Gillio leathers
Gillio leathers
- How & where are your products and leathers produced?
- I’m having difficulty deciding what colour I want to order. Can you send me samples?
- The colour on the product I received slightly differs from the sample you sent me. Why is this?
- How do I clean and/or condition the leather on my Gillio product?
- I accidentally got a scratch on my leather. How can I remove it?
- Do I have a warranty on my Gillio purchase?
- What natural variations can occur on Gillio leather?
- What can you tell me about your real ostrich leathers?
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How & where are your products and leathers produced?
Various artisanal companies, mostly located in the Tuscan region in Italy, are chosen for the production of our leathers and various product lines. Each of them needs to be able to understand our philosophy and approach in order to guarantee a brand unity, a superior product quality, numerous innovations, competitive prices, excellent after sales service and on time deliveries.
Our leathers are produced according to the ancient traditions of vegetable leather tanning. This is a very slow process that takes almost three months to complete, where the leathers are dyed in wooden drums. Because we use natural tannins, this process is the most environmental-friendly.
All Gillio leathers are sourced thoughtfully: they are ALWAYS a byproduct of the meat industry.
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I’m having difficulty deciding what colour I want to order. Can you send me samples?
Of course we can! You can order them yourself, on our website. On the page of each product you’ll find a ‘request leather samples’ button, in which you can specify the leathers you’d like to receive samples of.
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The colour on the product I received slightly differs from the sample you sent me. Why is this?
All our leathers are coloured in a natural, traditional way. We don’t treat or smoothen our leathers artificially, so every hide is unique and susceptible to colour differences. Because every skin is unique, they take the colouring process differently. The natural variations (creases, imperfections, scars, variations in the colour or the grain) in the leathers are inherent to the Gillio products.
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How do I clean and/or condition the leather on my Gillio product?
The best way to care for your Gillio product is to use it. The more your products are handled, the more the oils of your hands will blend with the natural oils inside the products and a natural patina will start to develop. Your leather will become deeper and richer in colour, and develop a natural shine.
In case you need to clean your leather product, we recommend trying a soft, damp cloth first to remove superficial dirt.
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I accidentally got a scratch on my leather. How can I remove it?
With our classical leathers (darker colours in the epoca leathers – like brown, black, gold, red and green for example) you can easily rub scratches out. On the lighter colours, like the cream, the aqua, the lotus etc, the leather is more delicate as it took an extra process to get the leather that light. They are harder to rub out on these leathers. However, with the patina that develops, it will become less and less noticeable in time.
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Do I have a warranty on my Gillio purchase?
Gillio warranty conditions
On all your Gillio purchases (writing instruments & leather goods), you can count on Gillio's lifetime warranty.
Your Gillio products have been designed to last you a lifetime. While choosing the materials (leathers, zippers, stitching etc.) and while producing our products, we set extremely high standards in quality and durability.
IMPORTANT: if you try to repair or alter your Gillio item yourself, or have a non-Gillio-repairperson attempt a repair, your warranty becones null and void. Only Gillio artisans are qualified to repair our leather goods. This includes cutting leather to remove/change a backplate (for attaching rings), opening stitching, installing a new zipper etc. After a non-authorised alteration/repair, we cannot help you with the issue anymore.
Details on our warranty conditions:
(read the return procedure here if you want to ship an item back to us!)
Every production error (a handle that is detaching, a closure not functioning anymore, etc.) is covered by our lifetime warranty. Natural variations in the leather (the leather being more supple or less supple than a previous batch, more/less dry, lighter/darker etc are not defaults, not covered under the warranty and no reasons for return.
Damage, whether it be accidental or deliberate, to your items is not covered by the warranty.
E.g. water stains, ink spots, scratches etc.Colour changes and/or the development of a natural patina on the leather (the colour becoming darker, richer, and more shiny - you'll see this first on the corners/edges in most cases) is inherent to the natural way our leathers are tanned, and is thus not covered by our warranty.
The warranty also excludes all other forms of normal day to day wear and tear.
Construction variations: (update September 15th, 2021)
All Gillio items are handmade. Therefor, you might find small variations in construction between batches. We do our utmost best to minimise this, but with handmade productions you will always have slight differences.
However - if you find that the variation bothers you, you are free to send the item back within your first 14 days such as any regular return. However, we do not accept these variations as production errors or defects, as the planner is perfectly usable.
Variations may include (list not limited to examples):
- Popper buttons (on strap or on planner) moved a bit closer to or from the position of a previous batch;
- Ring mechanism (backplate or full mechanism) moved a bit closer to or from the position of a previous batch;
- Edges of the item sealed in a different way than a previous batch;
- Stitching differing in colour / distance / position from a previous batch;
- Zipper being different from a previous batch;
- Etc.We welcome returns if these minor differences are not working for you. We want you to be 100% happy with your purchase, so please send the item back. We only accept these returns when shipped within the first 14 days after receiving the item. Please note the return shipping is at your expense. More information on return shipping can be found here.
Warranty on rings:
If during the lifespan of your Gillio organiser, your Gillio-rings are not functioning well anymore (the rings are showing gaps, are not closing properly anymore), we will ship you ring replacements for free. Email helpdesk@gillio.eu with a picture of the issue, and our team will help you further.
If the planner was purchased from Gillio before November 6th, 2017, you will receive replacement Gillio-rings.
If the planner was purchased from Gillio after November 6th, 2017, it was sold with Krause-rings and you will receive replacement Krause-rings.
If you purchased the rings seperately, we'll look at the date of purchase (same dates as in point 1 and 2) to determine which rings need to be shipped to you.
Proof of initial purchase may be asked by our customer service team to determine the correct type of rings that need to be shipped to you.
Reasons for return
Please note that we accept construction errors and hardware defects as reasons for a return, as described. We offer a lifetime warranty to ensure you that your Gillio item will last you a lifetime. However, please take into account that what you may consider a construction error, might not be one, and will not hinder the normal use of your planner. Each Gillio product is also unique, so some things may occur in one planner and not in another, without it being a defect.
We receive lots of questions so for clarity we’ve listed some examples of things that may occur:
The popper of your planner is detached / broken. This is a hardware defect and hinders the use of your planner as it is intended. We will accept a return and will compensate woth a new item if available, or a refund.
The popper of your planner seems to stretch off the leather a bit when opening the planner: this is not a defect. As leather is a supple, natural product, there will be some ‘give’ on the popper in some planners. Should the popper detach as described above, it IS considered a defect.
A top corner (or other area) of your planner has a frayed stitch. This does not hinder its use and is not a defect for which you need to return the planner. However, if it becomes worse and the leather detaches, then we will ofcourse take appropriate measure.
Your planner doesn’t lay flat / has a bulge on the bottom when attempting to lay flat. This depends on the leather, and on the firmness of the batch of leather. This is not a defect.
You find that the leather on your new planner is thinner, dry, less supple etc. than what you are used to. This is not a defect. Each leather batch is different, and thickness, firmness, dryness, colour and feel will differ between batches.
You receive your planner with ring gaps. We send all planners with perfectly aligned rings, but transport – parcels being thrown around, even if the box does not appear damaged, can make the rings misalign a bit. This is of course not supposed to happen. You have two options:
- You send it back, we install new rings and send it back to you. Be advised, with transport and customs, this may take a few weeks.
- We ship you new rings free of charge and you install them yourself. It is fairly easy to do and there re several YouTube videos guiding you through the process step by step.
You receive your planner with the wrong colour rings attached. Sometimes mistakes happen, and you receive the wrong colour rings installed. You have the same options as above:
You send it back, we install new rings and send it back to you. Be advised, with transport and customs, this may take a few weeks.
We ship you new rings free of charge and you install them yourself. It is fairly easy to do and there re several YouTube videos guiding you through the process step by step.
Please take into account as well that:
The company will be the judge of the acceptability of any default entitling the item for repair and/or replacement.
Original proof of purchase may be asked when claiming the warranty. Invoice may be asked A- to track from which batch etc an item is (easier for Gillio to spot complaints with a supplier & act on issues) and B- Gillio advises for the buyer’s protection as we’ve had people send in a fake/copy/inspired they thought to have bought as a real Gillio.
Items that are replaced at the decision of the company can not be guaranteed to be identical in colour or in the texture of the leather to the original item, every item varies to some degree.
Repairs of parts that are attached before assembly (pockets, strap) will always entail taking some planner parts apart and re-assembling them. Our artisans will work as neatly and aesthetically as possible, but keep in mind that the warranty does not cover 'returning the item back to 'as new condition'' - the default will be repaired as perfect as possible, but there will always be visible differences to new items.
Items bought at retail dealers are subject to the same warranty conditions if a defect shows up over time. However, in case a defect is present when purchased, please return the item to the shop you bought it for an exchange, a return or a refund - the shop's own return policies apply.
Gillio reserve the right to vary the conditions of the warranty in future as required, current details will always be posted on the website.
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What natural variations can occur on Gillio leather?
The Gillio Firenze products stand out in quality, craftsmanship and overall look and feel. Once you have owned a Gillio product and have experienced our leather quality, it’s hard to ever go back to cheaper commercial leathers.
Our well-known epoca leathers are still coloured according to the ancient Italian traditions. Not a quick colour dye, but traditional vegetable tanning. This transformation from raw hides into beautifully dyed leather is a slow and astonishing process in wooden drums, based on the use of natural tannins, on modern technologies and machineries but mainly, on the slow passage of time.
This process is the most environmental-friendly, and it allows us to keep the uniqueness and versatility in the product. The natural variations (creases, imperfections, scars, variations in the colour or the grain) in the leathers are inherent to the Gillio products.
What natural characteristics can occur?
Leather can be either pebbly (red planner) or smooth (red clasp). In one product, you can find different variations as different leather pieces are put together into one product. At Gillio, we do not artificially smoothen our leathers, nor do we print a grain on them. We leave the leathers as they are and honour their natural state, by showing that, as all people are unique and different, so are the skins of the animals used in the creation of our leathers.
The way these leathers feel (soft or more pebbled to the touch) is also a variation that may occur.
Small darker dots (f.ex. left of the elastic on this gold planner) may occur throughout the leather. All skins are different - some parts are smoother, some are rougher, some are drier than others. Each part of the leather reacts differently to the colouring process. Small scars or blemishes on the skin may also absorb more colour.
Veins, nerves (purple leather) or wrinkles (grey leather) such as these will show in some pieces of leather. Again, these are natural characteristics of the leather we use, and we specifically choose not to remove them artificially. They are proof that you are holding a unique, natural product of artisanal labour in your hands.
Small scars might be visible on your product, such as on this orange planner. They might present as slightly lighter/darker parts, or they could present as a small part which is a bit more textured (very small dent or bump). These scars tell the story of the animal it came from. We all have small scars ourselves too! It could be a run-in with barb wire, it could be a small scar from where a wasp stung the cow? Who knows. These small imperfections will fade in time when patina develops.
Colour differences might occur within one item. As you see here on this Gold leather Mia Cara, the credit card pockets all vary slightly in colour. They are all gold leather though, but as each skin reacts differently to the colouring process, you get these beautiful variations. This is a great example to show that we don't aim for uniform, mass produced planners but unique, one-of-a-kind pieces.
Leather may have areas that look and feel a bit rougher than elsewhere on the hide, such as on this red planner. Just as with human skin, not every part of a cow's skin is as smooth as the rest!
Dark / blue dots appear on my leather, what is this?
We see this happen on all leather colours sporadicly, on lighter leathers more than on darker hues, and the blue hue you see is indeed a result of a chemical reaction between parts of the hide, the natural products we use to make the leather ready for the vegetable tanning, and the tanning products. Unfortunately it is inevitable because we insist on as little chemicals as possible used in the colouring process. Using industrial leather bleaches before colouring would eliminate this, but would also cause a significant change in the look, feel and longevity of the leather.
What if I only like smooth / pebbled / ... ?
As with everything, the love for these variations is something very personal. We have clients that specifically ask for leather with as much texture as possible, and some that prefer super-smooth. Some adore veins and nerves showing, some prefer a coarse pebble over anything.
Our staff will try to accomodate your needs to the best of our abilities: if you have a certain preference, be sure to mention it in the 'remarks' field of your order. Within the availble stock, they will look for the perfect match for you. You can also request pictures beforehand to check if it is Gillio-love at first sight.
You Gillio item will develop patina over time, and become even more gorgeous, once the oils in the leather mix with the oils in your skin and develop a shine on the leather.
One thing is for sure: if you are looking for a 13-in-a-dozen, uniform, mass-produced item, our collection will not satisfy you - at all!
The Gillio collection will always be a unique one: no two items will ever be the same. This is the appeal of our collection, and this is what we take so much pride in. We will always search for the best available leathers and materials to ensure that it will remain as such in the future!
About undyed leathers
Read all about our unique UNDYED epoca leather here.
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What can you tell me about your real ostrich leathers?
Ostrich leather is among the finest and most durable leathers available on the market today. It is very supple, luxurious, soft, and thick. It has a very distinct appearance: the ‘goose bumps’ you see are the quill follicles where the feathers were. Since each quill mark once contained a feather, there is an actual hole in the skin at each quill mark. These leathers are well know for their durability, softness and flexibility. Although it is soft, it is one of the strongest leathers available. And: although it is very strong, it is also very lightweight.
The “regular quill” area of the ostrich leather, where the largest bumps are, is the most wanted and therefore the most expensive part of ostrich leather. This is the leather we mostly use on our planners, especially on the outside of the binder.
The ostrich leathers are also vegetable tanned, ensuring the highest and longest lasting quality available on the market.
IMPORTANT: updated Ostrich and Ostrich X definitions (June 2024)
Based on your feedback, we have refined our definitions for Ostrich and Ostrich X planners. The Ostrich planners will now feature full quill leather on the outside, providing a distinctive and luxurious texture. The Ostrich X planners, in contrast, will not have full quill leather on the outside, catering to those who prefer a more unique finish with less quill. This change results in a higher percentage of our planners featuring the coveted full quill ostrich leather.