Product Care

Most of our leathers are chrome tanned with a semi-aniline finish, a combination widely regarded for its durability, suppleness, and refined appearance. Chrome tanning is the most used method in modern leather production, enabling consistent quality and performance – something we consider essential to guarantee our products’ longevity.

When carried out responsibly, it involves strict environmental controls and safe chemical practices to ensure both worker safety and environmental stewardship. To ensure responsible leather production, we only source leather from tanneries that are Leather Working Group certified or undergoing audit.

Semi-aniline finishes offer a balance between preserving the leather’s natural beauty and providing a degree of surface protection. These finishes allow the natural grain and character of each hide to remain visible, while offering some resistance to wear.

However, the more ‘naked’ or minimally treated the leather, the more it showcases the unique qualities of each hide – making it essential to use only the highest-grade skins. This also means such leathers may be more susceptible to marks, scuffs, or variations over time, and require thoughtful care.

Due to the nature of the materials and techniques used, features such as edge-painting are not completely impervious to environmental factors like temperature shifts and humidity, which may occasionally affect their appearance.

Each leather hide is inherently unique, and we celebrate this individuality. Subtle variations such as veining, wrinkles, or colour nuances in the grain are not defects, but hallmarks of authenticity that reflect the natural origin of the material.

Cleaning - Smythson recommends cleaning the leather exterior of your item with a soft cloth and warm, mild soapy water. Ensure that the cloth is thoroughly wrung out so it feels very slightly damp, and gently wipe the surface of the leather. Repeat using clean water.

Storage - When not in use, we recommend storing your leather item in its soft Nile Blue bag in a cool, dry environment.

Care - Do not leave your leather products in prolonged sunlight. Prolonged exposure to sunlight or other high intensity sources of light can lead to irreversible discolouring, fading and deformation of the leather.

Do not expose to wet, damp or humid conditions or high temperatures.Water can be harmful if it penetrates the leather and can lead to the appearance of bubbles or marks which cannot be removed. Never soak the leather nor apply detergents and do not wash the fabric lining. Refrain from ‘feeding’ the leather with products such as waxes, polishes or saddle soaps. This may leave the surface of the leather sticky, attracting dirt and causing irreversible damage.

For further assistance, please contact Customer Services.

To ensure optimum protection, always store stationery in our Nile Blue boxes as provided, and keep it away from damp, heat and direct sunlight. Our stationery is made with the very highest quality materials, however tissue colour, paper and ink will naturally fade over time.

For futher assistance, please contact Customer Services.

Being silver, your pen or pencil is likely to tarnish. We recommend regularly using a soft jeweller's cloth or standard silver polish to clean your item to restore its original shine. Yard-O-Lead pens and pencils have a lifetime guarantee. Should a repair be required, return the item along with the guarantee slip to the following address: Yard of Lead Pencil Company Limited, Suite 106 The Jewellery Business Centre, 95 Spencer Street, Hockley, Birmingham B18 6DA.

For further assistance, please contact Customer Services.