Nappa Leather

Nappa leather is a term that you often come across when it comes to the finer and more luxurious leathers. You can find it being used for leather clothing, bags, gloves, car seats, furniture or even lighter footwear. Its soft and supple touch makes it a great choice for objects that you will be in contact with but that won’t be exposed to a lot of wear.

Nappa leather is usually made from calfskin, sheepskin or goatskin. It is a full grain chrome tanned leather and has a relatively natural surface without heavy finishing and open pores that preserve the natural grain of the skin. 

A Birkin bag made from Nappa by Hermes. Source: hermes.com 

The name originates from the Nappa Valley in California, where a German tanner who emigrated to the USA first created this soft leather. 

Caring for Nappa Leather 

When it comes to caring for Nappa leather, conditioning is key. The Saphir Médaille d’Or range offers the Nappa Cream. A Cream that has been developed especially for delicate Nappa leathers.

The Nappa Cream is free of waxes and solvents and only contains nourishing ingredients like Jojoba Oil and Wheat Proteins. Why is the Nappa Cream free from waxes you might ask yourself. We often advocate the importance of wax in shoe and leather care to provide protection against water and moisture for the leather.

In the Nappa Cream there is no contained wax because Nappa leather is often used on bags or other items that are in contact with your clothing or furniture and where wax could rub off and leave a mark. 

Instead the Nappa Cream provides the necessary nourishment to the leather and maintains its softness. When Nappa leathers get to dry they can start to crack or the grain can separate from the fibers of the leather. Therefore providing conditioning is the most important when treating Nappa leathers. 

How to use the Nappa Cream? 

The Nappa Cream can be applied with a clean and dry cloth or a clean applicator brush. Give the leather some time to absorb the cream and then buff it with a dry cloth until a subtle shine develops.

Leather gloves made from Nappa leather by Camille Fournet. Source: camillefournet.com 

That is enough care for Nappa leather, since it won’t be exposed to heavy wear or water. If you want to add some extra protection we recommend the Médaille d’Or Super Invulner spray. The spray is better for Nappa leather compared to creams or wax polish when it comes to protection because it won’t alter the appearance and won’t rub off onto clothing and furniture.

We hope we could give you a good idea of Nappa leather and how to care for it. If you have any further questions send us an email to insight@saphir.com.

Written by Louis Lampertsdörfer