Frequently Asked Questions

Below you will find answers to the most common questions and concerns we receive. If you cannot find the information you need, please do not hesitate to contact us using our contact form

SHIPPING

What countries do you ship to?

We ship to the following countries:

Australia
Austria
Belgium
Brazil
Canada
Columbia
Denmark
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Japan
Luxembourg
Malaysia
Mexico
Netherlands
New Zealand
Norway
Philippines
Portugal
Singapore
South Africa (with limitations)
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Thailand
United Kingdom
United States

We are working on adding other countries in Central and South America very soon.

How do I track my order?

Chilco Leather wants to keep you informed about your order delivery and shipping process at all times.

When you place an order with Chilco Leather, you will be sent an order confirmation email. When your order is picked up by the shipping company you will receive a follow up email with a Tracking Number and link. Simply click on the link and you will be taken to the tracking page.

If you do not receive the above noted email within 5 days, please check your email spam (junk) folder to make sure it did not get placed in this folder. If this shipping confirmation email is not in your spam folder, contact us immediately using our contact us page - please include your full name and order number so we can look up your order and get back to you ASAP.

How long before my order is shipped?

In most cases orders are shipped in 3 to 4 days. During holiday seasons, especially Christmas, processing time is closer to 5 days, so best to order earlier in the season.

Once shipped, orders typically arrive within 5 - 9 business days toin the USA, EU, Australia and Canada. 7 - 12 days to New Zealand. 7 - 15 business days for all other locations.

Will I have to pay customs fees?

There is no taxes or duties on orders shipped to the USA under $800 USD, Australia under $600 USD, and New Zealand under $580 USD. In Singapore there is no taxes or duties on orders under $280 USD. In the Philippines, there is no taxes or duties on orders under $200 USD. Malaysia $100 USD. Thailand is $40 but this so low that you are best to assume duties will be payable.

However, if you live in The EU, or any other country we ship to not mentioned above, duties and/or taxes (VAT in the EU) will be payable on your order total. These costs can range from 12% - 29% of the order total.

In The EU, these costs may be payable on, or just prior to delivery.

For EU countries, VAT is not added your order during the checkout process, VAT will be payable on delivery.

Any duties or customs fees for orders shipped to Canada will be payable on delivery.

IMPORTANT: We do not keep track of changes to customs fees and duties in every country we ship to. As such, we do not accept responsibility for any unforeseen costs associated with delivery of your order to the country you reside in.

How are orders packaged?

Chilco Leather ships all large items like backpacks, briefcases, and duffle bags by compressed bag via DHL or UPS. This may require that we fold items to reduce package size. This does not harm the leather or canvas and your bag should regain full shape in a few weeks of use and creases (if present) will disappear quickly.

Smaller items like wallets, sling bags, toiletry bags etc are also shipped by bag. Small items ordered with larger items will be shipped in the same box.

Do you offer longer return times during the Christmas Season?

Yes we do. Any item purchased between November 15th and Dec 15th will have an extended return window of 15 days - for a total of 45 days from the date of delivery.

Where is Chilco Leather Co. Located?

Williams Lake BC, Canada. In the Cariboo-Chilcotin Region of BC. It is in the heart of cattle and ranch country, and where our name originated.

Although we are located in Canada, to keep overall product costs and prices as low as possible, we ship most orders by DHL or UPS (fast, reliable and global) directly through Hong Kong to most countries in North America. Australia, New Zealand, the EU and Southeast Asia. This allows us to keep our high quality products priced affordably.

ABOUT OUR LEATHER PRODUCTS

What is the difference between Full Grain leather & Genuine Leather

The information below explains the differences between most leathers used for leather goods today.

Full Grain Leather is the outer layer of leather exposed to the elements during an animals lifetime, typically from cattle, hence the name cowhide. It is the most durable and highest quality leather available.

Crazy Horse Leather is full or top grain leather treated with a specialized wax to increase it's durability and resistance to the elements - the process also give Crazy Horse leather that unique vintage appearance.

Top Grain Leather is also the outer layer of leather. However, it may be sanded or buffed out to reduce blemishes and even out the appearance of the surface. It is not as processed as some other forms of leather retaining much of the look many people seek in authentic leather products. Top-grain leather is soft and shows natural character.

What is Genuine Leather?

These days many companies loosely use the term "Genuine Leather" to market inferior leather products as high end leather goods. In most cases genuine leather is the secondary layer of leather split from the top layer (called full grain or top grain). This underlying layer of leather is usually treated and finished to look like full grain leather, but it is no where near as durable as the top layer - full grain leather. Leather goods made from so called genuine leather will not last long.

If the price of a leather product sounds to good to be true, it is likely made from genuine leather, PU Leather (Faux/PVC) or bonded leather (Junk).

What is Crazy Horse Leather?

Crazy Horse Leather is made by applying a special kind of wax to the full grain leather surface. The wax enhances and helps protect the fibers and surface of the leather. The natural colour of the leather will change its hue a little over time and provide the much sought after vintage look associated with Crazy Horse leather.

Is Crazy Horse Leather strong?

Yes, it is full grain leather (sometimes top grain) and the strongest of all leather types available. Its name is derived from its ability to restrain wild "Crazy" horses.

Are Chilco Leather goods really handmade?

Yes, every product in our store is made by hand. Of course, when we say by hand, this does include the use of sewing machines, and where it makes sense, punches and stamps are used for things like zipper pulls, rivets etc that are all identical on most of our bags.

Is Crazy Horse Leather waterproof?

Crazy Horse leather is water resistant. The wax treatment helps the leather repel water and moisture, but you should not expose your Crazy Horse leather bag to rain or water unnecessarily.

If it gets wet, pat dry with a towel or paper towels and allow to air dry. Do not use a blow dryer or place by a heat register etc. Fast direct drying like this will adversely effect the leather and may cause fiber damage.

Will Crazy Horse Leather stain my clothes?

Crazy Horse leather is treated with a wax compound that penetrates the leather and protects it. Until the leather is broken in and the surface develops a beautiful patina, you "might" experience some color transfer onto clothing.

Typically, the darker the leather, the more likely you may experience color transfer. However, depending on the finish of each piece, most of our products DO NOT transfer color from the leather to clothing, or other fabrics.

Use caution with a new bag. It takes time for the surface to toughen and develop a beautiful patina (the shiny surface we all associate with high quality aged leather). As this process occurs, colour transfer, if present, will diminish and completely stop. This depends on the bag and colour.

We do not issue refunds due to color transfer from the leather to other items - mainly clothing.

Where are our products made?

Our products are handmade for us by the #1 leather shop in China with a reputation for making high end leather goods using premium grade leathers and YKK zippers. They are about 60km North of Hong Kong. We work closely with this company to ensure our leather goods are made to the high standards we want in our products. This business relationship allows us to provide high quality leather goods at prices most people can afford.

We ship most orders by DHL, Fedex, UPS and YunExpress (fast, reliable and global) directly through Hong Kong allowing us to keep our products priced affordably.

If you are concerned that our products are made in China, Don't Be, most of today's luxury brands have a portion, or all of their products made in China. The shop we work with produces leather goods of exceptional quality - which is why we can offer a full 1 year replacement warranty!

We are proud of the products we have made in China. Working directly with this leather shop allows us to offer high quality leather goods at very affordable prices. If we were to have our products made in the USA or other Western country, we'd have to charge 3 times as much for the same bags. This would put our bags out of reach for the average consumer.

The sad reality is this - there is no leather shops in Western countries that can make our products - at any price. We tried finding them without success. There are some small companies, but they do not have the ability to supply product to us - just their own customer base. We had to choose between China and Mexico. China proved to be more efficient and cost effective, with very reliable shipping - the later was lacking in Mexico for the countries we wanted serve.

You may see products on other stores similar to ours but be careful, many are selling knock offs of the same designs we sell, and can be of a much lower quality. Simply put, if the price seems to low, it is very likely a cheap knock off. We source our leather goods from the company that makes the original high quality bags.

PAYMENTS & ORDERS

What forms of payment do you accept?

We currently accept PayPal, Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, Diners Club, Shop Pay, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Bancontact and iDEAL

Do you accept PayPal?

Yes, we added PayPal in early 2023

Is there sales tax?

In the USA, Australia, New Zealand and some Southeast Asian countries, no sales taxes are payable.

EU VAT is not included in prices and is payable on delivery.

For Canada, duties and customs fees will be payable on, or just prior to delivery (these are not prepaid and typically about 20% of the order value).

WARRANTY, RETURNS, EXCHANGES & REFUNDS

Best in Industry 1 Year Warranty

Our warranty is one of the best in the industry. Very few of our competitors are confident enough to match our 1 year warranty! Click here for full details on our warranty.

How do I get a refund?

Please refer to our Refund Policy page for full details.

How do I exchange an item?

Please refer to this page for our exchange policy and process.

Where do I send a item to be returned?

Once an item has been approved for an exchange or refund, we will provide a mailing address that is the closest to (or in) the country you are located.

We ship internationally so returns need to be sent to the correct warehouse for the country it is shipped.

How long does it take to get a refund?

After a refund has been approved, you will have your funds returned within 3 to 5 business days (subject to the payment type you used to make the purchase).

How do I return an item?

Returning a product is reasonably easy to do, please review this page for complete details.

How long do I have to return or exchange an item?

Except for the Christmas season you have 30 days from date of delivery to return or exchange an item. Please review our Refund and Exchange Policy here.

Any products purchased between November 15th and December 15th have an extended return window of 15 days for a total of 45 days from date of delivery.

INTERNATIONAL TAXES, VAT & CUSTOMS

I live in Europe, is VAT included in the cost of products?

No, VAT tax is not included and will be payable on delivery.

I am from Canada, Will I have to pay GST or Provincial Tax?

Yes, all orders within Canada are subject to the required taxes for your location. For most provinces, only GST will be charged.

Will I have to pay taxes, duties or other import or customs related costs?

Not in the USA, AU and NZD plus those countries noted below.

There is no taxes or duties on any order shipped to the USA. For Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand tax is only charged if you exceed the allowable import threshold as follows in USD: USA $800, Australia $600, New Zealand $580, Singapore $280, Philippines $200 and Malaysia $100. Thailand $40 but this so low you are best to assume taxes will be charged on delivery.

For Canada, customs fees and/or duties will be payable on delivery and is typically about 20% of the order value.

See section above on VAT for the EU.

LEATHER CARE

How to care for your leather?

When it gets wet: Wipe it down with a dry cloth or pat dry with paper towel. Do not use a blow dryer or heating register as you can damage or warp the leather. Allow to air dry slowly away from heat sources.

When you spill something on it that can stain the surface e.g. pop or wine:: Wipe it down with a cloth… First with a damp one and when you feel the stain is gone, dry it up with a dry one If you can, Do not to use detergents or chemicals as you may damage or lighten/darken the leather.

There are scratches and marks I want to get rid of: In our opinion the scratching and marking of Crazy Horse leather is part of its appeal. However, to remove light scratches and rub marks, simply rub with a soft cloth or your fingers. With time the surface will toughen and marks tend to fade. Although, it will never be 100% impervious to scratching and marking.

What if the leather fades?: Use a high quality leather balm to restore and maintain leather! Avoid chemicals, detergents or sprays. Which leather balm you use will depend on budget and availability. Always test in an inconspicuous spot first as balms may change the color, or darken the leather.

Lastly: Leather stretches and loosens over time, take some time to decide what you typically want to keep inside your bag. Over loading leather bags can stretch the leather and lead to a saggy appearance.

What to do if your leather product gets wet?

If your bag gets wet do not blow dry or place near a source of heat like a heating register.

Simply pat dry with a soft absorbent cloth (recommended when the leather is brand new) and allow to air dry away from direct heat or hot sun.

Drying a leather bag too quickly by placing in direct hot sunlight, or using artifical heat soruces may cause permanent damage to the leather fibers.

ENVIRONMENTAL

Can your products be recycled?

Considering the majority of our products are leather, the only parts that are potentially recyclable are the zippers and lining. Some of our products have cotton/canvas linings, but many are still polyester.

Polyester (a plastic) can be difficult to recycle and Chilco Leather has firm plans in place to transition all our bag linings to cotton or canvas over the next 5 years. We are as concerned about the environment as anyone, and the sooner we can eliminate plastic from our products - the better.

Our choice of cotton or canvas for linings is simple, like leather, it is biodegradable, and should it end up in the landfill (many many years into the future) it will biodegrade in a very short period of time.

Of course, leather can be upcycled and reused.

Are your products Biodegradable?

At his time only the leather on our bags is biodegradable. Some backpacks have cotton linings but most are polyester which is not biodegradable.

That said, our goal right now is to change the lining on all our products to cotton or canvas. Eventually we would like all our products to have no impact on the environment at the end of a products life cycle.

Are aim is to have all materials used in the making of our products to be 100% biodegradable - and the parts which are not, 100% recyclable.