How to Care for Glenroyal Bridle Leather

A Glenroyal purse is made to be used every day for years. Bridle leather needs very little from you, but a small amount of care makes a visible difference to how it ages. This guide explains what the leather is, what the white powder on a new piece means, and how to look after it.

What bridle leather is

Glenroyal was established in Ayrshire, Scotland, in 1979, and its products are still made by hand by Scottish craftsmen. The brand is best known for bridle leather: hides that are pit-tanned with vegetable tannins and then finished with wax, beeswax and beef tallow. It was first developed for harness and tack, where strength mattered most.

The white powder is bloom, not a fault

A new Glenroyal piece can look as if it has been dusted with white powder. This is called bloom. It is the wax that was worked into the leather rising to the surface, and it is a characteristic of bridle leather. Not every piece shows it. To remove it, brush the leather or rub it down with a soft, dry cloth, and the shine comes through underneath.

Scratches and rain

Because the wax and tallow are worked deep into the leather and not just onto the surface, bridle leather resists abrasion well. Glenroyal says that ordinary scratch marks can be removed almost entirely by rubbing them with a fingertip. The same wax makes the leather more resistant to rain than ordinary leather. If your purse does get wet, let it dry naturally, away from direct heat.

A simple routine

• Brush or wipe away bloom with a soft, dry cloth.
• Glenroyal suggests regular upkeep about once a month.
• Pay most attention to the folds, the corners and the areas that take the most strain.
• When the surface looks dry, or after it has been caught in the rain, apply a wax made for bridle leather.

How it changes with age

With use, bridle leather becomes smoother, its colour deepens and it takes on a soft sheen. Glenroyal colours its bridle leather with a transparent dye, which keeps the natural surface and makes the change in colour and lustre more noticeable, especially on lighter shades. Expect Oxford Tan to change the most over time.

Glenroyal at MinimuMaximuM

We stock the Round Long Purse in Cigar, New Black and Oxford Tan (18 x 9.5 x 2.5 cm, with four note pockets, five card pockets and a coin pocket) and the Zip Around Long Purse in New Black and Oxford Tan.

Shop Glenroyal at MinimuMaximuM, with free UK delivery on orders over £50.