Services: Purse Repair
ShoeMedic assesses handbag repairs at our Oakville shop for customers from Toronto and across Canada. The work and expected result depend on the bag's material and condition:
Clean/Wash: The outside of a bag will be professionally hand-cleaned to minimize surface-level dirt . For fabrics, suede, and coated canvas, the washing choice is most suitable. Deep discoloring, dark spots, ink, or dye transfer cannot be eliminated by washing.
Cleaning of Interior: We can clean liners that are lightly soiled and/or worn. Interior cleaning may improve appearance, but we cannot promise complete stain or odour removal.
Conditioning: A leather bag that has a natural leather finish can be conditioned with luxury Saphir Renovateur Cream after being washed to hydrate the leather and retain the original look.
Handle/ Strap Replacement: We can assess whether handles or straps can be repaired or replaced. Replacement leather, colour and hardware may differ from the original; length changes depend on construction and available materials. We can add tabs with rings to attach a custom-made strap if your bag does not already have a crossbody strap.
Hardware: We assess damaged hardware and explain whether repair or replacement is feasible. Original branded parts and matching finishes may be unavailable; adding feet is possible only where construction allows.
Interior Lining Replacement: If a liner is badly frayed or seriously stained beyond repair, we can replace it completely. For replacement liners, we have a range of leather color choices to use for replicating the original pockets / sections in the liner.
Interior Stitching: We can sew the interior lining of your bag along the original stitch line when an internal seam becomes unsewn.
Protection: A suitable protector may help reduce future marking on some materials, but it does not make a bag stain-proof or waterproof.
Refinish Handles: Because of the oils from your hands that can transfer to your bag while holding it, the leather on handles can sometimes fade or get dirty. Colour work may improve worn handles, but an exact colour or finish match cannot be promised.
Refinish/Dye Leather: At our Oakville shop, we assess whether worn or faded leather is suitable for recolouring. Some finishes cannot be recoloured, and the result may differ from the original.
Refinishing Piping: We can assess whether faded piping or binding can be refinished. A colour match may be approximate and some damage may remain visible. This would be an appropriate choice for a bag that does not require a full re-dye.
Replace/Repair Leather Woven Through Chain: We can re-weave to fix the damaged area if the leather in the chain is unstitched. We can make a substitute if the leather is badly worn or disintegrated.
Replacement of Piping/Binding: Replacement of piping or trim depends on the bag's construction and suitable materials. In order to fix a worn spot, we can often by repair it by feathering in close-matching leather.
Reseal Edges: Corners and edges can split or peel along the top and sides of the bag and need to be resealed to produce a polished edge. To help avoid further harm to the leather, we can also apply an edge sealant.
Reseal Handle Edges: The edges of the handle can crack, peel, or fray with use. To seal and secure the handle edges, we can strip and reapply the edge coating.
Shorten/Lengthen Straps: We can adjust your strap to fit by shortening it, or lengthening it using leather or hardware parts, if the strap is not the right length for you.
Stitch and Rebuild Straps: If your strap does not need to be replaced, we are able to stitch loose threads and/or reinforce and restore them at the base where the hardware is attached. We will carefully open the handle seams to change or repair the damaged tubing when the inner handle tube has moved or cracked.
Structuring: Over time, the structure of a bag will slouch or cave in. To restore the loss of its shape, we carefully open the bag to add interior panels that are custom cut to suit your bag.
Tab/Handle Anchor Repair of Replacement: Tabs are often used to connect the strap or handles to the bag ‘s body. These tabs can weaken and tear with regular wear. We can rebuild the current tab when possible, and if not, we will configure new tabs to closely match the originals if it is badly torn.
Zipper Repair: We can re-align or replace most sliders if the slider is off course. A zipper can weaken or break over time. If it’s made from leather, we can create a custom substitute. Generic options are available for metal pulls.
Zipper Replacement: We must repair the zipper when the zipper tape is ripped, or teeth are missing. We choose the best match possible for the color of the zipper tape and teeth, as well as zipper size.
Related ShoeMedic services: Learn about our handbag repair services or request a Canada-wide mail-in repair assessment.