post Posted April 17, 2014 Your only concern really, should be sunlight, . . . and/or salt spray, . . . seeing as where you are. If your booth is out in the sunlight, you may want to use a finish with a UV blocker (Resolene is one of them), . . . and salt spray will definitely put the hurt to leather goods. Those would be my secondary concerns, . . . pilferage at outside booths / fairs / shows is my usual first concern. May God bless, Dwight Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
veedub3 Report post Posted April 17, 2014 (edited) The poster is not referring to her items once she gets to the craft fair, she is asking about the shelf life of a product made in her shop a few months before the fair. My questions is: What is the difference in making a leather item a few months ahead of time and sitting it on a shelf in your shop unused, vs making one to order and the customer sits it on a shelf for months unused? For example the bike bag - in my area you can't ride a bike year round so my bike and the bike bag i made myself is currently hanging on the bike rack in my garage where it has been since the end of September. That's several months unused. Edited April 17, 2014 by veedub3 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Matt T Report post Posted April 17, 2014 (edited) After two months of not being moved or handled, leather develops and harbours bacteria called lesipharunious, which will begin to eat away at the leather; slowly, but surely. If you need to make your products ahead of time, just be sure to go through your inventory on a monthly basis and rub the leather with your hand for a few minutes on each piece! Edited April 17, 2014 by Matt T Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Greystone Report post Posted April 17, 2014 After two months of not being moved or handled, leather develops and harbours bacteria called lesipharunious, which will begin to eat away at the leather; slowly, but surely. If you need to make your products ahead of time, just be sure to go through your inventory on a monthly basis and rub the leather with your had for a few minutes on each piece! VERY INTERESTING info!!!!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bicicouture Report post Posted April 17, 2014 LOL I think you just wanted to bring your work to our attention....and that is fine. It looks to me like you do some very good quality work. My question to you would be.....why would you be selling a product that should be designed for many years of use, if you have doubts about it standing up to a few months of "shelf life" ?? Hi there! Thank you for the compliment. Although I did not write this to bring attention to my work, if I wanted to do that I would have posted it in the "show off" section. I am not doubting my products as I have had some for 3+ years that I use very often. It was just a thought, and I realize that the question is odd but I am trying to be well prepared for this show. I have never made items that have just sat in my shop without being used, I was wondering if there was any proper care that should be given to the bags every few months or weeks. Thank you for your reply. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bicicouture Report post Posted April 17, 2014 The poster is not referring to her items once she gets to the craft fair, she is asking about the shelf life of a product made in her shop a few months before the fair. My questions is: What is the difference in making a leather item a few months ahead of time and sitting it on a shelf in your shop unused, vs making one to order and the customer sits it on a shelf for months unused? For example the bike bag - in my area you can't ride a bike year round so my bike and the bike bag i made myself is currently hanging on the bike rack in my garage where it has been since the end of September. That's several months unused. Thank you for your reply! You make a very good point. I have a few bags that sit in my shop but they are being handled pretty often even if it is just to show someone or for me to look at as a reference when making another bag. I know it was an odd question but I am just trying to be well prepared for the show and try to ask about anything that could possibly go wrong. After two months of not being moved or handled, leather develops and harbours bacteria called lesipharunious, which will begin to eat away at the leather; slowly, but surely. If you need to make your products ahead of time, just be sure to go through your inventory on a monthly basis and rub the leather with your hand for a few minutes on each piece! That is very interesting. I can't seem to find any information on the bacteria you mentioned. Does it go by any other name? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Matt T Report post Posted April 17, 2014 That is very interesting. I can't seem to find any information on the bacteria you mentioned. Does it go by any other name? Yes, it is a sub-species of Boolsheetorium. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bicicouture Report post Posted April 17, 2014 Your only concern really, should be sunlight, . . . and/or salt spray, . . . seeing as where you are. If your booth is out in the sunlight, you may want to use a finish with a UV blocker (Resolene is one of them), . . . and salt spray will definitely put the hurt to leather goods. Those would be my secondary concerns, . . . pilferage at outside booths / fairs / shows is my usual first concern. May God bless, Dwight Hi Dwight! Thank you for the tips! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WyomingSlick Report post Posted April 18, 2014 LOL "lesipharunious" ??? "Boolsheetorium" ????? Yup, the second one sounds familiar. ! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Northmount Report post Posted April 18, 2014 There was a post a couple months ago about stock articles going moldy before being sold. http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=52533&hl=%2Bhumidity+%2Bmold#entry335536 I'd be more concerned about improper storage causing problems rather than so-called simple deterioration. Customers need to be careful about how they store their purchases too. Tom Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WScott Report post Posted April 19, 2014 Tom gives a better more helpful answer to prevent possible mould issues in that link. From that thread I got that use of Lysterine in your casing fluid and a good oiling after tooling to rehydrate oils in the veg tan should prevent both mould and cracking. Ps your work looks great and glad to see it even if you were "self promoting" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stanly Report post Posted April 19, 2014 (edited) Matt T: Are u sharkgirl? this is one of search hits answersyahoo.com/questions/index/qid=2007 Edited April 19, 2014 by stanly Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
