Do I need to protect Epi Leather from the rain?

Somersetlove

Somersetlove

Member
Dec 4, 2011
1,288
9
#1
I just bought a petit Noe in Epi and was wondering if I need to protect it from the rain with a leather spray/cream? All my other bags are Mulberry and they recommend that leather bags are sprayed with Collonil before using them to prevent water marks. The care booklet for the Epi leather doesn't mention this, so I was wondering weather I am safe using it in the rain?
 
#5
Although it`s called epi "leather" the epi noe is made of a lot of plastic on top. There`s just a tiny layer of leather below. That´s why the top can be destroyed easily with nail polish remover for example. Nevertheless Louis Vuitton is allowed to call it "leather" although it doesn`t stretch the truth. ;) So you do not have to worry about the bag itself. But you should take care of the strap! :smile:
 
#6
ninette86 said:
Although it`s called epi "leather" the epi noe is made of a lot of plastic on top. There`s just a tiny layer of leather below. That´s why the top can be destroyed easily with nail polish remover for example. Nevertheless Louis Vuitton is allowed to call it "leather" although it doesn`t stretch the truth. ;) So you do not have to worry about the bag itself. But you should take care of the strap! :smile:
Click to expand...
Interesting, is this all Epi products? I don't know much about them.
 
#8
[QUOTING NINETTE86: "Although it`s called epi "leather" the epi noe is made of a lot of plastic on top. There`s just a tiny layer of leather below."]

^This is false. Epi is 100% leather. (Please go ahead and post a link to any credible information otherwise.)


It doesn't need rain protection.
 
#9
I contacted Louis Vuitton to get 100% proof. But here is one of the german sites which explains that epi leather isn't made of 100% leather.

This german site tells about fakes and facts:
http://taschen1.tripod.com/louisvuitton.html

"Epi ist übrigens kein Voll-Leder, auch wenn es "Cuir Epi" heißt und einige das gern glauben möchten, sondern dicker Schicht-Plastik auf einen Hauch von Dünn-(vermutlich Spalt-)Leder aufgebracht. So lange auch nur ein Hauch von Leder mit von der Partie ist, darf dieser Begriff verwendet werden, was LV ja im Katalog z.B. auch tut. (Die Oberfläche der Monogramm Reihe ist ja auch kein "Canvas", auch wenn sie sich so nennt, sondern dick mit Plastik beschichtet.) Vollleder hat bekantlich bei LV andere Preise. Es wäre also ungeachtet jeder Sachkenntnis mehr als naiv zu glauben, für solche vergleichsweisen "Spottpreise" Vollleder zu erhalten. (...) Das wurde mir auch schamhaft von LV bestätigt."

Translation:
"Epi btw isn't full-leather, although it's called "Cuir Epi" and some people like to believe it is, anyway it's made of a thick plastic layer applied on a touch of (probably gab-) leather. As long it's made of a touch of leather, Louis Vuitton is allowed to call it leather. (The top of the monogram series isn't made of "Canvas" either but coated with plastic, still it is called "Canvas") As you know LV full leather bags sell in higher prize ranges. It would be very naive to believe to get full leather for these comparatively "small prizes. (...) Louis Vuitton confirmed this to me bashfully."
 
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#10
You can believe random guy's opinion on the internet, or you can believe (1) the Louis Vuitton website and (2) all of its publications regarding Epi--and (3) the experience of many of us who have owned and handled Epi items for years. Particularly telling is this blogger's saying that the canvas of Vuitton isn't canvas, either...whereas it is in fact cotton canvas that is subjected to a coating process. He doesn't seem to know anything about LV materials and their treatments.

Epi is leather. And, to topic, it doesn't need protection from rain.
 
#11
I own an epi noe and I believe it's not 100% leather, too.

Louis Vuitton already replied to me. It's an abstract standard answer. They just told me since when epi leather is made and bla. They didn't deny that these bags are coated with plastic/PVC, they just ignored my question. And that - in my opinion - is a clear answer. If you don't want to believe that, it's ok. But it isn't the truth anyways. Please tell me WHERE on the official LV page is written that epi leather truly is "100% full leather". Or that an epi bag is made of 100% leather. I searched for that information and I can't find it. Even the customer service unconfirmed it to me. Chose an epi bag an click on details. You'll read about leather straps. Not about a leather bag. And as I said or translated from that article - a name like "epi leather" is tolerated as long as the bag is made of some (!) leather. Clever and misleading at the same time. But that is how every company sells stuff.

I'm glad about the plastic coat anyway because that makes the bag so robust in the first place.

This "blogger" btw knows a lot. I don't know how you can judge him/her without knowing what s/he's writing about. This article was an example. You can find much more information about the coating in german than in english.

Try some nail polish remover. Leather doesn't react to acetone, plastic does.
 
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