What Is Patina?
Patina is a word commonly heard around crafts but have you ever wondered why do people care so much about it and what does it mean?
Patina is a natural material that develops on wood, metal, wax, and leather. It is a signature of high-quality material and doesn’t develop on any fake alternative. Being used for a long time and exposure to environmental elements causes the patina to develop.
Patina is most valuable when it is developed on leather. Leather generally is a durable and magnificent-looking material, but when it develops a patina, its value increases as it gets a weathered look. There are many reasons why people love and value patina on their leather pieces, and some of them are as follows;
It Is Unique
Just like no two hides are the same, patina is also not the same on every leather. Firstly the quality of leather determines how beautiful and natural the patina will be, and secondly, the patina is a reflection of the uses of your leather pieces. If you live in a humid environment, the patina on your leather will be different, and if you expose your leather piece to the sun more often, it will have different properties, which makes every patina unique and personalised for its owner. It is like having a partner who has gone through the same things in life.
It Gets Better With Age
Leather made from the natural animal hide is almost alive and develops changes over time. Just like human skin develops wrinkles and pores with age, the case is not too different for leather made from natural animal skin. Leather pieces age gracefully as they develop these changes, and the patina gives them a weathered look which is perfect if you like vintage-looking items in your cupboard.
It Represents High-Quality
If a bag has developed a patina, you can easily tell that it was made from high-quality leather. Faux leather does not develop a patina, and when you buy something new, especially leather bags online, it is hard to differentiate between real and faux leather. However, if your leather bag gets old enough to develop a patina, you can easily identify if it was made from high-quality leather or not.
How Does Patina Develop On Leather?
The easiest way to develop a patina on your leather piece is to use it as much as you can. Patina develops when the leather is exposed to the elements in the environment, and all the elements bring out different changes in the leather.
Sunlight, water, and natural oils can be the simplest ways to develop a patina but if you cannot wait that long to get that perfect vintage look for your leather bag, what you can do to fasten the process is to use some techniques. Rubbing alcohol on your bag can be one way to add creases and cracks to your leather bag.
Another thing you can do is rub sandpaper to add cracks. Caring for your leather bag is essential, but that also prevents your bag from ageing faster. So if that is not what you are looking for, beating your bag up might fasten the process of ageing for you.
Which Leather Develops The Best Patina?
Only real leathers can develop a patina, but even among them, there are types that develop better patina than others. Natural vegetable tanned leather that is made without any dyes or pigments can develop the best patina.
This leather has the most soaking abilities; it soaks all the environmental elements better than other leathers. The second best leather to develop patina is full grain leather. This type of leather is considered the highest quality leather, and it is not only durable but also develops a good patina which is a sight to behold.
If you want to shop for real leather bags online, visit Obi Pelle and check out their professionally crafted leather bags, wallets, and accessories. You can also get your own piece customised by their skilful artisans.
