LV Neverfull Canvas Cracking!

[CornishMon]

I agree ten years is a long time. And yes climate/storage has a lot to do with it. Unfortunately LV does not offer a lifetime guarantee nor do they have one really. I mean even if they were to offer you an replacement today you would have to pay the difference due to the increases since 2008. I think it is really unreasonable for anyone to expect a replacement 10 years later even if the bag has not been used. Just enjoy her while you can.

 

[Louis74]

It is unfortunate that the canvas is cracking on your bag. Could you find a pretty patch and stick it over the crack? The patch might even prevent the crack from spreading.

 

[Nat_CAN]

10 years is wear and tear and the strap looks worn in the pictures so I think it’s fair to say wear and tear. My 15 years old Musette Salsa has cracks in the canvas fold as well. Canvas is not invincible.

 

[loewebunnyw]

I don’t think LV repairs cracked canvas

 

[cheidel]

My Neverfull GM is just over 7 years old and I also have a tiny crack in the canvas. When I first noticed it about a year and a half ago I took it to LV and they told me it was due to wear and tear and cinching of my bag. Ironically, it was LV who encouraged me to fold in the sides when I first bought the bag in 2011 and I did wear it this way for years (folding in the sides but not technically cinching with straps)!

Needless to say, I was upset as well and immediately stopped folding in the sides. This should never have been recommended if there was likelihood of tearing.

If it makes you feel any better, mine has NOT gotten any worse since then and is really tiny.....probably a millimeter or two in length. It frustrates me yes, but I’m still using the bag in rotation and there’s no way I’d replace it considering what I paid back in 2011 compared to what LV charges now. Crazy!

Hopefully yours won’t get any worse either.

I recently noticed that my neverfull has just started cracking. It looks like the top layer of leather is going to chip off in tiny pieces. Even though it is very small at the moment, with continued wear it will get worse. I went to my local LV store and the manager took some photos and sent them LV headquarters and they said bag is not defective but this is "wear and tear" mainly because the bag is 10 years old. They will not fix it or replace it. I do not find this answer acceptable as I have many bags and switch them out constantly so the bag is not used often and the manager even commented on what great condition (inside & out) my bag was in. Also, with the money spent on an LV bag there should not be cracking to good quality leather no matter what age the bag is. I have vintage canvas LV's from the 80's that have perfect condition canvas with no cracks or chipping.

Has anyone else encountered this with their neverfull and successfully gotten their bag repaired or replaced by LV when told initially the wear and tear excuse? If anyone has contact info for someone at LV that can help me with this I would be so thankful! Any tips or advice on how to get this fixed through LV would be appreciated!
View attachment 4098064 View attachment 4098065

Several things could contribute to cracks in canvas after a decade, even if you don’t use the bag often. Such as dryness, climate/weather exposure, etc. I’m not sure if conditioner helps the canvas at all, but I use it on my Vintage bags anyway. My Vintage Speedy 40 is 28 years old but I condition it frequently to hopefully prevent cracking. Enjoy your bag, and use it until it falls apart!

 

[pvkatchung]

@lnh726 Thank you for this post! I have been hemming and hawing on purchasing a speedy bandoliere in damier ebene - which would've been my first ever LV purchase. But after reading about the potential for cracks developing in the coated canvas over time, I've decided to purchase an all-leather (non-LV) bag of the same shape and size. While it was definitely more expensive (~3x), I at least have more peace of mind knowing that the leather won't have the same issues (assuming I periodically treat it with leather conditioner, etc.).

 

[mmajolica]

I don't think LV is being unreasonable if they decide not to take in a bag that is 10 years old, regardless of how much it's used, because as other users have said just existing in an environment will affect the bag. Also the canvas isn't leather - it's a canvas coated in PVC that's textured to mimic leather (just for your own info ).

If LV doesn't take it in, and you don't want to sell it, and there's no other options, I would maybe try supergluing the crack shut. I've never tried this myself, but the materials suggest this is an option, but of course DO SO AT YOUR OWN RISK!

 

[katieny]

I just saw this on YouTube. Little Mamma's House has many repairs and she just repaired cracked canvas on a wallet. I hope it helps.

I've seen people glue the canvas together and then touch it up with brown paint. Good luck.
L.V. will replace items with cracked canvas if it is deemed defective but that would be if it cracks in a year or two or is a known issue.
I have cracks in my Musette Tango and they don't seem to get worse over time.
I'm sorry this happened OP.

 

[JadaStormy]

Not sure how either of your posts help or answer any of the questions in my initial post. As I stated in my first post the bag may be 10 years old but I don't use it often and it is in excellent condition. If you don't have helpful answers to my questions above there is no need to comment on my post. The condescending/ snide comments are not necessary.

You posted on a public forum. People can post whatever they want as long as it's not a personal attack or vulgar. Based on what I can see of the straps in the first pic, it was probably used a bit more than you're letting on. "Excellent" is subjective. I bought a ten year old speedy and the vachetta was immaculate, it barely had patina.

If you stored the bag improperly or in extreme temperatures it can crack. Disclose the damage and sell it on a secondhand site (ebay, craigslist etc). Consignment stores won't buy it with the crack. Not much else you can do. Nothing lasts for ever.

 

[jellyv]

As I stated in my first post the bag may be 10 years old but I don't use it often and it is in excellent condition. If you don't have helpful answers to my questions above there is no need to comment on my post. The condescending/ snide comments are not necessary.

If there’s a non-condescending way to tell you your expectations are inappropriate, I’d like to tell you that. Canvas cracking is for sure wear and tear over 10 years, and not LV’s fault, and not amenable to repair.

Nobody here or at LV has a humidistat readout from your storage environment to know if the bag has had enough humidity, or knowledge of temperature extremes this bag has been subject to, just as an example of factors contributing to wear and tear beyond you toting the bag. They could contribute to cracking—beyond LV’s responsibility, and beyond its ability to correct in repair.

 

[sphere99]

Mine also cracked after 6 years, but I use it almost daily for work. My crack was small at first but became about the size of a quarter due to use. It cracked where the bag hangs over slightly if I had things in the inside pocket.

I also had the side straps (cinchers) tear off from being caught on things, i had those re-attached twice. In addition, the straps were becoming lose and had those re-enforced.

 

[Nubbyrose]

I just bought my first luxury designer bag - LV NeoNoe. I’ve looked into the issue with canvas and this is what I’ve found. The canvas is 100% cotton and is coated with PVC. PVC is a plastic that degrades due to exposure to ultraviolet light, cold temps and age. So the PVC coating has a limited life if for no other reason than just due to time. I guess for myself I will just have to plan on seeing cracks eventually and either trying to repair, leave it as is or replacing. Edit: I don’t think it’s fair to call this a wear and tear issue because the material used to make the bag naturally degrades over time. In other words this material has a limited life regardless of care. I think LV out to disclose this. Also, you might as well use the bag as much as possible because, generally, limiting it’s use won’t extend its life.
https://www.hunker.com/13401334/why-do-pvc-pipes-crack-become-brittle

 

[Madrye28]

OP, to you, what is a reasonable time frame before you should start seeing wear and tear and material breakdown? 10 years is obviously not the answer even though 95% of the forum and the LV boutique disagree. Is it 15 years? 20 years? 100 years? Then the forum can humor you by agreeing with you, and then move on because this is beyond ridiculous.

Edit: I didn’t realize this was yet another old topic that was resurrected.

 

[Postyco]

I just bought my first luxury designer bag - LV NeoNoe. I’ve looked into the issue with canvas and this is what I’ve found. The canvas is 100% cotton and is coated with PVC. PVC is a plastic that degrades due to exposure to ultraviolet light, cold temps and age. So the PVC coating has a limited life if for no other reason than just due to time. I guess for myself I will just have to plan on seeing cracks eventually and either trying to repair, leave it as is or replacing. Edit: I don’t think it’s fair to call this a wear and tear issue because the material used to make the bag naturally degrades over time. In other words this material has a limited life regardless of care. I think LV out to disclose this. Also, you might as well use the bag as much as possible because, generally, limiting it’s use won’t extend its life.
https://www.hunker.com/13401334/why-do-pvc-pipes-crack-become-brittle

LV does disclose the material of their handbags on their website and most people know the
common cheaper bags are canvas, besides maybe people who are completely unfamiliar with the brand (who can then be informed via the website). I believe it is then up to the consumer to do research and determine if canvas would be a suitable material for them - just as how we do for lamb skin, exotics, etc. It shouldn’t be up to LV to add a disclosure that the bag will have a “limited life”, I believe you can say this about any material on earth, and many many people have had canvas bags for years who have not displayed any cracking. Despite this LV still acknowledges when problems arise with canvas by exchanging premature cracking, for I believe up to the first 5 years. However, it still is fair to call it wear and tear when someone happens to experience cracking on their 10 year old handbag - as you stated the material normally wears over time. It is also very fair to say it’s normal wear and tear because certain things a consumer does can accelerate the degradation of the material such as applying lotion to it or exposing it to harsh chemicals like alcohol (hand sanitizer, wipes, cleansers)

 

[boy09]

Will LV replace the bag if the canvas cracks within a couple of years??? What is their policy on this???