Can I dye or restore a leather purse or bag?

Rub ‘n Restore® is a leather finish, not a dye, but can be used to recolor/restore leather bags and purses. Handbags are heavily used, so changing the color of non-absorbent leather may require touch-up along edges, high spots and areas of stress or friction.

Touch-up is easy, depending how complicated your initial technique was. Minimize touch-up by choosing a color that complements the original. Dabbing or stippling the color to create a mottled appearance will allow future wear to look more natural and intended. Learn more about color changing here.

Please note: The warm, velvety feel of unfinished, absorbent leathers like aniline and semi-aniline may slightly cool as a result of finishing them with our products. However, they will still breathe and be more stain resistant.

Do not use our products on suede, nubuck, kid leather, patent leather or peeling synthetics made of bonded (polyurethane) leather. An interior label should indicate from what material your handbag is made. Or learn about types of leather.

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16 comments

  1. Hello . I have a lovely Tods chestnut brown bag but it looks faded in some pacesbafter 8 years of use ! Would you recommend a colour to use? Thank you , Claire

    Reply
  2. I was left a red purse by my late mother and I wish to dye ? It a dark brown or red. Which products should I use to enable a permanent finish.

    Reply
    • Unfortunately it would require customization, as we don’t have a lime green in our line of colors. Angelus might have one, but beware, it’s unlikely to perfectly match which means you’re doing some blending or recoloring.

      Reply

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