Our promise
Repaired
for life
Every Rowdy bag is handmade in our Cape Town workshop, and we stand behind the work. If your bag ever has a fault in how it was made, we will repair it, for the life of the bag.
- Typical life of a Rowdy bag
- 10–15 years
- For a covered repair
- £0
- For most repairs
- Up to 2 weeks
- To any UK address
- Posted back free
What's covered
Made well, mended well
The promise covers how your bag was made. Leather's natural ageing, accidents and everyday wear are part of a bag's life, not a fault in it.
We'll repair
- Stitching that comes undone
- A handle or strap pulling away at its seam
- Edges or lining seams that separate
- A buckle, ring or zip that fails because of how it was fitted
- Any other fault in how your bag was made
Not covered
- Everyday wear: worn corners, softening, creases
- Fading, darkening and changes in colour
- Stains, spills and scratches
- Accidents, cuts, tears and misuse
- Damage from water, sun, heat or fire
- Repairs done by someone else
Not sure which side yours falls on? Send us a photo. We will always take a look and give you an honest answer.
How leather ages
Character, not a fault
Full-grain leather keeps changing for as long as you carry it. It softens, darkens and picks up the marks of where it has been. That is the leather wearing in, not wearing out.
- Day oneFirm, even colour, with the natural marks of the hide
- A year inSofter to hold, slightly darker, creased where it moves
- Years onA deep, rich patina that's yours alone
Who mends it
Mended by hand, here in the UK
Repairs in the UK are carried out by Tanis Brain, a qualified saddler at TPJB Leather. She works the way our makers do: by hand, with the same thread, needles and patience a bag needs to be made properly.
We arrange and pay for the repair. If a job is best done by the people who made your bag, it goes back to our workshop in Cape Town.
Tanis Brain, qualified saddler, TPJB Leather
How to claim
Four steps to a mended bag
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Tell us
Choose "A repair" on our contact form and add your order number.
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Send photos
We'll reply by email. Send clear photos of the problem back.
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Post it to us
Once we've approved it, post your bag to us by tracked post. Postage to us is yours.
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Back to you
We repair a covered fault for free, usually within two weeks, and post it back at our cost.
Please don't post a bag before we've approved it.
Start a repairLooking after it
Your part of the deal
A little care keeps a bag going for years. A bag that's been treated harshly isn't covered.
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Keep it dry
If it gets wet, blot it and let it air dry, away from radiators.
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Keep it shaded
Strong sunlight dries leather out and fades it. Store it out of the sun.
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Condition it
When the leather starts to feel dry, give it a leather conditioner. Never use solvents.
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Store it well
Empty it, stuff it lightly and keep it in its dust bag somewhere cool and dry.
The small print
The full promise
Everything above, written out in full.
Our promise
Every Rowdy bag is cut and stitched by hand by our makers in Cape Town, from full-grain leather chosen for how well it lasts. We are confident in their work, so we promise that your bag will be free from defects in workmanship for its lifetime. If one appears, we will repair it.
By lifetime we mean the useful life of the bag, not an unlimited number of years. Every bag is used differently, but with everyday use and good care a Rowdy bag typically lasts 10 to 15 years.
Who it covers
The promise is for the original buyer of a Rowdy bag bought from rowdybags.co.uk, from our Bath warehouse or from a seller we have approved. If you give your bag as a gift, the promise passes to the person you gave it to. It doesn't pass on if the bag is resold, and it doesn't cover bags bought from sellers we haven't approved.
What it covers
Defects in workmanship: the way your bag was made and put together. For example, stitching that comes undone, a handle or strap that pulls away at its seam, an edge or lining seam that separates, or a fitting that fails because of how it was attached.
What it doesn't cover
Leather is a natural material. Creases, colour variation, softening, small marks, fading and darkening are part of its character, not defects. The promise doesn't cover:
- wear and tear from normal daily use, such as worn corners and edges, softening, natural creases and stretching
- fading, darkening or other changes in colour
- stains, spills, ink, and damage from harsh chemicals or cleaning products
- handles, straps, linings, buckles and zips worn through with everyday use
- accidental damage, cuts, tears, scratches and gashes
- misuse, overloading, neglect, or damage from poor storage
- damage from weather, strong sunlight, water, heat or fire
- loss, theft, or damage caused by someone else after delivery
- repairs or alterations done by anyone other than us or a repairer we have approved
- bags that, while still usable, have reached the end of their lifetime
We assess every claim on its own merits, and the decision on whether a repair is covered is ours.
Your part
Leather lasts when it's looked after. Keep your bag clean and dry, out of direct sunlight and away from heat. If it gets wet, blot it and let it air dry naturally. Condition it whenever it starts to feel dry. Never put it in a washing machine, and don't use cleaners containing alcohol, turpentine or other solvents. A bag that has been used in a harsh or careless way isn't covered.
How a claim works
- Choose "A repair" on our contact form, with your order number and a short description of what has happened.
- We will reply by email. Send us clear photos of the problem in your reply.
- If it looks like a workmanship fault, we will send you the address to post your bag to. Please don't send a bag before we have approved it. We can't accept parcels we aren't expecting.
- Post your bag to us at your own cost. Please empty and clean it first, use a tracked service, and insure it for its value. We aren't responsible for items lost in the post on the way to us, or for anything left inside.
- We check the bag. If the fault is covered, we repair it free of charge, usually within two weeks, and post it back to you at our cost to a UK address.
Repairs are carried out by a qualified UK saddler we trust. Occasionally a repair is best done by the workshop that made your bag in Cape Town, which takes longer; we will tell you if this is the case. If a covered bag can't be repaired, we will replace it with the same or the nearest equivalent bag.
If we find the damage isn't covered, we will explain why and talk through your options. Return postage for bags that aren't covered is your responsibility. We may refuse to handle items that are dirty or a health risk.
Changes to this promise
We may update this promise from time to time. The version in place on the day you bought your bag is the one that applies to it.
Your legal rights
This promise is given in addition to your rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, and doesn't affect them. If your bag wasn't of satisfactory quality when it arrived, you have rights regardless of this promise. See our refund policy for returns and faulty items.
Good to know
Repair questions
Is the repair free?
Yes, if the fault is covered. We pay for the repair and the postage back to you. You cover the postage to us.
How long will it take?
Most repairs take up to two weeks from when your bag reaches us. If a repair needs to go back to our Cape Town workshop, it takes longer, and we will tell you before we send it.
Does the promise cover a bag I was given as a gift?
Yes. If someone bought it from us and gave it to you, the promise passes to you. It doesn't cover bags bought second-hand.
My bag isn't covered. Can you still help?
Send us a photo anyway. We will always take a look and be honest about what can be done.
Can I have it repaired somewhere local?
Please talk to us first. Repairs done by anyone we haven't approved aren't covered, and can stop the promise covering your bag in future.
What if it can't be repaired?
If a covered bag can't be repaired, we will replace it with the same bag, or the nearest equivalent if it's no longer made.
