Why Does My New Bag Smell Like Chemicals? (And How to Fix It)

Dearest reader, you have opened a parcel, lifted out your new bag, and been greeted by the scent of a tyre factory. You are not imagining it, and it is usually fixable.

Why new bags smell

• Adhesives. Linings, edges and trims are glued, and solvent-based glues keep releasing odour for days after manufacture.
• Synthetic materials. PU and PVC (the materials behind most "vegan leather") contain plasticisers and coatings that smell strongest when new.
• Leather tanning and finishing. Real leather can smell of the chemicals used to tan, dye and seal it, especially cheaper finishes.
• Packaging. A bag sealed in plastic for weeks traps every one of those smells, which is why the first sniff is the worst.

How to get rid of the smell

1. Air it out for 48 to 72 hours. Unzip every pocket and leave it somewhere ventilated, out of direct sun. This fixes most bags on its own.
2. Stuff it with newspaper or plain paper. Paper absorbs odour. Change it daily.
3. Baking soda. Put a few tablespoons in a sock or small cloth pouch and leave it inside overnight. Never pour it loose into the lining.
4. Activated charcoal bags. Cheap, reusable and very good at pulling odour out of enclosed spaces.
5. Wipe the lining. A cloth barely dampened with a 1:1 mix of white vinegar and water can help on fabric linings. Test a hidden spot first and never soak leather.

Avoid spraying perfume into the bag. It does not remove the smell, it simply gives it company.

When to send it back

If the smell is still strong after a week of airing, gives you a headache, or the bag feels sticky or tacky, return it. That usually points to low-grade coatings rather than ordinary new-bag smell.

Our Smell Test

If a bag from us arrives smelling of anything but ambition, tell us and we shall make it right. Browse the collection.