itaSTYLE: Itabag Repair Tips
Hey there! Glenn here to talk about itabag repairs.
If you find yourself with an itabag in need of repair, don’t panic! What’s most important is that you take your itabag to the right type of person to repair it! You could always attempt doing these yourself, but your local tailor needs your business!
First, I should note that all of our itabags are covered for 30 days after receipt as part of our satisfaction guarantee. If your bag has any faults in craftsmanship, we will happily reimburse you for any repair costs or assist you with an exchange/return.
Here are the most common repair issues:
Pleather stitching issues:
Take to a shoe repair person. They repair leather products, and they have the equipment to punch through durable material like pleather. Expect to spend $10-15 to get these types of issues fixed.
Ripped pleather:
Take to a shoe repair person. They should have sealant for repairing leather shoes in a variety of colors. It might be good to get creative and apply a thin top coat of paint or matte nail polish to blend the patched area - just make sure it’s rated to adhere to pleather. Expect to spend $15-20 to get these types of issues fixed.
Broken zippers:
Take it to your local tailor. An easy fix for them. Should run around $10 or less nationwide.
Canvas stitching issues or rips:
Call your local tailor first and ask if they repair canvas bags, they may be able to. If not, they’ll direct you to a shoe repair person or somebody who can help. Most local tailors have networks and do referrals to help each other. Give them your business!
Creased pleather:
Best fixed yourself, but a dry cleaner may be able to help you. Pleather (PU) has a major creasing issue. Vinyl can crease as well if left folded long enough. How do you fix it? First, stuff the bag with towels or clothes to attain your desired shape. Then, mist your bag with a spray bottle. Next, lay a towel on top of the area you want to straighten out. Finally, iron it lightly through the towel using the lowest setting. Repeat these steps a few times until the crease is gone. Do not iron over the pull tab ("chuck") of the zipper or it may make your creasing worse. Check the photos above for 1st and 2nd pass of this technique - it works!
Whew! That should cover most itabag dilemmas. If you have any questions related to the above, please please please write to us at hello@co-kan.co so that I can add & clarify! Special thanks to Mikala for letting me use her photos!
Scratched Vinyl (April 1st update):
Thanks for asking in the comments! I realized I forgot to mention it here, but we've tried a few treatments for scratched vinyl and haven't had much luck. So far we've tried things ranging from toothpaste to leather furniture protectant for removing scratches from vinyl. The problem, I think, is that the material is so soft that the scratches can't really be buffed out. I'm sure there is a solution or technique out there that I'm missing, so we'll keep trying things out and I'll post another update if we can find something that works. Thanks again!
That concludes this article of itaSTYLE.
Stay roosted for our next issue!
— Glenn from the Co-Kan Flock ▲
2 Responses
Lavabun
Any tips for scratched vinyl?
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Mika
April 01, 2019
I also have questions about scratched vinyl! Even if I can keep it clean I worry that the scratches will obscure the view ;u;