Leather Care and Product Guarantee
Product Guarantee
Leather is a natural product that will "break in" and patina with use. It will become softer and more supple, and it will also develop marks and scratches on the surface that are part of normal wear and tear. Hardware will also patina and tarnish over time. Both the leather and the hardware of your collar and leash require cleaning and care to stay in best condition.
All collars and leashes are made to withstand normal every day wear and tear. If during normal daily wear a setting comes loose, a crystal falls out, the stitching comes loose, hardware/setting breaks etc. send it back and it will be repaired for free. Customer only has to pay shipping to Classy Collar Company!
Please be mindful that crystals and cabochons are a form of GLASS, and as such have limitations in their durability. They will become scratched and cloudy with frequent wear or break from contact with hard surfaces and objects. Scratched or broken crystals and cabochons are not covered in the guarantee for free repairs.
The specialty leathers with metallic finishes and/or prints on a suede base are not meant to be submerged in water. Frequent swimming may damage the specialty leathers. These leathers are not as durable as the regular smooth solid color lining leathers or the base leathers. The base leathers (latigo and bridle) are very durable.
Exposure to salt water/the ocean and chlorinated water will damage the specialty leather and can also cause color change and color loss of the crystals and cabochons. Color loss or other effect of salt water or chlorinated water damage are not covered in the guarantee.
Guarantee / free repairs does not cover extreme use, or abuse of the product, including but not limited to: crystals or cabochons broken or otherwise damaged from impact by heavy metal tags or impact with concrete/hard surface or objects; a dog or other animal chewing the product; the product being run over by a vehicle or lawn mower; or damage/color loss from salt or chlorinated water.
Our collars are NOT meant to be used for tie out purposes. Each customer is responsible for understanding their individual dog and ordering the proper size hardware. Dogs that are heavy pullers, large and giant breeds, do best with 1.25" and 1.5" hardware. 3/4" (0.75") hardware is not recommended for dogs over 50# or dogs over 25# that pull.
Repairs of damage, replacement of spots/cabochons/crystals that are not covered under the guarantee for free repairs are happily done for a small fee which will be based on the amount of damage and repair required.
I am always happy to fix anything that may happen, regardless of why or how it happened and repair fees for damage not covered in the guarantee are kept reasonable for time and materials.
Please do not hesitate to reach out with any and all concerns or questions.
Leather Care
Only the highest quality latigo and bridle leathers are used for collars and leads. The average weight of the leather is 9-10oz (approximately 3.5-4mm) although the black latigo is a little bit lighter at 8-9oz (3.2-3.5mm).
Any heavyweight bridle leathers used for working dog leads will be 12-14oz (4.5-6mm), use of this heavier leather will be noted in the product description if used.
For full length overlay collars, top panel of multi layer designs, and special order collars for puppies, small dogs, and cats, the base leather will be highly quality 6/7oz veg tanned strap leather. This lighter weight leather is used to reduce bulk and ensure crystal and cabochon settings and all decorative spots can be set securely into the leather. Overlay leathers range from 2-4oz in weight, so the collar with full length overlay will still be a minimum of 8oz and up to 11oz in total thickness with the base leather.
**NOTE** The specialty leathers require different care and are more sensitive to the elements. Examples being the Elephant Embossed, python print, crackle, holo, sparkle, etc leathers - ALL specialty leathers that are on a suede base. These leathers should not be repeatedly submerged in water or allowed to become saturated, and should only be cleaned with a damp cloth and soft bristle brush. These leathers should NOT have any conditioner applied to them!
The latigo, bridle, and strap leathers are very durable and the tanning process makes them water resistant and easy to care for. They are full of oils and waxes that make them more soft and pliable in the hand from day one, and do not require much break in time. All of our collars have been conditioned and hand worked prior to being shipped, but periodic care is always recommended for all leather products.
Please note that leather is a naturally occurring product and varies in appearance. There may be wrinkles, small lines, or marks that do not affect the durability of the collar or leash strap.
If your collar or leash gets dirty, wipe with a damp cloth. If the collar is REALLY dirty, using some leather cleaner as indicated on the product label is good for those grubby collars. A soft bristle toothbrush is handy for getting settings, crystals, and cabochons clean when extra dirty. Recommended leather cleaner and conditioner brands are Fiebings, Bick, and Leather Honey - follow directions on the product label and once finished buckle the collar and let sit on a flat surface - do not hang a damp/wet/freshly cleaned collar as this can result in some stretching or warping of the leather.
After cleaning with a leather cleaner and allowing your collar or lead to dry, you need to condition it. Recommended products for the latigo, bridle, and strap leathers are Fiebings Aussie Leather Conditioner, Bick 4, Smith’s Leather Balm, Leather Honey, and Huberd’s Shoe Grease. Please keep in mind that most leather conditioners will darken the leather!
In our experience, only the Bick will not darken leather, the rest will darken the leather to varying degrees. The Huberd’s Shoe Grease and Aussie conditioner(as well as many others!) contain wax and in cold weather or in storage may result in a pale colored wax bloom on the surface of the leather - do not worry! Rub and wipe the excess wax from the surface of the leather - friction from wiping/rubbing and warmth from your hands will soften and melt the wax and allow it to be wiped away or soak back into the leather.
For the regular solid overlay and lining leathers and saffiano, we recommend Leather Honey or Bick 4. Do NOT use any regular leather cleaner or conditioners on the specialty leathers!